“GOOOOAALLL! WHAT CAN ANYBODY DO ABOUT THAT GOAL!? 3-1 BARCA, MESSI HAT-TRICK! Barca gets a free-kick just outside the area and Messi curls it inside the right post. Blanco knows exactly what he is going to do and he can not get near it. This is just ridiculous. Somebody, please stop him.”
It was the Argentine’s dead-ball supremacy that took him past a record 50th free-kick goal (career) when he netted two set-pieces past Celta Vigo’s defence-line. He also equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 34 hattricks in the Spanish top flight, pushing him towards further greatness. This year the Barcelona No. 10 has converted one goal in every three free-kicks, which is huge.
However, while going through the talisman’s career graph, his dead ball brilliance is the first thing to get noticed. Despite that, the following is a list of his three best free kicks ever:
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3) Versus Liverpool (First leg, semi-finals 2018-19 Champions League)
Barcelona locked horns with Jurgen Klopp’s men at the Camp Nou on May 1st, 2019, where the visiting side faced a humiliating 3-0 loss against Valverde’s side. This free-kick makes into the list mainly because of two reasons- the way Messi beat one of the best goalkeepers in the world currently and the situation (semi-finals of the Champions League).
It was the 82nd minute and the Barca captain took on a dead ball, around 35 yards from the keeper. He shot was powerful and well-placed that saw it being converted into a great swishing goal towards Allison’s right. The Brazilian keeper dived in the same direction but couldn’t stop the ball.
2) Versus Real Madrid (29-08-2012)
Barcelona lost the Spanish Super Cup in 2012 to arch-rivals Real Madrid owing to Ronaldo and Higuain’s away goals. However, the match was better known for Messi’s solo effort in the form of a brilliant free-kick. Messi has this “bad-habit” of stealing the show and that is exactly what he did back then as well.
This set-piece was brilliant struck and had enough power, to get past arguably the world’s best goalkeeper at that time, Iker Casillas. It was a sight of pure genius when the ball swirled past the Real Madrid’s defensive wall and hit the bottom right corner of the post.
1) Versus Colombia (2016)
The last came on international duty, something that Messi would want to produce more often. Lionel Messi’s 10th minute free-kick goal helped Argentina through the World Cup qualifications when they beat a resilient Colombian side, 3-0.
The strike puzzled the goalkeeper as his shot ran into the top-left corner, hooking into the crossbar and hitting the net with pace and power. The proficient 35 yarders gave Argentina a prolific start to the match and there was no looking back for his side.
It was once again a beauty that we have known the Argentine talisman to produce and he does this from time-to-time. Another great goal added to the tally of plenty, but this one will be surely special for the fans.
Below is a video of Messi’s best 15 free-kick goals ever, which none of his fans can surely forget-
