Players who walked the most during the World Cup group stage 2022

The two players that walked the most during the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage were perhaps surprising: rather than goalkeepers or center backs, forwards Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi topped the rankings, with the former travelling 5,202 meters at walking pace in his game against Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Messi was the only player to appear three times in the top ten, with more than 14 kilometers covered at walking speed during his first three games.

Why does Messi walk so much?

While Messi is nearing the end of his career as a player, this is likely not why he walks so much. In fact, the distance he walks was also noticed during his time at Barcelona. It has been suggested that through biding his time and patiently reading the game, Messi occupies valuable space on the pitch for his team, opens up room for his teammates, and carefully chooses opportunities to attack. As one of the 2022 World Cup’s top goal scorers, it is a style of play he uses to great effect.

Has Messi ever won the World Cup?

The number of trophies won by Lionel Messi across his career is impressive, with the Argentinian winning more than most players can dream of. His haul includes four Champions League titles and a record seven Ballon d’Or awards. He was finally able to add a World Cup medal to his collection in 2022, after inspiring Argentina to victory against France in the final.