'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On a cold Wednesday night against Liverpool earlier this week, Lionel Messi once again left the world spellbound with his footballing virtuosity. Another brace against another top-billing English side, the Argentine ace just added another big scalp to his ever-growing list.
Whilst that's something routine for him, Messi struck an outrageous free-kick that was the highlight of his performance. Not that he's doing it for the first time, but this one was quiet special and also more important, as the Blaugrana now have a three-goal cushion coming to Anfield next week.
Scoring free-kick is an art itself, and very few footballers have mastered it over the years. Messi included, of course. Of the many things, he's also treated us with his delightful deadball proficiency over the years, but simply where does this knock against the Reds rank?
Trending
There have been many such wonderful free-kick goals, especially in this millennium. Let's analyse the top 10 of them, including Messi's scorcher this week.
#10 Steven Gerrard vs Newcastle United (Premier League 2007)
Liverpool's legendary former skipper might only have one regret in his career - failure to win the Premier League with his beloved side. But otherwise, Stevie G has had a terrific career with the Reds.
Did I mention he has also scored some equally terrific goals too? The Englishman has struck a plethora of worldies during his time in the English top-flight, and this one against the Toons ranks amongst the best he's ever scored.
Lucas Leiva softly poked the ball ahead as Gerrard quickly scuttled forward a few steps to drive home a fantastic effort that ricocheted off the top corner.
Power, precision, peerless - that was former Liverpool skipper just doing what he does best.
#9 Hakan Calhanoglu vs Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga 2014)
During his stint in the Bundesliga, Calhanoglu established himself as a free-kick specialist, scoring several amazeballs for both Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen. In fact, 22 of his 38 goals in Europe's top five leagues have come from direct free-kicks - such is his ability on the dead ball.
However, if I were to choose one from the bunch, then the 42-yard howitzer against Borussia Dortmund would be my pick of the lot. The Turkish midfielder executed the effort with such perfection, it would've taken a while to shake off the dizziness that his goal might have caused.
Der BVB certainly didn't see it coming, as it was apparent in their abstain from even lining up a wall. So Calhanoglu was given a clear sight of the goal, but the technique and accuracy of that strike was simply impeccable.
Even the then-Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp could'nt help but give away a wry smile.
#8 Juninho Pernambucano vs Barcelona (UEFA Champions League 2009)
When you score as many free-kicks as Juninho, some of them are bound to end up in the bargain bins. But the Brazilian legend is undoubtedly one of the greatest ever free-kick takers.
Every time he stood up over a dead ball, there was something magical conspiring as he never failed to impress with his efforts. And this strike against Barcelona in their treble winning season of 2008/09, was straight out of the top-shelf of his free-kick closet.
The then-Lyon maestro put the hosts ahead as early as the seventh minute by lashing an effort into the net that took a beautiful curl on it way and left Victor Valdes with no chance.
We can make an entire list documenting all the amazing free-kicks by only Juninho, but for now, content yourself with this wowzer.
#7 Lionel Messi vs Liverpool (UEFA Champions League 2019)
The Argentine ace is currently the best at many things. And scoring free-kicks is one of them. Regardless of the prattles of him taking this one against Liverpool a few yards ahead of where he actually should have, the execution is simply top-notch. There's absolutely no debating it.
Barcelona held a healthy advantage by then, leading 2-0 with less than 10 minutes to play. But Messi certainly wasn't contented. He wanted more. And there's no stopping him from having what he wants.
He saw an opportunity through this free-kick and hit a sublime knock that whizzed past the Liverpool wall to crash into the top corner, leaving Alisson helpless. And the spectators, absolutely speechless.
That was also his 600th goal for Barcelona in all competitions. And what a way to reach the landmark!
#6 Cristiano Ronaldo vs Arsenal (UEFA Champions League 2009)
Once upon a time, the Portuguese maestro was known for his artistic dead-ball skills - bringing the house down with one epic free-kick after another. And even though his abilities on this front have considerably subsided as time wore on, Ronaldo continues to boast the highest number of free-kicks goals among the active players in Europe.
His scorcher against Portsmouth in the Premier League in 2008 may arguably be dear to the Manchester United fans, but the Mancunians will also remember that long-range thunderbolt against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals in 2009.
