As England prepares to face Lionel Messi in the World Cup semifinal, coaches and analysts are scrutinizing tactics to neutralize the prolific Argentinian forward. Despite his advanced age and remarkably low sprint count, Messi has scored eight goals in the tournament, a tally surpassing his output from Argentina's previous World Cup triumph.
Messi's on-field presence is marked by his minimal physical exertion; he averages 2.8 mph, a speed slower than 579 other World Cup players, and executes 2.7 sprints per 90 minutes, the lowest among forwards who have played over 200 minutes. His total distance covered is also significantly less than many of his peers, yet he consistently influences the game and reaches scoring opportunities.
The key to stopping Messi, according to tactical analyses, lies not in directly marking him, but in preventing the rest of the Argentinian team from creating space for him. Former Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone famously advised his players to 'Pray' when facing Messi, while Carlo Ancelotti suggested avoiding discussion of his skills to prevent players from becoming intimidated.
Argentina's strategy under coach Lionel Scaloni involves a deliberate plan to get Messi the ball unmarked in dangerous areas. The team often employs a narrow 4-1-3-2 formation, with midfielders drawing opponents wide through dummy runs. This tactic creates congestion in the center, allowing Messi to operate between defensive lines.
This approach, while effective, is high-risk. If opponents can intercept passes into Messi, they can initiate counter-attacks. However, Argentina's system is designed to quickly regain possession.
Messi's ability to influence play extends to both dropping deep to collect the ball and making timely runs behind defenders. While he cannot consistently make explosive sprints, his tactical intelligence allows him to exploit defensive lapses. His team averages the most passes per attack and takes the longest to build play, but they can shift gears rapidly when an opening appears.
Teams that have shown some success against Argentina, such as Egypt and Cape Verde, focused on maintaining a compact shape and defending space rather than man-marking Messi. Egypt, for instance, passed Messi between zones and managed to keep him largely out of dangerous positions for 79 minutes. Cape Verde, in a different approach, largely ignored him until he moved into a threatening area, maintaining their defensive structure.
Even these strategies have limitations. Messi's ability to create from wide positions, including delivering crosses and scoring from set pieces, remains a significant threat. Ultimately, England's challenge is to cut off passing lanes, avoid being drawn out of position by decoy runs, and maintain defensive discipline without fixating solely on Messi himself.