Penalties get the headlines, yet a sweetly struck free kick still decides plenty of 2. Bundesliga matches. Knowing who stands over the ball lets fantasy managers and value-hunters squeeze extra points and profit from set-piece situations.
This guide lists every confirmed free kick takers 2. Bundesliga for 2025/26, complete with confidence ratings and weekly update promises. Bookmark it now and stay one step ahead.
How We Verified Free-Kick Duties
I combined four data streams:
- Pre-season friendlies and DFB-Pokal ties
- Event feeds for 2024/25 and summer warm-ups
- Club-released training footage that shows dead-ball routines
- Local reporters with eyes on the touchline
Free Kick Takers 2. Bundesliga (25/26)

Here’s a list of the Free Kick Takers 2. Bundesliga of all sides in the 2025/26 season. (Table shows club, primary and backup takers, confidence rating. Updated 16 August 2025.)
Team | Taker(s) | Confidence (1–5) |
---|---|---|
FC Schalke 04 | Christopher Antwi-Adjei, Kenan Karaman | 4 |
Hertha BSC | Fabian Reese | 3 |
Hannover 96 | Havard Nielsen, Enzo Leopold | 2 |
SV Darmstadt 98 | Paul Will, Luca Marseiller | 3 |
DSC Arminia Bielefeld | Julian Kania | 3 |
VfL Bochum | TBD – Key players transferred | 2 |
Fortuna Düsseldorf | Ísak Janssen, Dennis Kownacki | 3 |
1. FC Kaiserslautern | Marlon Ritter, Daniel Hanslik | 4 |
Karlsruher SC | Marvin Wanitzek (captain) | 5 |
Holstein Kiel | Steven Skrzybski, Benedikt Pichler | 4 |
1. FC Magdeburg | Baris Atik, Xavier Amaechi | 4 |
SC Preußen Münster | Jano ter Horst, Joel Grodowski | 2 |
1. FC Nürnberg | Robin Knoche, Caspar Jander | 3 |
SV 07 Elversberg | Luca Schnellbacher, Lukas Pinckert | 3 |
SpVgg Greuther Fürth | Branimir Hrgota, Julian Green | 4 |
TSV Eintracht Braunschweig | Sebastian Polter | 3 |
SG Dynamo Dresden | Stefan Kutschke (captain), Niklas Hauptmann | 4 |
SC Paderborn 07 | Felix Platte, Filip Bilbija | 3 |
Last Updated: August 16, 2025 |
Confidence Scale (1-5)
- 5 – Role locked. Player takes every direct free kick when on the pitch.
- 4 – Primary taker with occasional delegation.
- 3 – Shared duty, early-season rotation possible.
- 2 – Limited evidence, monitor first three rounds.
- 1 – Speculation only, no clear sample.
Early-Season Watch List
Some squads still shuffle their dead-ball deck. Keep a close eye on these three:
- SC Preußen Münster – Promotion plus new coach means roles are wide open. Lorenz was first up in two friendlies but Grodowski took the only Cup free kick.
- Eintracht Braunschweig – Half the XI arrived this summer. Kaufmann and Ujah split set-pieces in training, so watch Matchday 1 for clarity.
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern – Ritter is favourite, yet Ache hit more direct attempts in July. Expect a clear hierarchy by mid-August.
Tip: Revisit this page after Matchday 3 before locking long-term fantasy picks.
Fantasy & Betting Edge: Why Direct FKs Matter
A nailed-on free kick taker in the 2. Bundesliga adds at least 1.0 key pass and 0.3 shots on target per ninety, based on last year’s event data. That steady floor keeps your Fantrax roster humming even on quiet attacking days.
Bookmakers often price over/under shot props without adjusting for set-piece specialists. Karlsruher’s Marvin Wanitzek is the classic case. His right-foot curlers from 22 metres drove four goals and seven on-target efforts in 2024/25. When algorithms treat him like a regular box-to-box midfielder, savvy punters find value in shots on target +0.5 lines. (no betting advice, just a statistical remark!)
Left-Foot vs Right-Foot Specialists
Most managers prefer the natural whip of an outswinging free kick. Kevin Stöger (VfL Bochum) bends those in from the right channel, while Tim Hofmann steps up on the opposite side if Stöger is crowded out. Tracking which foot takes which quadrant can reveal crossing volume that raw stats miss.
In conclusion, if you have any feedback or questions about the set-piece takers of the 2. Bundesliga that are not addressed in the information above, feel free to leave a comment below.
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