Lionel Messi is so good that he is able to completely and utterly destroy defenders without needing to do step-overs and elasticos.
Instead of purposely trying to get on Soccer AM's 'Showboat' section, the Argentine ace uses simple but effective skills to outwit his opponents in 1v1 situations and YouTuber MagicalMessi put together a wonderful compilation of his genius.
Racking up over 2.3 million views in just five days after it was posted online, it shows how Messi utilises body feints, dummies and fake shots to lure a player into a challenge before advancing with the ball.
One might think it's fairly basic stuff in all truth but Messi's success rate is something else. While Messi generally plays the game in good spirit, we also see that he isn't afraid to use a bit of gamesmanship now and again.
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Against Hercules back in 2011, the five-time Ballon d'Or appeared to fake an injury to throw the opposition off-guard before sneaking in at the far post and tapping home.
He's also particularly tricky when it comes to offside traps, often deliberately standing in between the last defender and goalkeeper but letting the ball run through and getting his just rewards.
Messi very rarely uses unnecessary skill but together his sublime footwork, balance and ability to change direction make him the best dribbler on the planet.
Even with three or four players hunting him down, Messi's close control is so next level that he can easily jink his way out of the most congested spaces.
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It's almost impossible to stop the Argentine when he picks up the ball and bares down on goal, with the only way of thwarting him being to commit.
And even then, he has no problem leaving the very best on their arses.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, FC Barcelona, Football, Lionel Messi