Why is Lionel Messi so good?
Now in the twilight of a stellar 20-year professional career, Lionel Messi is no longer the all-action dynamic forward that he once was. After playing more than 1,000 senior matches his legs have started to tire, his explosive acceleration has levelled off and injuries, so rarely an issue in the past, have become increasingly common.
As he has aged Messi has adapted his playing style to maximise his strengths, playing in short bursts of game-changing quality. He still ranks highly for key passes and assists but is no longer at the centre of everything for his team. Instead he concentrates his powers and the last of his energy on the moments that define games, like this 25-yard howitzer against Sporting KC last weekend.
So far in 2024 his shot frequency is the second-highest in MLS and his scoring frequency is the best, recording one goal every 81 minutes so far. That lethal finishing and match-winning quality contributes to an all-round Sofascore rating of 8.52, the highest in the league this season.
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