How does messi run

Yes, I know, Riquelme was exaggerating a bit but Sometimes, it really seems to be true. This skill by Messi is borderline to absolute perfection. How is this possible? Is it a matter of speed? Is it the way he controls the ball? His body position? Embed from Getty Images. Messi's secret is not his speed, seriously. In fact, some people took the time to measure it and found out that he's a fast runner, but other players are way faster. Not so for Messi, however, who can seemingly go from zero all the back to full speed in what feels like the blink of an eye.

From genetics to training methods, to simple good old fashioned hard work, whatever the special ingredient is that makes Messi who he still remains a mystery. With insane sprint speeds and lightning-fast acceleration, how exactly does he manage to keep the ball with him at all times?

The control that Messi has is the last piece of the holy trifecta that makes up his game, and genius is the only way to describe it. For example, if one analyze his performance during the last World Cup , he came out as one of the least running players. Nevertheless, even in this case, which was probably his least active performance in years, looking at what happens if one analyze his production per minute and compare it to others, it turns out that he was the 5th player in production per minute while being the one who ran the least.

What is even more interesting is that there is really no apparent correlation between meters run and production per minute.

If anything, that means that the plot seems to indicate that there might be a negative correlation. To dribble a soccer ball like Lionel Messi, keep the ball close to your feet at all times, and practice dribbling through cones while looking up to see where you're going. As you're dribbling, keep your arms out and bent slightly in front of your body to steady your movements. Once you've mastered dribbling, work on improving your speed by doing wind sprints while dribbling, and practice playing as much as possible.

For tips on using Messi's techniques to fake out defenders, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.

Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Keep the ball close at all times. Messi and other great dribblers keep the ball extremely close to their body as they move, almost as if it were glued to a short rope around the ankle.

To build your close-dribbling skills, practice snaking through cones as quickly as possible. You'll force yourself to control the ball and keep it close to make it around the cones without going all wonky. It's important to practice as a quick clip.

It's easy to keep the ball close while you walk around, but it's much harder to do at a full sprint. Gradually build up your speed and your dribbling stamina, aiming for a touch on the ball every strides. Keep your head up. Good vision is essential to good ball control and excellent Messi-style dribbling. Practice keeping your eyes looking up at the action around you, focusing on defenders hips to see which direction they're moving so you can anticipate the best way to get them off balance or even catch them with their legs spread for a morale-killing nutmeg.

Establish a low center of gravity. It's almost unfair: Messi is a great dribbler in part because he's short. Not that height makes you a better dribbler, but he takes more strides per dribble than some other dribblers, and he's forced to keep the ball close, taking short little quick steps as he moves.

Taller players can do the same thing, but it'll take more practice and helps to center yourself low, squatting and staying on top of the ball. Keep your arms out. Remember how Jack Sparrow walked in Pirates of the Caribbean, arms out to steady himself? Watch some tape--great dribblers like Messi dribble like that. Keeping your arms bent and slightly out from your body allows you to maintain your balance during quick transitions and changes of direction, keeping yourself in the best position.

Get faster. Speed is one of the major keys to Lionel Messi's style of play and his ball control. Being able to keep the ball close at fast speeds is what distinguishes Messi from average players.