About 40 yards away from goal, Ronaldo trudges back a few steps, extrapolates the technique of execution, let's slip a gasp, gallops a few yard ahead before rifling a belter into the bottom corner and beyond the despairing dive of Manuel Almunia.
Ronaldo has since went on to plunder over 500 goals in his career. But this one, remains right up there amongst his very best. And that of the Champions League.
#5 Neymar vs PSG (UEFA Champions League 2017)
Whilst the Brazilian has been whipping up the numbers since his record-breaking move to Paris St.Germain in 2017, he also has a terrific record against his current employers while his time at Barcelona with seven goals from six appearances.
But the most important, and also the best, was that stupendous in-swinger which put the Catalans on the cusp of an unprecedented comeback in the Champions League.
With time almost running out, the hosts still had a three-goal deficit to cement. And he won a free-kick at a tight angle. You would've bet your bottom dollar on Messi dispatching it in moments like these, but that night, the Brazilian wonderboy stepped up to the plate and showed why he was touted to be the heir apparent to Messi's throne.
As pressures ran high, Neymar kept his cool and nonchalantly whipped in a beauty that started a run of eight most epic minutes ever seen in a European match.
#4 Paulinho vs Kashiwa Reysol
Remember him? Of course you do. But probably for his disastrous tenure at Tottenham Hotspur, or that bizarre transfer saga which saw him make a big-money move to Barcelona in 2017, only to move back to China a year after.
But how many remember him for this absolute stunner in the Chinese Super League in 2016? Certainly not many.
The Brazilian, unlike many others who follow suit and join the lower echelons of the footballing strata, had gone on to revive his international career after going to China initially in 2014, and this particular goal just summed up why - about 45 yards away from the post, Paulinho unleashes a ferocious pile-driver that beautifully veers off to the right on it's way before crashing into the back of the net.
Paulinho? More like, Wowlinho!
#3 David Beckham vs Greece (World Qualifier 2001)
David Beckham is many things. He's a fashion icon. He's a dapper hunk. He's the walking-talking style-guide for many men. He's the heart-throb of millions of female football fans around the world. He's a proud parent too. But at his peak, he was also a dead-ball specialist. And this peach of a strike against Greece is perhaps the cream of the crop.
The Three Lions were being condemned to a dreadful pair of play-off matches during the final game of the 2002 World Cup qualifier as the Greeks led 2-1 at Old Trafford. The hosts, who desperately needed an equaliser, saw a silver lining in the 93rd minute when they won a free-kick from about 30 yards out.
Step forward Beckham, who had missed five of his previous attempts from long-range, to take another crack at it and send a wonderful curler into the net. And England to the World Cup finals.
Bend it like Beckham?
#2 Alvaro Reboca vs Bologna (Serie A, 2003)
Just try and Google all the best swingers ever scored. Amidst the barrage of knocks by all the venerable likes of Roberto Carlos, David Bekham, Andrea Pirlo, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo etc., you're sure to almost always bump into this one too.
Former Inter Milan man Alvaro Reboca left the world gobsmacked with his outrageous free-kick against Bologna in a Serie A clash in 2003, probably as much as the four Bolognese players who lined-up in a wall to defend against it.
Rather than going for the conventional over-the-top kick, the Uruguayan slammed a kick around the wall which curled mightily before embracing the far corner. Even though the attempt to stop it was futile, the effort reeked top quality. Even Roberto Carlos, the dark lord of swingers, might have been proud.
#1 Mohd Faiz Subri vs Pahang FA (Malaysian Super League)
We have witnessed all sorts of free-kicks so far: long ranger, inswinger, outswinger, curler, pile-driver et al. But I assure you, there hasn't been anything like this.
You could be excused if you're oblivious to this free-kick, as it was only scored in the lower lights of the Malaysian Super League, but the quality here is undeniable. Mohd Faiz Subri, a Malaysian midfielder, was about to rub shoulders with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Saul Niguez.
He makes the delivery from far off and a very tight angle, but the ball, which first flicked outwards, changed the course of it's flight midway to swing inwards and land into a completely opposite corner of the net to which it initially seemed headed for.
This was unlike anything football has seen. Unsurprisingly, he earned the nomination for the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2016. And then, he beat the aforementioned likes to the prize to etch his name and that goal, forever in football's history books.
Cowabunga, man!
