Lamine Yamal scores first Barcelona free-kick goal as he follows Messi’s path

Lamine Yamal has taken another step towards emulating Barcelona great Lionel Messi after scoring his first direct free-kick for the club and wearing the captain’s armband in Wednesday’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord.

The 19-year-old’s role as captain represented a significant moment in his development at Barcelona, further strengthening the standing of a player whose individual ability has made him popular with supporters around the world.

Yamal also opened his account from a direct free-kick during the match. The goal was struck with enough power and accuracy to give the forward a landmark moment in his Barcelona career, while also drawing a clear comparison with Messi’s long-established reputation from set-pieces.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Yamal had taken seven free-kicks for Barcelona over the previous three seasons before Wednesday’s match. One of those attempts, against Girona during the 2024-2025 season, ended in the net.

However, the match report credited that goal to Krejci as an own goal. As a result, Yamal’s effort against Feyenoord is regarded as his first official free-kick goal for Barcelona.

The goal also had a personal connection for Yamal. He dedicated it to Raphinha, Barcelona’s usual free-kick taker, after the Brazilian had encouraged him earlier in the day.

Raphinha told Yamal he would score after seeing him looking slightly frustrated. The teenager subsequently delivered, giving Barcelona another route to goal and beginning what could become an important part of his career.

Messi’s record provides the scale of the challenge facing Yamal. The Argentina international needed several years to establish himself as a specialist free-kick taker for Barcelona before eventually scoring 50 free-kick goals for the club.

Yamal has now registered the first of what he hopes will be many. His immediate achievement is modest compared with Messi’s total, but it marks the start of a pursuit of a figure associated with one of the most celebrated players in Barcelona’s history.

The captaincy and the free-kick goal arrived on the same night, adding significance to Yamal’s progress. While the two milestones are separate, together they underline the growing responsibility being placed on a player who is already attracting worldwide attention for his technical skills.

For now, Yamal has only begun the journey towards Messi’s tally of 50 free-kick goals. The comparison remains ambitious, but Wednesday’s match provided the first entry in his own Barcelona record.

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