Lionel Messi is getting ever closer to becoming the all-time greatest free kick king in football history, as he only needs 3 more goals to claim this record.

Lionel Messi has once again demonstrated that Free kicks remain one of the most lethal weapons in his career. After scoring another dead-ball goal during Inter Miami's MLS fixture against Columbus Crew, the Argentine megastar now requires just three more free kick goals to officially cement his status as the all-time greatest free kick scorer in Football history.

Messi scored this free kick during Inter Miami's away match against Columbus Crew in the 2026 MLS season, on Sunday 27 September 2026. Despite being a spectacular strike, this goal was not enough to save Miami from a 1-2 defeat.

Columbus opened the scoring first when Josef Martinez converted a penalty in the 28th minute. Just five minutes later, Messi was presented with a dead ball opportunity and immediately shifted the momentum of the match.

The free kick position was far from ideal. Messi had to take the set piece from a tight angle on the right side just outside Columbus' penalty box, barely separated from the corner kick area.

This difficult position did not make Messi hesitate however. With his left foot, the Inter Miami captain curled the ball perfectly towards the goal.

Patrick Schulte attempted to track the ball's trajectory, but Messi's strike flew cleanly beyond his reach before dipping sharply into the back of Columbus' net.

This goal levelled the score at 1-1. Messi once again showcased his world class free kick execution ability, while adding another dead ball goal to his personal tally.

Unfortunately for Inter Miami, Messi's goal did not spark a comeback. Columbus resisted all sustained pressure from the visiting side, before finally scoring the winning goal deep into stoppage time.

Jamal Thiare scored the decisive goal in the 90+9th minute, leaving Inter Miami to return home with a 1-2 loss.

While the match result was disappointing, Messi's goal once again confirmed his consistent goalscoring form at club level. The Argentine forward shows no signs of slowing down, continuing his chase for this historic milestone through his signature specialism at free kicks.

As it stands, only three more free kick goals separate Messi from claiming the title of the all-time leading free kick goalscorer in history. Every dead ball situation now presents a new opportunity for the megastar to edge closer to this record.

For Messi, this record chase will not always come hand in hand with team victories. But whenever the ball is placed within range of his left foot, the threat remains ever present - even from the same kind of tight angle he successfully converted against Columbus Crew.