How Austria can stop Messi
How can anyone stop Lionel Messi? That may well be the biggest question at this World Cup right now. Putting myself in Austria’s shoes, I keep asking the same thing—is it even possible to contain Messi?
If I were Austria’s captain for this match, my first piece of advice to my teammates in the dressing room would be simple: never commit reckless fouls on Messi. My biggest responsibility on the field would be to ensure he has no space at all, with one player constantly assigned to man-mark him.
The moment Messi receives the ball, pressure must be applied immediately—but under no circumstances should he be provoked.
Because Messi is the kind of footballer who cannot be subdued through fouls. On the contrary, he becomes even more dangerous when angered. I once heard a comment from Brazilian defender Marcelo during his time at Real Madrid that perfectly aligns with my own football philosophy as a midfielder and captain.
Drawing from his experience, Marcelo said that Messi remains composed after ordinary fouls, but rough tackles or reckless challenges only motivate him to respond through his performance. That is when he becomes even more dangerous. So, if Austria want to stop Messi, they must avoid unnecessary or harsh tackles at all costs.
However, we must also accept this truth—Messi cannot be contained by tactics alone. For much of the match, he may not be particularly noticeable and may spend long periods simply walking around the pitch. But in the final moments, a magical pass, a dribble, or an extraordinary shot can change the course of the game in an instant.
Even on days when he runs less, a single flash of brilliance can be enough to secure victory for his team.
Many of the world’s biggest clubs and strongest defences have tried to stop him through fouls and tackles—and failed. Particularly when wearing the Argentina shirt, Messi is an extremely difficult player for any defence to handle. That is because the word impossible does not exist in his dictionary.
It is true that teams can devise plans to contain him, but no one can guarantee they will stop him completely on the pitch.
Given the way Messi has started this World Cup, no opponent can afford to face Argentina without a special plan for him—especially a team like Austria. At nearly 39 years of age, Messi has scored his first World Cup hat-trick, which is simply incredible and almost unimaginable.
I believe Messi will score against Austria today as well. If I had to predict how many, I would say one goal. If he does so, he will surpass Miroslav Klose to become the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history.
A win over Austria would secure Argentina’s place in the knockout stage. I think Argentina will win 2–0. Messi will want to maintain his rhythm and continue leading his team forward.
If qualification is secured, coach Lionel Scaloni may choose to rest him in the final group-stage match. Therefore, Argentina’s objective will be to get the job done today, while Austria’s goal should be to defend with discipline, avoid fouling Messi, and keep their composure.
* Jamal Bhuyan is the captain of the Bangladesh men's national football team.