Messi scores his 50th free kick

Another day, another landmark figure for Leo Messi. Such is the life of the Argentinian superstar. On Tuesday in Barcelona he made it 50 goals from free kicks in his professional career with another spectacular effort in the game against Valladolid. The first of those 50 came in Novermber 2008 in a league game against Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou, the beginning of a free kick extravaganza that has led him to a total of 44 for Barça and six for the Argentinian national side. 

❗ Click on each little ball to see how, where and when he scored each of his 50 free kicks. 

In which competition

33 of the free kicks came in the league, 66% of the total. The rest saw 5 in the Champions League, 3 Copa del Rey, 2 in the European Super Cup and 1 in the Spanish Super Cup, not forgetting his six with Argentina. 

Favourite victims

Espanyol have looked on as Messi has scored six free kicks against Barça's city rivals. He has notched up five against Sevilla and Athletic Club, three against Atlético Madrid and two against Deportivo, Real Madrid, Almería, Betis, Villarreal and Alavés. 

Challenges to come

With 50 goals from free kicks for Barça and Argentina, the next challenge for Messi is to reach 50 in a blaugrana shirt as he is just six away from a half century as an FC Barcelona player. 

A hat trick of free kicks would not be beyond the talents of the greatest and he has come clubs, scoring two against Sevilla in the 5-4 win in the 2015 and against Espanyol in the 4-0 league win away from home in December 2018.