I would rate a "good" free kick and hence a good free kick taker by 1) accuracy 2) consistency 3) variety.

My vote will go to the great Maradona. I also agree Sinisa's and Becks are good freek kick taker but lacks variety at times and are predictable, though hard to defend against due to their accuracy.

However, I think free kicks are more to just directing it blindly into goal. A creative play would be where the ball is passed to unsuspecting players, or curled towards a "blind" spot or, the more difficult one, the "expected" spot and still beating the keeper due to accuracy and power. Zola is also one FK taker i admire.

For Zola and Maradona, when they go up to take a FK, opposing players cant just adjust the wall and wait to block their shots. They have to be weary of the potential passes, and you will not be sure whether to order the wall to jump or not, as they have scored FKs under the wall or even through the wall before. And Maradona in one instance, from a FK taken on the right side of the pitch nearer to the corner flag than the goal, manage to deceive everyone by scoring when it seemed easier to curl a cross.

Just my 2 cents.

I am also a big fan of Baggio in this respect.

depends on how one judges free kick. there is a certain aesthaetic value to them too.

is the discussion confined to the one kickers? ie how bout those who are intelligent to play acute passes etc to deceive the walls etc?