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Lionel Messi overtakes Pelé in all-time free-kick goals list; Juninho, the only man ahead of him
Messi has moved ahead of Pelé in all-time free-kick goals, reaching 71 and trailing Juninho's 77.
Lionel Messi has taken another step up one of football’s most iconic scoring ladders, moving to 71 career free-kick goals and going clear of Pelé in the all-time list. The Inter Miami and Argentina superstar is now second on the chart, with only Brazilian Juninho Pernambucano ahead of him.
It is the latest addition to a skill Messi has turned from an occasional weapon into one of the deadliest parts of his game. For years, his genius was discussed through dribbles, assists and impossible left-foot finishes. Now, free-kicks have become an equally defining part of his legacy.
Messi’s latest strike takes him past Pelé’s 70 and leaves him six short of Juninho’s 77, the highest figure on the list. It is another reminder of the longevity and reinvention that have marked his career, with the Argentine continuing to add fresh milestones deep into his 30s.
What makes the number stand out even more is the company he now keeps. Juninho remains at the top with 77, long regarded as the gold standard for direct free-kick excellence. Messi is now alone in second on 71, ahead of Pelé on 70, while Ronaldinho and Víctor Legrotaglie are tied on 66 each.
Most free-kick goals of all time
1. Juninho Pernambucano – 77
2. Lionel Messi – 71
3. Pelé – 70
4. Ronaldinho – 66
5. Víctor Legrotaglie – 66
For Messi, this is not just another statistical landmark to be filed away beside the hundreds of others he has already collected. Free-kick goals carry their own aura. They are moments of stillness before brilliance, situations where the whole stadium knows what the player is trying to do and still cannot stop it. Few in the sport’s history have mastered that theatre quite like Messi.
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The climb to 71 also underlines how complete his evolution has been. Early in his career, set-pieces were not central to his image. Over time, though, he refined the craft to the point where every free-kick in shooting range began to feel like a genuine scoring chance. That shift has added another dimension to an already unmatched body of work.
Now the focus naturally turns to the next target. Juninho’s 77 still stands above the rest, but Messi is closer than ever. With six more needed to draw level, and every free-kick around the box still carrying the promise of magic, the chase is very much alive.
At this stage of his career, that may be the most astonishing part of all. Messi is not merely protecting an old legacy. He is still expanding it.
