Through a glittering career, Lionel Messi has built his skill not so much in scoring goals as in dynamic adaptation through various positions for various managers. Messi’s positions on the pitch have continued to evolve, from his early days at La Masia to the recent days in Inter Miami and internationally. Different managers have tried to exploit Messi’s versatility from his early Barcelona career to maximize his influence on a game. It shows exactly why the question of “What position does Messi play?” is more than a tactical decision: it reflects his footballing genius.
The Formative Years at Barcelona
Primarily on the right wing to fit stars such as Ronaldinho and Eto’o into the 4-3-3 formation at Barcelona, the natural tendency for Messi was to come inside. Under Frank Rijkaard, he started his top-level career mainly on the right-hand side, yet his role was far from stationary. His drift and turn to cut inside and link up play with other players, mixed with his dribbling skill, soon saw him influence games from various positions on the pitch.
Evolution Under Guardiola
The transformation in “What position does Messi play?“, It started with Pep Guardiola, who transformed Messi into the “False 9.” To blur the distinction between a striker and a midfielder, Messi played at a deeper position to disrupt opponents’ conventional defensive frameworks. That showcased Messi’s potential for scoring goals and his exceptional capacity to set up plays, as demonstrated by his four consecutive Ballon d’Or victories from 2009 to 2012. During Guardiola’s time, arguably, Messi’s best position was that of a False 9, where he was free to roam and decide the pattern of the play.
Adapting under Different Managers in Barcelona
Lionel Messi’s career at Barcelona has been an adaptation through a series of managers. Managers employed their talents somewhat differently to carry out their tactical visions.
Under Tata Martino: During the brief 2013-2014 season under Tata Martino, Messi usually played the role of a forward in a 4-3-3 formation. Martino tried Messi on the right flank and centrally as a false nine, similar to the position Guardiola had used him in. However, due to different injuries and spells of formlessness, Messi’s output was somewhat inconsistent during this period compared to other seasons.
Under Luis Enrique: The Luis Enrique era, which started in 2014 and ran for three years, introduced the MSN trio where Messi and Neymar supported Suárez as probably the most feared attacking line-up in football. Enrique deployed Messi back to the right wing with one big caveat: Messi was given complete license to roam across the front line. This freedom meant he could drop back into midfield or drift into central areas, making him a hybrid of sorts between a winger and a playmaker. In the 2014-2015 season with Enrique, he proved to be very successful, with Messi’s 58 goals across all competitions and a treble in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and Champions League titles.
Under Ernesto Valverde: Ernesto Valverde used Messi mostly in a free role during his time at Camp Nou between 2017 and 2020. The right side was Messi’s primary zone of operation in Valverde’s system, but he had the license to influence the game from midfield, almost like a free playmaker behind the striker. This role maximizes Messi’s vision and passing ability, not to mention his goal-scoring. Under Valverde, Messi was more in midfield, dictating the pace of the game, a projection of his maturing game as, with years, he adapted himself to physical limitations.
Statistical Insights: What Position Does Messi Play Best?
Quantifying Messi’s career shows that his most productive period came when Pep Guardiola utilized him as a false nine. During the 2011-2012 season, Messi had the best goal-scoring season of his career, netting an incredible 73 goals in all competitions. That was also one of his periods when his playmaking abilities were on full show because he often dropped deep to connect play, showing that duality of threat that defined the best position he held onto the pitch.
MSN Era and Return to Right Wing
With the additions of Luis Suárez and Neymar, Messi once again was forced to the right wing of Barcelona’s attacking trident. This MSN era adapted into an out-and-out right-wing position that afforded him massive license to cut inside. In this particular role, Messi played in the right wing with a twist because many times, it has been noted that Messi is often a playmaker and sometimes a forward at the same time.
National Team Variations and Managerial Influences
Argentine coaches on the international stage, like Maradona, Bielsa, and Scaloni, have employed Messi in a wide variety of roles: from being just a forward to a pure playmaker. Under Maradona, Messi was often used in more advanced positions, tasked with using his brilliant skill to turn matches. But Scaloni brings the best out of Messi. Scaloni has used Messi in a role that joins his qualities as a distributor with those of a goal threat, often allowing him to operate deeper and influence the game on all sides.
Preference and Performance Across Positions
While there might be differences in opinion on “what position does Messi play best?” Given the tactical plan and specific demands of each match, Messi has talked about a preference for the roles that give him the freedom to influence games with goals and the creation of the play. This creative position fits with his performance in those roles where he can drift between midfield and attack, collecting the ball in deeper positions and driving forward with it.
To the question, ” Is Messi a midfielder? ” ” Does Messi play right wing?” or what position does Messi play? The answer has always been that he uniquely excels in positions across the spectrum of attacking roles. The more Messi evolves, the more he redefines not only his position but also what’s possible on the football pitch.
