--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no point going man-to-man with a…" description: "\"There is no point going man-to-man with a player of Messi's ability. He is so clever he would drag your player all over the pitch and still find a way ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tony-pulis-5053_ability_there-is-no-point-going-man-to-man-with_2217164.png" --- # There is no point going man-to-man with a player of… ![“There is no point going man-to-man with a player of Messi's ability. He is so clever he would drag your player all over the pitch and still find a way to destroy you, probably exploiting the hole you've left by assigning someone to that role.” quote by Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tony-pulis-5053_ability_there-is-no-point-going-man-to-man-with_2217164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tony-pulis-5053_ability_there-is-no-point-going-man-to-man-with_2217164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/tony-pulis-5053_ability_there-is-no-point-going-man-to-man-with_2217164.png) > “There is no point going man-to-man with a player of Messi's ability. He is so clever he would drag your player all over the pitch and still find a way to destroy you, probably exploiting the hole you've left by assigning someone to that role.” [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing a player of Messi’s caliber overwhelms ordinary defenders; his intelligence exploits any tactical gap left by a mis‑assigned marker. **In simple terms:** Messi outsmarts defenders, making them ineffective. Key Takeaway Avoid one‑on‑one defense against elite talent. Themes football strategy talent defense Mood frustrated determined Type analytical instructional When to use this quote - coaching - defensive drills - match preparation - player scouting Key Concepts Tactical awareness player intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can a team better protect against a single dominant player? - What defensive structures limit a star’s influence? A Different Perspective Even the best defenders can be outmaneuvered with poor positioning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ## Related quotes > [I'll never forget my time at Banfield. It is a club that gave me everything and gave me the opportunity to become a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-zanetti/i-ll-never-forget-my-time-at-banfield-it-is-a-club-that-gave-me/) [Javier Zanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-zanetti/) > [I don't care if you're a man, if you're a player: If God sends you that one and your heart is in it, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taraji-p-henson/i-don-t-care-if-you-re-a-man-if-you-re-a-player-if-god-sends-you-that/) [Taraji P. Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taraji-p-henson/) > [Milan have faith in the man as well as in the player. They know that I will never be a burden to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/milan-have-faith-in-the-man-as-well-as-in-the-player-they-know-that-i/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [Cristiano Ronaldo's a special player, but Messi's from another planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-di-maria/cristiano-ronaldo-s-a-special-player-but-messi-s-from-another-planet/) [Angel Di Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-di-maria/) > [It has been an honour to be the coach of the best player (Messi) I have ever seen and probably the best I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/it-has-been-an-honour-to-be-the-coach-of-the-best-player-messi-i-have/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [They tell me that all men are equal in God's eyes, this player (Messi) makes you seriously think about those words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-hudson/they-tell-me-that-all-men-are-equal-in-god-s-eyes-this-player-messi/) [Ray Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-hudson/) > [The world's best when I was growing up was Pele and he would have been a great player now, too, but Messi surpasses him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-souness/the-world-s-best-when-i-was-growing-up-was-pele-and-he-would-have/) [Graeme Souness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-souness/) > [Cristiano is unlucky to be playing in the same era as Messi. Ronaldo is a very good player, but Messi is even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-larsson/cristiano-is-unlucky-to-be-playing-in-the-same-era-as-messi-ronaldo/) [Henrik Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-larsson/) > [I have never been concerned about winning the Ballon d'Or or being the best player in the world. The best player is already here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymar/i-have-never-been-concerned-about-winning-the-ballon-d-or-or-being/) [Neymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymar/) > [I don't need to speak with my colleagues in the national side to know what kind of player Messi is. 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Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-shall-fight-against-them-throw-them-in-prisons-and-destroy-them/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [“That would be just like me-ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/that-would-be-just-like-me-ruin-everything-destroy-the-world-in-a/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) ## More by Tony Pulis > [You have different characters in the dressing room. If you have a go at someone, someone might answer back, other people will take it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/you-have-different-characters-in-the-dressing-room-if-you-have-a-go/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [Players live a different life. They've been blessed. They live in a bubble and they live in a world where they get everything really.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/players-live-a-different-life-they-ve-been-blessed-they-live-in-a/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [I've been happy at all the clubs I've been at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/i-ve-been-happy-at-all-the-clubs-i-ve-been-at/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [I find rowing very boring, I've got to be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/i-find-rowing-very-boring-i-ve-got-to-be-honest/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [When you lose a game you still get as disappointed, 24 years on. 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It annoys me that in this country you get pigeon-holed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/people-talk-about-me-being-a-firefighter-but-i-have-also-been-very/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [I hope Darren Moore is a good manager, when he was my captain at Portsmouth, he could lead battleships out of water, he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/i-hope-darren-moore-is-a-good-manager-when-he-was-my-captain-at/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [I'm amazed to find those countries are in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/i-m-amazed-to-find-those-countries-are-in-europe/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [That's management. It's a social job as much as anything else, finding out what people are like, seeing through them. There have been good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/that-s-management-it-s-a-social-job-as-much-as-anything-else-finding/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [I've always been bloody single minded, which is probably why I've been in the game so long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/i-ve-always-been-bloody-single-minded-which-is-probably-why-i-ve-been/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [What people don't talk about is I've been promoted out of every division and been to the final of an FA Cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/what-people-don-t-talk-about-is-i-ve-been-promoted-out-of-every/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [I accept that in life and football you have good times and bad, and it's how you deal with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/i-accept-that-in-life-and-football-you-have-good-times-and-bad-and-it/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) [Explore all 103 Tony Pulis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. 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Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no point going man-to-man with a player of Messi's ability. 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