Messi, Ronaldo, Bale omitted from top 20 free-kick takers – See full list

The superstar trio of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, are missing from a list of top 20 free-kick takers rated by FIFA 14.

Instead, names like Juan Arango, Andrea Pirlo and Didier Drogba make the top five.

Ronaldo and Bale are perhaps the surprise absentees, as the duo have mastered a new technique of lifting the ball over a wall of defence and past goalkeepers.

FIFA 14’s 20 BEST FREE-KICK TAKERS 

1 Juan Arango (Borussia Monchengladbach) – Free-kick rating: 92

2 Sejad Salihovic (1899 Hoffenheim) – Free-kick rating: 90

3 Andrea Pirlo (Juventus) – Free-kick rating: 90

4 Didier Drogba (right) (Galatasaray) Free-kick rating: 89

5 Francesco Lodi (Genoa) Free-kick rating: 89

6 Ronaldinho (Atletico Mineiro) Free-kick rating: 88

7 Rasmus Elm (CSKA Moscow) Free-kick rating: 88

8 Benat (Athletic Bilbao) Free-kick rating: 88

9 Marcos Assuncao (Santos) Free-kick rating: 88

10 Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland) Free-kick rating: 88

11 Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg) Free-kick rating: 88

12 Christian Fuchs (Schalke) Free-kick rating: 87

13 Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow) Free-kick rating: 87

14 Alberto Costa (Spartak Moscow) Free-kick rating: 87

15 Anotonio Di Natale (Udinese) Free-kick rating: 87

16 Xavi (Barcelona) Free-kick rating: 87

17 Hiroshi Kiyotake (FC Nurnberg) Free-kick rating: 87

18 Selcuk Inan (Galatasaray) Free-kick rating: 86

19 Christian Pander (Hannover 96) Free-kick rating: 86

20 Hernanes (Lazio) Free-kick rating: 86

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