DEBATE OVER LIONEL MESSI BEFORE THE WORLD CUP FINAL

Messi remains football's ultimate problem.

Spain must have pondered a lot how to stop Messi before they went in for the clash against Argentina.

Robbie Fowler, former England and Liverpool striker analyses, " We'll all sit here and try to stop Messi. But the crux of it is you can't because he is Messi and he's probably the greatest player that has ever been."

When you drop deeper you allow Messi to influence  the game. "You stop Messi from getting into the pockets. But when you start dropping deep, that's when he comes into his own."

The debate assessed the best chance of stopping Lionel Messi. The finding was to stick on to the strength of Spain.

"They will try to control the ball. Control areas of the pitch. Stop its opponents from having possession. That's a great defensive attribute.'

"They are a possession based team. But it's not possession for the sake of it. It's possession with a purpose of playing forward."

And see the result.

Stop Messi, they did.

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