International News: At 39, Football Superstar Lionel Messi still a force as England prepare for World Cup Semi-final

By Zoila Palma:  Despite being 39 years old, Argentina captain Lionel Messi remains one of the biggest forces on the pitch ahead of his side’s FIFA World Cup semi-final against England. While Messi conserves energy for much of the match by walking and drifting into space, he continues to deliver decisive moments with bursts of speed and precision that have defined his legendary career. Statistics from the tournament highlight Messi’s unique playing style. FIFA tracking data shows he covered 6,655 metres at low speed (0–7 km/h) during Argentina’s quarter-final against Switzerland, accounting for nearly 65 percent of his total distance—significantly more than elite forwards such as Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Erling Haaland. However, when opportunities arise, Messi accelerates quickly, leading all players at the tournament with 22 ball carries of at least five metres that ended in either a shot or a key pass. Although he records fewer sprints than some younger stars, Messi’s pace remains impressive. He averaged the equivalent of 85 sprints per 90 minutes in the quarter-final, more than Haaland and only slightly behind Mbappé. His top speed of 30.9 km/h during the World Cup is faster than several younger Argentina teammates, including Lautaro Martínez and Alexis Mac Allister, and is only marginally slower than England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. England’s defenders will therefore face more than just Messi’s speed. His intelligence, movement and ability to appear harmless before suddenly creating danger make him one of football’s most difficult players to mark. The post International News: At 39, Football Superstar Lionel Messi still a force as England prepare for World Cup Semi-final appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.