Explained Why Does Lionel Messi Do So Much Walking On The Pitch In Game And His Stats

Explained Why Does Lionel Messi Do So Much Walking On The Pitch In Game And His Stats

Lionel Messi has been one of the tournament’s most impressive players, know why does he decide to partake in walking on the pitch in a game

At age 35 in June, the iconic Argentina attacker knew this World Cup would likely be his last. Messi scored Argentina’s opening goal of the 2022 World Cup barely 10 minutes into their first Group C match.

The superstar of Paris Saint-Germain was unable to prevent his country’s shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia. However, he helped inspire his squad to a key 2-0 win over Mexico in the second group game by scoring a stunning goal and assisting on another.

Why Does Lionel Messi Do So Much Walking On The Pitch In Game And His Stats

After beating Poland 2-0, Argentina advanced to the round of 16, where they will face Australia. Against Graham Arnold’s Australia team at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Messi was mesmerising. He started the scoring and, had his teammates not been so wasteful, may have finished with two assists.

Earlier, the BBC discussed a Messi-related topic that has been a hot topic of conversation in the preceding weeks: the Argentine forward’s propensity to move around the field rather than stay in one place. Looking at the players who worked the most miles during the group stages, Messi makes the top 10 three times, at numbers two and five.

He’s almost pretending he’s not interested, but then he comes to life, Ferdinand remarked. What sets him apart from the rest is his ability to create scoring opportunities from everywhere on the field.

Advertisement

Pep Guardiola Reveals Why Lionel Messi Walks A Lot

Pep Guardiola, Messi’s former manager at Barcelona and widely considered to be the best coach in the world, is the only person who fully understands the reasons behind the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s penchant for taking long walks on the field.

Guardiola said when watching a video of Messi for the Amazon Prime Video series “This is Football,” “He’s watching now, he’s walking.

“He’s on foot… And that’s precisely what makes it so appealing to me. He is still active and has not been written off. His head is bobbing to the right, then left, then right. He has complete foresight into the future.”

Though he doesn’t run, he never stops studying the goings-on around him. As a result, he can detect where the holes are in the defence. In just five to ten minutes, he will have the mental image of the entire area, complete with landmarks and a complete understanding of the surrounding scenery. It’s like I’m in the middle of the jungle, and it’s up to me to make it through. And he understands that if I shift my position here, here, I’ll be in a better position to launch my assault.

Advertisement

Pep Guardiola Explains Lionel Messi’s Walk

 

Messi does not merely stroll around the field because he lacks the motivation or stamina to run more aggressively. He does this to stay many steps ahead of his rivals.

To know more about Lionel Messi, do follow The SportsGrail on a regular and frequent basis.

ALSO READ: Granit Xhaka Age, Family, Parents, Wife, Brother, Religion, Salary, Net Worth

Advertisement