How Argentina create the conditions for Messi to thrive

In this article, FIFA Technical Study Group expert Jon Dahl Tomasson breaks down how Argentina’s outfield players work in possession to unleash their talisman. From midfield rotations to wide area overloads and switches of play, he highlights how all these things come from their technical ability to move the ball and themselves at high speed. He also discusses how Argentina’s attacking play is designed to disrupt opponents and free up Messi to either get him on the ball in dangerous parts of the pitch or to release other players when he attracts pressure from more than one opposition player.

• Rotational movement

• Wide overloads

• Switch of play

• Fast movement forward

Argentina’s midfielders disrupt the opposition team’s shape by drawing players out of their structure using midfield rotations. They do this to create overloads in unexpected areas and draw the opponent in numbers to one area of the pitch, knowing they have the technical capacity to play out of pressure and switch play. Once they access space, they explode forward at speed, using minimal touches of the ball and staggered runs to the penalty area.

Rotational movement
The intentional movements by Argentina’s midfielders into places where they are not expected are designed to cause disruption in their opponents’ defensive structure, according to Tomasson.

 “They have a controlled game with one or two touches, and suddenly they accelerate the game by playing forward, but it starts with midfielder movements. They sometimes drop deep or pull wide into the channels to drag opposition players away from the central spaces. When one midfielder moves, it creates opposite movements to put doubt in the opponent about where they should be on the pitch.”

Wide overloads
As Tomasson explains, the way Argentina’s players consciously move into wide areas while other players are drawing in pressure from the opponent is strategic.

“When they have midfielders in the wide areas, the opponent’s midfielder has a decision to make. Do they stay inside to protect the space, or do they go with the player? This is difficult when they know that Messi might drop into the space if they leave it, so it causes chaos. But from Argentina’s perspective, it is organised chaos.”

In clip 2 below, we see how Argentina have drawn Austria into a condensed central space, while simultaneously creating a 3v1 wide-area overload opportunity once the ball can be played out of the pressure zone.

Switch of play
As soon as Argentina draw multiple players into a small area, the player/players in possession know that their team-mates are actively working to create passing lanes for out balls into space.

“Messi is the heart of this Argentina team, but they have an identity and control in their build-up. With one or two touches, they move the ball well and are very secure. Then suddenly, they accelerate the game. They play vertically and combine centrally. Often, they change the point of attack and switch play, releasing team-mates into space and leaving opposition players in difficult situations.”

In clip 3 below, we see how Messi attracts pressure from multiple Austrian players. However, his team-mates work and move to provide out ball options, knowing that Messi has the technical capacity to play out of tight spaces under pressure. They switch sides and support with unselfish runs before a vertical pass allows Lautaro Martínez (22) to take his first touch in behind the defensive line, and he draws the foul to win a penalty.

Fast movement forward
As soon as Argentina get the ball to a player in space, it triggers explosive, forward attacking momentum. Multiple runners accelerate at speed to provide different options for the player on the ball, with possibilities to receive to feet or in space and at different angles. They play quickly when they want to attack, notes Tomasson.

“They are combining quickly, with one or two touches, and they use these one or two touches as non-verbal communication, a way of talking to each other without using words. It is beautiful to watch and very difficult to defend.”

In clip 4, it all happens in motion. Argentina win the ball in the wide channel, which is overloaded by midfielders. Messi drops into space, drawing pressure from multiple players before switching play to release Thiago Almada (16). The switch of play triggers the fast runs forward and staggered runs to the penalty area. They find Messi in space, and he breaks the all-time FIFA World Cup goalscoring record that was previously held by Miroslav Klose.

The space comes first from midfield movements to create overloads, drawing the opponent one way to open space elsewhere. They do this faster than their opponent can adjust, so when they switch play, they have fast, forward runners into space and staggered runs to the penalty area. This is very difficult for any team to defend. At times, the sequence of these principles changes within attacking phases, but generally, all four frequently occur.