About this goal
Carlos Tevez swivels in the middle and sprays the ball out wide to Messi who takes a touch before the most glorious of scoops over the top of the goalkeeper and into the net.
Ratings
Aesthetically Pleasing 30/30
If you don't think this is one of the most beautiful goals you've ever seen, I don't know what to tell you.
Technical Difficulty 26/30
Being so close into goal, it's so difficult to get the ball up and down in time, but he does it easily, and the keeper's scramblings makes it all the better.
Uniqueness 16/20
Messi has scored loads of lobs but this one is a little difficult in technique and execution.
Importance 7/10
Crucial second goal in Copa America semi-final against Mexico
Standard of Opposition 8/10
Mexico
FootballCritic Verdict
An early message of how special Messi was. Just 20, and with illustrious Argentine team-mates aware what this goal represented.
Goal video
Goal scorer
Lionel Messi
Forward (Centre),Attacking Midfielder (Centre),Forward (Right)
More Great Goals of Lionel Messi
| Rank | Name | Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 |
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Lionel Messi | Jan 1, 1970 | ||
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Messi, to Alves, to Messi, to Alves, to Messi, to Alves, to Messi, who then slots past the goalkeeper. Three one-twos.
Goal type:
Team |
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| 11 |
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Lionel Messi | Jan 1, 1970 | ||
|
Messi shows superb strength on the halfway line to hold off the defender and skip past the next challenge. He then turns the final defender inside and out before lashing into the far corner.
Goal type:
Individual |
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| 12 |
![]() |
Lionel Messi | Jan 1, 1970 | ||
|
Dani Alves' no-look, outside-of-the-foot pass is totally obscene and allows Messi to just apply the finishing touch into the corner. Glorious football.
Goal type:
Team |
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| 13 |
![]() |
Lionel Messi | Nov 24, 2015 | ||
|
Neymar, Suarez and Messi work in perfect tandem to pass their way through the shellshocked Roma defence, with Messi producing an inch-perfect dink at the end of it finish the move.
Goal type:
Team |
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| 14 |
![]() |
Lionel Messi | Jan 1, 1970 | ||
|
Carlos Tevez swivels in the middle and sprays the ball out wide to Messi who takes a touch before the most glorious of scoops over the top of the goalkeeper and into the net.
Goal type:
Special |
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| 15 |
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Lionel Messi | Feb 23, 2019 | ||
|
Rakitic floats a cross to the edge of the area where Messi is poised, Zidane-style, and flashes a volley with perfect connection into the top corner of the net in a crowded area.
Goal type:
Volley |
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| 16 |
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Lionel Messi | Jan 1, 1970 | ||
|
In the final minute of the Clasico, Messi slaloms past Ivan Helguera and then evades the dive of Sergio Ramos to lash across Iker Casillas and into the far corner.
Goal type:
Individual |
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| 17 |
![]() |
Lionel Messi | Jan 1, 1970 | ||
|
Xavi teases a ball into the area and the diminutive Messi leaps to an extraordinary height from the ground, his boot falling off in the process, to head back across Edwin van der Sar and into the net.
Goal type:
Header |
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