With FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi having become masterful from dead-ball situations in recent years, his incredible record from direct free-kicks since 2014 suggests that he might just be the best free-kick taker in Europe at the moment.
Magical Messi Makes LaLiga History
The Argentine scored two free-kick goals against Espanyol on Saturday, taking his free-kick tally with the Catalan giants to 38 strikes.
The 31-year-old has now also scored 10 direct free-kicks in 2018, numbers that have never been seen before in Spain.
Although many are aware of the Argentine's prowess from dead-ball situations, a new statistic that has come to light has left many pundits and fans alike stunned.
Since 2014, Messi has scored more free-kicks than 11 top teams in Europe's most competitive leagues, including Juventus, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, among others.
fIFtH iN tHe BaLloN d'oR pic.twitter.com/VfEoqgSDEi
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 8, 2018
Neymar Chooses Between Messi Ronaldo
Messi is believed to have scored a total of 44 free-kicks in his senior career, with six of those coming in an Argentina shirt.
Do you think Messi is currently the best free-kick taker in the world? Let us know in the comments section below.
