As England’s defenders prepare for the upcoming World Cup semi-final, they face a monumental test against Lionel Messi. Beyond being celebrated as the greatest player in football history, Messi’s distinctive playing style adds another layer of difficulty for opponents.
At 39 years old, Messi is known for his strategic pacing during matches, often conserving energy until critical moments arise. This characteristic makes him exceptionally challenging to mark. He skillfully identifies spaces on the pitch that may appear unthreatening until he decides to exploit them.
This ability is illustrated by his tournament statistics: no player has recorded as many shots and key passes following ball carries of at least five meters as Messi, who has achieved 22 such impactful plays by expertly timing his acceleration.
Although he didn’t score or assist in Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland, the running statistics from that match highlight Messi’s unique approach compared to other top forwards. According to FIFA’s data, Messi covered 6,655 meters at the slowest speed category of 0-7 kilometers per hour (km/h), surpassing all players on the field.
This low-speed movement accounted for 64.8% of his total distance, a stark contrast to Harry Kane (40.5%), Lamine Yamal (45.4%), Kylian Mbappé (52.6%), and Erling Haaland (55.7%), who spent more time in higher speed ranges.
While Messi’s sprinting percentage is comparable to that of younger forwards, his total sprint count is lower. However, the difference is marginal; during the quarter-final, he recorded approximately 85 sprints per 90 minutes, exceeding Haaland’s 74 and coming close to Mbappé’s 97.
When Messi reaches his top speed, he can still match his younger counterparts. Data from Sofascore indicates that his fastest sprint at this World Cup clocked in at 30.9 km/h, outpacing runs from Lautaro Martínez (30.5) and Alexis Mac Allister (30.2), despite their youth. He is also near the top speeds recorded by Kane (31.4) and Jude Bellingham (31.1).
Encouragingly for England, their fastest recorded player, Nico O’Reilly, reached a top speed of 35.6 km/h, potentially aiding their efforts to contain Argentina’s star player. Nevertheless, tracking Messi and determining the optimal moments to engage him remains an intricate challenge.
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