🚩 CORNERS & SET PIECES
PAGE 1 OF 5 · WHEN PLAY STOPS
DEAD BALL
WHAT IS A SET PIECE?
A set piece is any restart when the ball is dead and play has stopped. Corners, free kicks, throw-ins, and penalties are all set pieces. They are golden chances because the defending team cannot tackle until the ball is back in play. Teams spend hours rehearsing these moments like secret plays in a playbook. Nearly one in three goals at the top level comes from a set piece. That is a huge number for something that lasts only a few seconds. At World Cup 2026, matches that look tight and goalless can flip in an instant when a corner or free kick finds the right head or foot. Set pieces are where preparation meets opportunity.
⚡ DID YOU KNOW?
Set pieces account for roughly one third of all goals in professional football. Teams that rehearse them well gain a massive advantage over opponents who just wing it.
SET PIECE!
CORNER AWARDED
🚩 Ball out off a defender
⚽ Corner kick to attackers
⚽ Corner kick to attackers
FREE KICK
🧱 Wall of defenders forms
🎯 Shooter lines up the strike
🎯 Shooter lines up the strike