Throw-ins are not the most talked-about aspect of football, but they play a crucial role in how the game functions, from the highest level down to the lowest rungs of the football pyramid. Generally speaking, throw-ins happen far more often than any other kind of set piece, and they can be used for a variety of different purposes, from quickly building possession at the back to directly challenging the opposition goalkeeper.
In this article, we'll be focusing on one way to benefit from the power of throw-ins by examining the phenomenon of the long throw-in. We'll rank which soccer players have the longest throw-ins, giving you plenty of detail about the people at the top of the list while also fleshing out more broadly what the purpose of the long throw-in is and its role in the modern game. First, though, we're going to start with the basics: what is a throw-in?
Throw-ins are a type of set piece used to re-enter the ball into the field of play after it exits the side of the pitch. When the ball goes over the right or left sideline, a throw-in is taken to get the ball back into open play. Throw-ins are awarded to the opposing team to the player who touched the ball last before it exited the pitch. Whether this player touched it deliberately or accidentally is irrelevant; the throw-in will be given to the opposition team, who will then assume control of the ball.
Throw-ins take place roughly 40-50 times each match and are generally used as a way of recirculating possession, keeping hold of the ball, moving up the pitch in wide areas and kicking off attacking opportunities. But in order to take a throw-in properly, you need to know a few key rules…
The official Laws of the Game outline in detail how a soccer throw-in must be taken. Here are the main things a player must remember when taking a throw-in:
Throw-ins must be taken from the spot where the ball leaves the field of play
Players must face the field of play when taking the throw-in, standing with their feet on or behind the touchline
The ball must be thrown from both hands, and both hands must be behind and over the head when the ball is released
All opponents need to be at least two metres from the point where the throw is taken
The ball is in play from the moment it enters the field, but if the ball touches the ground going onto the field, the team are allowed to retake the throw from the same position
Once a throw-in is taken, it must touch another player first before the taker is allowed to touch it again
If any of these rules are broken, a foul throw will be called by the referee, and the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team to be taken from the same position
Remembering these rules, a player should follow these simple steps to take an effective throw-in:
Pick up the ball with both hands, placing one evenly on each side
Stand on the touchline or a couple of yards back to give yourself a run-up if you'd like to add distance to the throw
From a standing position, arch your back to help generate power
Bring the ball up behind your head, and release it when it is over the top of your head, using a simple flick of the wrists to throw the ball onto the field of play. Ensure that you keep your head straight and high at this point
For more information on this subject, check out our in-depth guide to performing a soccer throw-in.
In recent years, many professional clubs have begun pouring more time, effort, and resources into ensuring their throw-ins are as productive as possible. Coaches and set-piece specialists recognised that this was an area of the game that many teams were failing to tap into, and big changes have been made as a result.
Set-piece specialists like Andreas Georgson, Gianni Vio (part of Italy's Euro 2020-winning coaching staff), and Nicolas Jover (who works alongside Mikel Arteta at Arsenal) have emerged as key innovators in this area. Clubs such as Brentford are becoming widely regarded for their ability to maximise productivity from throw-ins.
There's data behind this development. According to The Athletic, short throw-ins in the final quarter of the pitch create an average Expected Goals (xG) of 0.010, while long throws into the opposition penalty area create a far greater xG of 0.022. As a result, many clubs have started employing long throw-ins on a more regular basis, targeting these types of set pieces as a way of creating goalscoring opportunities from dead ball situations.
However, this modern data-led approach isn't the first example of clubs using long throw-ins to build dangerous attacks. Over the years, a number of players have become known for their ability to lob the ball deep into the opposition penalty box from 30 or 40 yards out, generating threats on goal and providing unique value to their team. Below, we've compiled a list of some of the most effective long throw-in takers in the history of professional football.
Several soccer players have made a name for themselves with their long throw ins, and they enjoy a special status in the eyes of many fans as a result. However, it's worth noting that many of these players haven't had their throws measured specifically, so it's difficult to know which of them has the longest throw of all. Either way, they've all grabbed headlines due to their ball-lobbing abilities…
Younger readers may be unfamiliar with Ian Hutchinson, a striker who most notably played for Chelsea during the 1960s and 1970s. He was known for his aerial ability and throwing skills, with his most famous set piece coming in the 1970 FA Cup final, when a jaw-dropping long throw-in led to his team's winning goal against Leeds United.
The 1990s were a decade of transition for English football, with increased professionalism and talented foreign imports changing the game rapidly in a short period of time. However, direct old-school methods were still undeniably present, and Andy Legg's long throw-ins for clubs such as Swansea City, Birmingham City, and Notts County are a great example of this. At one point, Legg held the world record for the longest throw-in in football, recording a seriously impressive 44.6-metre throw-in (which has since been broken).
The person who now holds the record for the longest throw in in male football is former American high school soccer player Michael Lewis, who is known for his remarkable flip throw technique, which helps him generate incredible height and power from the sidelines. On 21st April 2019, he completed a throw during a match in Frisco, Texas that reached a distance of 59.8m, a world record.
Irish professional footballer Megan Campbell, who plays as a centre-back for Women's Championship side London City Lionesses, is a player with a major ace up her sleeve; her throw-in-taking ability is unparalleled in the women's game today. The 31-year-old is capable of taking various different throws, from high arcing lobs to more powerful driven efforts into the box. This level of technique has helped lead to numerous dangerous opportunities and goals for club and country, so much so that in 2017 the Irish FA contacted Guinness World Records about Campbell's amazing throws.
Mention the name Delap to anyone who regularly watched Premier League football during the late 2000s, and they'll instantly think of one thing: his huge, looping throws for Tony Pulis' Stoke City side, and the havoc they caused in opposition penalty boxes. According to Stats Perform data, Delap's throws directly led to 24 goals in the 2008/09 and 2009/10 Premier League seasons, as Stoke's direct style of play caused headaches for some of the most expensive and talented squads in the league. To this day, the Rory Delap throw is remembered as a uniquely effective exploitation of this often innocuous type of set piece.
The impressive throwing ability of Danish former professional athlete Thomas Gronnemark is highlighted by the fact that over the last few years, he has been employed as a specialist throw-in coach by multiple professional clubs, including Liverpool, Brentford and FC Midtjylland.
After extensive training, he set a new official Guinness World record for the longest throw-in in 2010, recording a distance of 51.33 metres. Since then, a wide variety of players have benefited from his know-how on the training ground.
If you'd like to find out more about the role of the long throw, check out our guide to the set piece coaching innovation of Premier League side Brentford FC.