Lionel Messi Assist with His Right Foot

2022-12-14
Soccer

Messi right foot assist: Of course it’s the long dribbling run and twisting and turning that really makes this Lionel Messi assist. But it’s also rare for Messi because it’s an assist with his seldom used right foot. Of course Messi’s right foot is good enough to make a pass or two when he needs to!

Messi would much prefer that the soccer ball always be on his favored left. Here though, he bursts down the sidelines and twists away from Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol. Then, on the end-line and he cuts a perfect ball back to an open Julián Álvarez . It also looks like once again in this World Cup the soccer ball goes though the defenders’ legs on a key pass or shot.

The mistake made by Gvardiol on this play though is just getting too close to Messi. He’d been better off just running back towards his own goal and conceding the wing to Messi! Gvardiol had been one of the defenders of the tournament until this Messi run.

What is incredible about this play too is it’s Julián Álvarez who lays the ball off to Messi. Alvarez starts the play and then gets into the box to score. It’s essentially a give and go with Messi – just a long played out one!

For Messi, he loves when defenders are right on top of him and he can fake one way and go the other and slow down and then breakaway at speed. A good description of the amazing Messi run from ESPN:

“Messi went on one of those runs were he appears to take 10 steps a second, with Gvardiol on top of him, matching him step for step. A shimmy, a stop-start, Messi couldn’t shake his mark, though. Still, the ball remained glued to his foot.”

Messi is a magician. He knows when to walk and run and find the right pass.

Here are some photos of the Messi run and assist. At 35 years of age, Lionel Messi has five goals and three assists the World Cup in Qatar. Let’s hope Messi can lead Argentina to one more win and the World Cup trophy. It’s been 36 years since Argentina has won the World Cup.

Hopefully Messi will score another goal or get another assist with his right foot in the final.