Messi Hits 70 Free-Kick Goals
Lionel Messi reached 70 career free-kick goals with a brace in Inter Miami's first win of the 2026 MLS season. The milestone adds to Messi's already legendary set-piece record while helping Miami get their campaign off to a positive start. At 38, Messi continues to find new ways to make history in Major League Soccer.
The milestone strike was the second of two goals for Lionel Messi in a 4-2 comeback victory over Orlando City, securing Inter Miami's first win of the 2026 MLS season. Miami had been trailing 2-0 in the Florida Derby before Messi's second-half heroics. With his 70th successful free-kick, Messi now trails the all-time record holder, Brazilian midfielder Marcelino Carioca, who netted 78 times from dead-ball situations. Another Brazilian legend, Juninho Pernambucano, is also often cited as the record holder with 77 free-kick goals. The Argentine superstar continues to close in on the top of the all-time list, which is heavily dominated by Brazilian specialists. Five of the top 10 free-kick takers in history hail from Brazil. Messi is now firmly in the top four, having surpassed the likes of David Beckham and Ronaldinho. Messi's legendary left foot has produced these goals for four different teams. The majority of his free-kick success came with FC Barcelona, where he scored 50. He has also found the net 11 times for the Argentine national team, twice for Paris Saint-Germain, and now seven times for Inter Miami.
