Messi goes viral for stunning ‘GOAT’ free kick
Lionel Messi stole the show for Paris Saint Germain on Saturday night, and went viral online after scoring a devastating free kick against Nice.
The match at the Parc des Princes had been scoreless until Messi was fouled outside the 18-yard box around the half-hour mark.
With teammate Neymar attempting to trick goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel by first running over the ball, Messi strolled up to it calmly and lifted it into the air over the wall and the Danish international to make it 1-0.
The goal has gone viral online, and has been viewed over 2.5 million times in one clip on Twitter.
Standing out from his other 59 successful efforts in a dead ball situation, this one was remarkable for the way the advertising boarding in the French capital flashed ‘GOAT’, meaning ‘Greatest of All Time’, as the ball was heading into the back of the net.
Spot-on timing by the advertising hoardings for this Messi free kick pic.twitter.com/lsZ5cor54P
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) October 1, 2022
The free kick was Messi’s first for PSG and the 60th in his career overall. In the 21st century, just three players have netted more than him: Lyon legend Juninho (77), England icon David Beckham (65), and former FC Barcelona teammate Ronaldinho (66).
Messi has scored back-to-back free kicks in his last two outings after delivering on international duty for Argentina midweek.
As Nice equalized on 47 minutes through Gaetan Laborde, Kylian Mbappe snatched a 2-1 victory with an 83rd-minute winner.
Brought off five minutes later, however, the night belonged to Messi who received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Booed at the same ground earlier this year along with Neymar after PSG were knocked out by eventual winners Real Madrid in the Champions League, Messi has enjoyed a reversal of fortunes and is in the form of his life with six goals in eight days heading towards the World Cup in Qatar in November.
A free man on June 30, 2023 when his PSG contract expires, Messi is being linked with a return to former club Barca, but there have been reports that his current employers plan to hijack the operation by offering him a two-term deal that pays €30 million ($29.4 million) a year.
