England pride themselves on physical intensity, so facing a 39-year-old who spends much of his time walking might have seemed ideal. That is not how things unfolded in the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta.
Lionel Messi may be less athletic than in his younger days, but his footballing intelligence more than compensates. As England surrendered control through fatigue and Thomas Tuchel's in-game adjustments, Messi strolled authoritatively across the pitch, effectively serving as Argentina's on-field coach.
England's High Press Fades as Messi Grows Into the Game
England began with clear intent, pressing Argentina high up the pitch. Wingers Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers were instructed to close down Argentina's central defenders, angling their approach to make it harder for goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and centre-backs Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez to find their full-backs.
England's midfield trio carried specific marking assignments. Jude Bellingham sat deeper than anticipated, shadowing Enzo Fernandez. Declan Rice was tasked with Alexis Mac Allister, while Elliot Anderson drew the challenging assignment of tracking Messi himself.
The strategy worked effectively early on. England's midfielders, full of energy, stifled Argentina's centrally focused approach. Anderson, in particular, was sharp in his duels and smothered Messi with front-footed defending. However, Messi, alongside Fernandez and Mac Allister, gradually grew into the contest.
Argentina's captain began dropping into deeper positions, creating a dilemma for Anderson over how far to follow him. Messi's walking pace proved deceptive, as he would suddenly burst into life from a near standstill, darting toward the ball. As England's press faded with fatigue, Argentina gained control and began advancing as a unit.
Messi Exploits England's Structure in Dramatic Comeback
Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute, and they held that advantage for half an hour. During that period, England managed only 12% of possession, spending most of the second half defending in deep positions.
Messi systematically identified and exploited weaknesses in England's structure. After Anderson's aggressive approach had succeeded early, Messi adapted, using the 23-year-old's eagerness to engage against him. He held the ball for extended periods, drawing Anderson out before flicking passes to teammates in the space Anderson had vacated.
For Argentina's equaliser in the 85th minute, Messi's adaptability was on full display. After a short corner and a one-two, he dribbled in-field, drawing Anderson out of his central position. Messi delayed his pass until multiple defenders converged, releasing the ball to Fernandez, who had ample space to gather, aim, and strike without challenge.
Lautaro Martinez then sealed the victory in stoppage time with a header from Messi's cross, completing a remarkable turnaround.
Recognising Space and Exposing Bellingham's Positioning
With England defending their lead by blocking central space, Messi drifted away from the middle. He positioned himself in the empty zones that emerged, either deep in front of England's block or wide on the right touchline. By occupying these unmarked areas, he could either receive the ball freely or drag defenders toward him, disorganising England's shape and creating space for teammates.
Jude Bellingham's defensive positioning proved particularly costly. In England's 4-4-2 block, the near-side striker is typically expected to help defend wide areas, which would have been Bellingham's responsibility down Argentina's right. Messi repeatedly recognised that Bellingham was caught high up the pitch or drawn toward the ball, and exploited the space behind him.
This allowed Argentina to sustain attacks and create dangerous crossing situations. Messi and a teammate frequently found themselves in two-versus-two situations on the right flank, and when both the winger and full-back joined Messi, Argentina occasionally enjoyed a three-versus-two overload.
Argentina Counters Tuchel's Tactical Adjustments
England head coach Thomas Tuchel responded to Argentina's attacking numbers by switching to a back five, seeking numerical equality in the penalty area. However, the 5-3-2 formation inadvertently suited Messi's game. With England's defenders pinned deep, the three central midfielders struggled to cover the width of the pitch.
Following Declan Rice's substitution and Nico O'Reilly's introduction, England shifted to a 5-4-1, improving wide coverage. Yet this created a new problem: Bellingham was moved into an unfamiliar holding midfield role. His natural instinct to drop deep meant he had to make longer sprints to close down Argentina's midfielders, and he struggled to get close enough to apply pressure.
Bellingham's deep positioning gave Fernandez time and space to shoot from distance under minimal pressure, which produced the corner from which Argentina equalised.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni then made decisive changes. He swapped the roles of Fernandez and Mac Allister, allowing the latter to attack crosses in the box. He introduced the aerially impressive Nico Gonzalez and Lautaro Martinez, while bringing on Rodrigo de Paul out wide. Scaloni and Messi had combined to create an attacking setup that provided easy access to the right wing, reliable crosses, and strong aerial threats.
For the better part of half an hour, Argentina produced what many would consider their best attacking football of the tournament. With England's starters battling fatigue, numerous players out of position, and facing attacks orchestrated by an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, the result became increasingly inevitable.
What did you make of Messi's on-field coaching masterclass? Could England have done anything differently to contain him, or was this simply a case of footballing genius proving impossible to stop? Share this article and join the conversation with fellow football fans.
Source: BBC Sport
