Lionel Messi is 39 years old, runs less than almost anyone at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and is somehow leading the tournament in goals.
According to tournament tracking data, Messi scored 6 goals in the group stage while covering just 8.1 kilometers per 90 minutes, the lowest distance among all 618 outfield players logged with significant playing time. Everyone else is sprinting. Messi is, apparently, just standing in the right place.
What efficiency looks like at 39
For context, 8.1 km per 90 minutes at the top of the scoring charts is the soccer equivalent of winning a road race by walking. The data challenges how clubs, coaches, and increasingly, prediction markets and sports analytics platforms evaluate player output.
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