Even at 39, Lionel Messi can still hurt England with his sprinting ability
Analysis of 2026 World Cup performance data shows that 39-year-old Lionel Messi maintains a unique playing style characterized by low-speed movement and energy conservation. Despite his age, his sprinting statistics remain competitive with younger elite forwards, making him a continued threat to opponents like England.
Why it matters
This demonstrates how data analytics are changing the way sports media evaluates aging athletes and their tactical impact on the game.
Lionel Messi covered more ground at low speed against Switzerland than any other player. Lionel Messi covered more ground at low speed against Switzerland than any other player. World Cup 2026 Even at 39, Lionel Messi can still hurt England with his sprinting ability The Argentina captain conserves his energy for bursts in key moments and his top speed compares favourably with his contemporaries
Prefer the Guardian on Google E ngland’s defenders will face an extreme challenge when they come up against Lionel Messi in their World Cup semi-final. It is not just that he is the greatest player of all time but the almost unique way in which he plays.
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