Lionel Messi is closing in on a free-kick record that has stood for more than two decades, but the ranking he is chasing has thrown up a surprise for football fans: Juninho Pernambucano, widely regarded as one of the greatest free-kick specialists ever, is only fifth.
Messi has scored 76 direct free kicks in his career, leaving him just two short of the 78-goal mark held by Brazilian legend Marcelinho Carioca.
The ranking, shared by football journalist Fabrizio Romano, places Brazilian players in four of the top five positions, with Messi the only non-Brazilian among them.
Carioca leads with 78 goals, followed by Messi on 76, J. R. Pinto on 74, Roberto Dinamite on 73 and Juninho on 72.
Juninho’s position is particularly striking given his reputation for mastering the art of free kicks. His ability to generate power, bend and movement made him a reference point for generations of set-piece takers, yet his career tally leaves him four goals behind Messi.
The comparison also highlights the different paths taken by the two players. Juninho built his reputation during his playing years in Europe and Brazil, while Messi has continued adding to his tally well into his late thirties, now doing so with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
At 39, the Argentine remains within touching distance of a record that has resisted some of football’s most celebrated free-kick specialists.
David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the prominent names associated with the art, but neither features in the top five of the ranking.
Messi’s pursuit is also notable for the company he is keeping. Four Brazilians occupy the leading positions around him, reflecting the country’s long association with technically gifted free-kick takers.
The record chase now comes down to a narrow margin. Two more goals would see Messi draw level with Carioca, while a third would give him sole possession of the record, provided the ranking’s figures remain unchanged.
For a player who has spent much of his career rewriting football’s statistical milestones, the prospect of moving ahead of Carioca adds another significant chapter to his time in Miami.
And with Juninho sitting fifth on the very list Messi is preparing to lead, the numbers offer a reminder that football’s greatest free-kick reputation and its highest career tally are not necessarily the same thing.
