Messi Moves to Second on All-Time Free-Kick List

Lionel Messi's free kick against San Diego FC on Matchday 27 did more than settle a 2-2 draw. It moved him to 75 career free-kick goals, past Brazil's Jair, who had 74, and into outright second place on the all-time list.

Only Marcelinho Carioca, the retired Brazilian who scored 78, stands ahead of him. Roberto Dinamite (73) and Juninho Pernambucano (72) round out the top five. Messi has scored six from dead balls in 2026 alone, and at that rate the record looks unlikely to survive the season.

The goal also carried the 39-year-old to 20 in MLS this season, his third straight campaign in the twenties after 20 in 2024 and 29 in 2025. That puts him alongside LAFC's Denis Bouanga, 31, as the only players to reach 20 or more league goals in three consecutive MLS seasons; Bouanga managed 20, 20 and 24 across 2023-25 before his move to LAFC in February.

The San Diego strike, with Luis Suarez also on the scoresheet, took him to 101 for the club, with 58 assists in 116 appearances. Inter Miami, third in MLS on 46 points from 26 matches, get their goals mainly from Messi (19 in the league), Suárez (13) and Germán Berterame (7).

His career total now stands at 930, with 50 of the 75 free-kick goals scored at Barcelona, 12 for Argentina, 11 at Inter Miami and 2 during his spell at Paris Saint-Germain. Cristiano Ronaldo, his long-time rival for the record before Messi overtook him, has 63 free-kick goals and 979 overall.