Messi's free-kick vs USA | Copa America 2016

[Jeems]

Bloke is the best ever in my eyes.

His critics seem to use the "he doesn't do it for his country" line, yet he is their all time top goal scorer and has won Player of the Tournament at a World Cup

Incredible player.

Lets be honest, he was never POTT in 2014, massive fix!!

[MattyRangers]

Lets be honest, he was never POTT in 2014, massive fix!!

Disagree, thought he was most certainly one of the very best in that tournament.

[stanistheman]

Bloke is the best ever in my eyes.

His critics seem to use the "he doesn't do it for his country" line, yet he is their all time top goal scorer and has won Player of the Tournament at a World Cup

Incredible player.

100% agreement.

[hal9thou]

players that place the ball accurately with real quality and curve, if required, aiming for the corners beyond the keepers reach. That goal Messi scored was a sublime example. Not only was it pinpoint accurate, but more than that he had it up and dropping downwards right in the corner as opposed to going straight into the corner on a lower trajectory.

modern football construction means you can actually sidefoot the FK and still loop it, that way you get the accuracy plus the flight. Which is exactly what he does, ten years ago he would have needed his instep to get that kind of flight on it. Having said that the way he wraps the sidefoot round the ball is beautiful.

Development in materials and construction make it really hard to compare anything, dunno who remembers the old lace up leather, weighed about half a ton when wet. Using that technique it would have barely got off the ground.

[Shepherds Mush]

Spot on Del, couldn't have put it better. It's an absolute masterclass in free-kick taking - it has everything: technique (body shape and kicking position) bend, trajectory, power and above all, perfect placement into the top corner. Totally unstoppable.

So there is no skill in hitting a ball 35 yards into the top corner?