In the viral footage, Lionel Messi can be seen using a clever tactic to gain an advantage before taking a free-kick for Inter Miami.
As he prepares to take the free-kick, Messi subtly moves the ball forward with his hand while the wall of defenders is setting up and the referee isn’t looking.
This slight adjustment positions the ball slightly closer to the goal, giving Messi a better angle for his strike.
Messi’s quick thinking and attention to detail allowed him to take advantage of the situation and create a more favorable position for his free-kick attempt.
The footage showcases his soccer intelligence and ability to exploit even the smallest opportunities to gain an edge on the field.
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As shown in the video, the Argentine slowly and sneakily moved the ball a few feet to the left in order to have a better angle.
Inter Miami will now be up against Charlotte FC in the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup.
In a recent interview, Messi’s new Inter Miami and former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba said: “He feels supported, loved and that’s the most important thing. At PSG he didn’t have a good time, but he recovered his joy. I repeat, it’s a challenge that personally excites him a lot and I see him very happy.
“Leo is a demanding person. He has won a World Cup. But he is going to continue [playing] the same. He is going to fight for this challenge, try to win everything and that’s why we’re here to help him.”
Whilst former Argentine footballer, Jorge Valdano has said that Messi is shaking up football in the United States.
As per Spanish news outletMarca, Valdano said: “He is indeed shaking up American football, what a player of that stature does is turn the heads of all football fans to the place where he is.
“If he also scores more than one goal per game and gives real displays, he leaves us all open-mouthed.”