Omotayo Fashola
(Kyle Walker. Photo by BBC News)
Ex-England defender Kyle Walker has shared tactical insights with manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of their crucial World Cup semi-final against Argentina, offering a strategy to neutralize football legend Lionel Messi.
The highly anticipated showdown will take place at the Atlanta Stadium, with Messi leading Argentina’s charge after an extraordinary individual campaign.
Despite turning 39, the Argentine captain remains unstoppable, topping the tournament’s scoring leaderboard with eight goals and two assists from just six appearances.
Walker, who represented England in 96 internationals before retiring in 2025, acknowledged Messi’s brilliance while highlighting a potential vulnerability in his game.
In his exclusive column, the former Manchester City star revealed: “Analyzing Messi’s game reveals almost no flaws.
The only potential weak spot might be his limited defensive work rate.
“But Argentina’s system compensates perfectly for this, allowing him to focus exclusively on his attacking brilliance.
His teammates cover defensive responsibilities, creating the perfect ecosystem for his talents.
“His intelligent energy management during matches was pivotal in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, and he’ll undoubtedly be fired up to secure back-to-back titles against England.
“At Burnley, we’ve debated whether assigning a dedicated marker would be effective or if it might create dangerous spaces elsewhere.
Would man-marking signal too much respect while potentially leaving us exposed?
“While I wouldn’t rule it out completely, I’m skeptical about its success against a player of Messi’s caliber.
He thrives on challenges – marking him tightly might only motivate him further. My recommendation? Don’t give him that extra motivation.”
