Lionel Messi’s free-kick curse finally broken in 2026: Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, and Robert Lewandowski left chasing these 10+ Messi records at Barcelona

Even after Lionel Messi’s departure, moments on the pitch still seemed tethered to what once was; patterns that refused to change, records that stood untouched, and expectations shaped by a standard no one else had set.

For years, Lionel Messi’s presence lingered over Barcelona in ways that went far beyond memories or nostalgia. Even after his departure, moments on the pitch still seemed tethered to what once was; patterns that refused to change, records that stood untouched, and expectations shaped by a standard no one else had set. As the club continues its evolution, new faces like Marcus Rashford have arrived alongside established stars such as Robert Lewandowski and emerging talents like Lamine Yamal. Yet, despite the freshness of the project, certain barriers remained, quiet reminders of Messi’s era that felt impossible to overcome. On a tense European night, however, something shifted.

Barcelona’s final Champions League league-phase match against Copenhagen unfolded as a slow-burning statement rather than an immediate spectacle. The first half was cautious and measured, but after the break, the home side asserted control. Goals from Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha transformed the contest, turning uncertainty into dominance.

With qualification already within reach, the atmosphere inside Camp Nou changed when Marcus Rashford was introduced from the bench with less than 20 minutes remaining. The England international, still adjusting to life at the club, played with a sharp sense of purpose — direct, confident, and decisive. Then, in the 85th minute, Rashford delivered the final blow, sealing a 4-1 victory and confirming progression to the round of 16. The celebration was immediate, but the significance of the moment went far deeper than a routine goal.

For the first time since Lionel Messi’s departure in 2021, Barcelona had scored a direct free-kick in the Champions League. The last player to achieve the feat was Messi himself, on May 1, 2019, when he dismantled Liverpool with a devastating set-piece in the semi-final. More than five years — over 2,000 days — had passed without another Barcelona player replicating it on Europe’s biggest stage.

Drought that defined the post-Messi years

Since Messi’s exit, free-kicks had become a source of frustration for Barcelona supporters. Efforts regularly clipped the wall, drifted wide, or sailed harmlessly over the crossbar. In the Champions League alone, the club had taken more than 50 direct free-kicks without scoring before Rashford stepped up.

Across all competitions, the numbers were scarcely better. Barcelona had managed just three free-kick goals in total, with the most recent coming from Ferran Torres in September 2023. In Europe, however, the drought was absolute — until now. Rashford’s goal did more than end a statistic. It felt like closure.

The records that Messi still holds at Barcelona

That sense of closure inevitably leads to a broader truth: even years after his departure, Lionel Messi still owns the majority of Barcelona’s most important records — and they remain daunting landmarks for the current generation.

Most appearances in official competitions

Messi played 778 official games for Barcelona — more than anyone else in club history. 

Most goals in Barcelona history (all competitions)

With 672 goals for the club, he remains Barcelona’s all-time top scorer — far ahead of the next player on the list. 

Most Barcelona goals in La Liga

Messi scored 474 La Liga goals for Barça, the highest tally ever for a player at the club. 

Most trophies won as a Barcelona player

He won more major honours with Barcelona than any other player in the club’s history. 

Most appearances in La Liga for Barcelona

Messi holds the all-time record for most league matches played for Barca. 

Beyond the headline records above, the Argentine also leads or holds many other longstanding Blaugrana marks that are unlikely to be beaten soon:

• Most assists in official competitions for Barcelona. 
• Most goals scored in Barcelona’s history in European and international club competitions. 
• Most hat-tricks scored for the club in official matches (he had more than any other Barcelona player). 
• Most goals in Copa del Rey finals for Barcelona. 
• Most matches won with the club (as a player in victories). 
• Unique scoring feats such as being the youngest Barcelona player to reach 100/200 goals.

Who is chasing Messi’s long-standing records?

Among the current squad, Robert Lewandowski is the most prolific scorer of the post-Messi era, surpassing the 100-goal mark for the club. Yet even he sits hundreds of goals away from Messi’s totals. The gap is not symbolic — it is structural.

Lamine Yamal, still only at the beginning of his career, is the only player whose age and creative output place him anywhere near long-term discussions about assists or influence. Even then, the scale of Messi’s numbers makes comparisons almost theoretical.

Marcus Rashford’s free-kick did not put him on track to break Messi’s records — but it placed him in a unique historical footnote. He accomplished something that no Barcelona player had managed in Europe for half a decade.