French scientists claim to have found the secret behind the “best free kick” ever in international football by Brazil’s Roberto Carlos against France in 1997.
Carlos’ free kick from 115 ft in the Tournai de France, which seemingly headed for the corner flag but suddenly curved like a banana to land in the net, has been written off by many as an incredible fluke.
Even French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez made no move, thinking it would go safely clear.
A team at École Polytechnique found, however, that the seemingly impossible free kick was no fluke, after it worked out the science behind it, London’s Daily Telegraph reported.
Using tiny plastic balls and a slingshot, the team from École Polytechnique varied the velocity and spin of balls travelling through water to trace different trajectories.
While their research quickly confirmed the long known Magnus effect, which gives a spinning ball a curved trajectory, it revealed fresh insight for spinning balls that are shot over a distance equivalent to a free kick.
The friction exerted on a ball by its surrounding atmosphere slows it down enough for the spin to take on a greater role in directing the ball’s trajectory, thereby allowing the last moment change in direction, which in the case of Carlos’ kick left Barthez defenceless.