Kerala boy scores Lionel Messi like free kick, video goes viral

A video of a 12-year-old boy from Malappuram, Kerala kicking a ball through a ring has now created quite a stir online and there’s a chance that it’ll leave you amazed too.

In the video, the boy takes an aim towards a ring hanging from a goalpost and is seen wearing a jersey of Argentina with star Lionel Messi’s name written on it. He then proceeds to kick the ball that curls into the hoop. The boy then places his hand on the hips, just the way Messi stands and settles his hair.

Messi himself is known for his free kicks that deceive the opposition goalkeeper and curls into the top corner of the goal frequently. 52 of Messi’s 697 career goals have come from free kicks.

First shared on Facebook page All Kerala Sevens Football Association, the video is now being shared by many across different platforms. And, people can’t stop drawing a connection between the kicking style of the kid and Messi.

People had a lot to say about the young boy. “Wow,” wrote a Twitter user. “Brilliant,” tweeted another. “This is gold,” wrote a third.

According to Manorama Online, the boy’s name is Mishal Aboulais, a seventh standard student of Kattumunda Government UP School. Mishal was encouraged by his brother Wajid to pick up the sport and has been getting coaching for the past four years. The video itself was shot by Wajid.

The report further states that Messi is Mishal’s favourite player while the Argentina captain’s arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo comes a close second.