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November 24th , 2024

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LIONEL MESSI'S WALKING STATS AT THE WORLD CUP ARE SO HIGH THANKS TO A FASCINATING TACTIC

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Sports

A year ago



Lionel Messi stole the show in Argentina's 2-1 World Cup round of 16 win over Australia, but you might have noticed he didn't break a sweat.



The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner scored just past the half-hour mark to help Lionel Scaloni's side advance to the quarter-finals against the Netherlands.


Messi is well-known for taking his time getting into a game, which has led to criticism.


He'll never make a lung-busting run to press the goalkeeper or track back to stop a counterattack.

It's more prevalent than ever in Qatar. Before Saturday's victory, BBC Sport displayed a graphic that calculated which players had walked the most distance.


Messi's three Group C appearances against Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland all finished in the top 10, making him the only player to do so three times.


What motivates him to do this? A manager who knows him better than anyone put it best a few years ago.


Pep Guardiola, Messi's coach from 2008 to 2012, is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in his career. Even the Paris Saint-Germain superstar believes so.He claimed Messi is still 'involved' in the game by laying out the pitch and opposing formation. Messi will gladly take it to defenders with increased ferocity once it's in his locker.


"He's still in the game. He's a player "Manchester City manager proclaimed. "He was turning his head. Right, left, right, left, right. He can tell who the weak link in the back four is. He has the map after five or ten minutes. He understands that if I move here, here, I will have more room to attack."Guardiola watched highlights of Messi's 2017 performance against Real Madrid as part of Amazon Prime Video's 'This Is Football' series.


He remarked after one display of skill: "Oh, that's brilliant! That is incredible. We're his contemporaries. So take advantage of it. Lionel Messi is simply one of a kind. He is fantastic."


Julian Alvarez doubled Argentina's lead against the Socceroos after goalkeeper Mat Ryan made a mistake, but an Enzo Fernandez own goal with 13 minutes remaining made it a tense finish.


Three minutes later, Lisandro Martinez made a crucial block to deny Australia left-back Aziz Behich an equalizer.


Can Messi win his first World Cup in his final season as a player? Only time will tell.

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