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How Maradona helped Messi become the world's best free-kick taker

The Argentine learned the craft at La Masia but only became the world's most lethal dead-ball specialist thanks to some advice from a living legend

In Saturday's clash with Espanyol, Barcelona captain Lionel Messi did something he had never managed before: he scored two free-kicks in the same game.

That came as something of a surprise, given the Argentine has long since proven himself the world's deadliest set-piece specialist. Indeed, no player has scored more free-kicks in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues over the past 10 seasons than Messi (27). Not Cristiano Ronaldo (20). And not Miralem Pjanic (15).