How I helped Messi to score free-kicks – Maradona

Argentina legend, Diego Maradona has claimed that he helped to teach Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi how to take free-kicks during his regime as La Albiceleste head coach.

The 58-year-old, who coached Messi while he was manager of the Argentina national team between 2008 and 2010, claims the Barca number 10 sought his counsel over his free-kick technique.

Messi scored eight direct free-kicks last season for Barcelona but Maradona is now saying that his advice saw the 32-year-old improve greatly on his free kicks.

Maradona, who was recently appointed coach of Gimnasia, Esgrima La Plata in Argentina Superliga, was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying on Monday: “Messi had an issue with free-kicks. When we finished every training session, we kept Leo behind so he could practice, and he started to hit the post.


“I didn’t teach him how to take a free-kick, then he asked me how I was able to score.

“I said, ‘you just have to hit it in the middle. They aren’t going to give me an Oscar to teach you this’.

“And he replied, ‘but I hit it in the middle and the ball goes this way or that way’ and I told him,

“don’t worry, you’re going to make it’. Now he just can’t miss.”