--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'Elusive' is the word that immediately…" description: "\"'Elusive' is the word that immediately springs to mind when I think about Messi's style of play. You think you have an eye on him and then - blink - he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/paul-scholes-4301_eye_elusive-is-the-word-that-immediately-spr_1404965.jpg" --- # 'Elusive' is the word that immediately springs to mind… ![“'Elusive' is the word that immediately springs to mind when I think about Messi's style of play. You think you have an eye on him and then - blink - he has gone, only to reappear somewhere else in space, with the ball.” quote by Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/paul-scholes-4301_eye_elusive-is-the-word-that-immediately-spr_1404965.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/paul-scholes-4301_eye_elusive-is-the-word-that-immediately-spr_1404965.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/paul-scholes-4301_eye_elusive-is-the-word-that-immediately-spr_1404965.jpg) > “'Elusive' is the word that immediately springs to mind when I think about Messi's style of play. You think you have an eye on him and then - blink - he has gone, only to reappear somewhere else in space, with the ball.” [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Messi's playing style is unpredictable and hard to track, constantly shifting positions with the ball. **In simple terms:** Messi moves quickly and appears in new places. Key Takeaway Watch his movement and anticipate space. Themes football skill unpredictability Mood awe excitement Type analytical descriptive When to use this quote - defensive marking - coaching drills - fan analysis - broadcast commentary Key Concepts spatial awareness creativity elite performance Questions to Reflect On - How can defenders improve anticipation? - What training helps players mimic such fluid movement? A Different Perspective Even with keen observation, Messi can still evade defenders. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball/) [Elusive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elusive/) [Elusive Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elusive-word-4934714/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Messi Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messi-style-4934713/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Somewhere else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhere-else/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Think Messi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-messi-525961/) ## Related quotes > [I am not ashamed to admit that in the games against Barcelona I spent a lot of the time just hoping he would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/i-am-not-ashamed-to-admit-that-in-the-games-against-barcelona-i-spent/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [I think Messi's is a fantastic attitude and should be the mentality that all top players in the world should adopt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-enrique/i-think-messi-s-is-a-fantastic-attitude-and-should-be-the-mentality/) [Luis Enrique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-enrique/) > [Best football player I played against? I think Messi. He killed us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/best-football-player-i-played-against-i-think-messi-he-killed-us/) [Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/) > [Ronaldo could play for Millwall, QPR, Doncaster Rovers or anyone and he'd score a hat-trick. I'm not sure Messi could do it. Ronaldo's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ferguson/ronaldo-could-play-for-millwall-qpr-doncaster-rovers-or-anyone-and-he/) [Alex Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ferguson/) > [If he continues like this then I think Messi will be the best player in the history of football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xavi/if-he-continues-like-this-then-i-think-messi-will-be-the-best-player/) [Xavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xavi/) > [I like Messi because he doesn't think he is Messi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/i-like-messi-because-he-doesn-t-think-he-is-messi/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [If Chelsea lose Hazard, I don't know how they could replace him. I couldn't think who they would sign because Hazard is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-bridge/if-chelsea-lose-hazard-i-don-t-know-how-they-could-replace-him-i/) [Wayne Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-bridge/) > [I think now Messi is probably done more than most players. But he is in the same class as Alfredo de Stefano, Johan Cruyff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-charlton/i-think-now-messi-is-probably-done-more-than-most-players-but-he-is/) [Bobby Charlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-charlton/) > [I think Messi is the best player in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/i-think-messi-is-the-best-player-in-the-world/) [Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/) > [I think Messi is the best forward in the world. It is very difficult to play against him. 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It is his speed of thought that impresses us as much as anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sutton/we-don-t-think-of-messi-as-a-speedster-it-is-his-speed-of-thought/) [Chris Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sutton/) > [I think Messi is an absolute giant in the game. Not so much because of his dribbles and actions. That's why most people rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-van-persie/i-think-messi-is-an-absolute-giant-in-the-game-not-so-much-because-of/) [Robin Van Persie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-van-persie/) > [I still don't feel I know Hitchcock at all. I find that the more one looks, the more elusive he becomes. But my admiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-still-don-t-feel-i-know-hitchcock-at-all-i-find-that-the-more-one/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) ## More by Paul Scholes > [You knew where you stood with Sir Alex Ferguson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/you-knew-where-you-stood-with-sir-alex-ferguson/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [United fans don't care if the team only has 40 per cent possession as long as they are watching an attacking team. 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But they are different characters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/people-say-that-rooney-could-have-been-like-lionel-messi-a-more/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [When a team is relegated, a new leader can help turn the page at a club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/when-a-team-is-relegated-a-new-leader-can-help-turn-the-page-at-a-club/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [At United, my United, we had been honed into a ruthless team who played great football but, ultimately, were there to win football matches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/at-united-my-united-we-had-been-honed-into-a-ruthless-team-who-played/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [From United's point of view, it is always difficult to tell just when a young footballer is going to mature into a first-class professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/from-united-s-point-of-view-it-is-always-difficult-to-tell-just-when/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [My view is that you show Messi one side or the other, and if he goes past you, he goes past you. 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Go home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/get-up-go-to-work-play-the-game-get-showered-go-home/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [It is very difficult for me to breathe when it's hot and humid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/it-is-very-difficult-for-me-to-breathe-when-it-s-hot-and-humid/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) [Explore all 113 Paul Scholes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) ## More Ball quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [Sometimes in midfield, it's nice because you do get a little bit more of the ball, and maybe out wide you rely on people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/sometimes-in-midfield-it-s-nice-because-you-do-get-a-little-bit-more/) [Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/) > [I have no physical genius about me. 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