Yadda Messi ya sauya salon wasansa a cikin fili

Idan har Argentina za ta zama ƙasa ta farko da ta kare kofin duniya, wato ta ɗauki biyu a jere karon farko tun bayan shekarar 1962 – kuma ta uku a tarihin gasar da za ta yi wannan bajintar – to kusan babu shakka cewa Lionel Messi shi ne zai zama kashin bayan wannan ƙwazon.

Messi mai shekara 38, yanzu yana shirin buga gasar Kofin Duniya ta shida a tarihi, wanda zai sa ya yi kunnen doki da Cristiano Ronaldo na Portugal da kuma Guillermo Ochoa na Mexico a matsayin waɗanda za su buga babbar gasar tamaula ta duniya har karo na shida.

Sai dai a wannan karon Messin da zai kara a wasannin da za a yi a bana, ya sha bamban da matashin Messi da ya fara bugawa Barcelona wasa a shekarar 2003.

Yawancin ƴan ƙwallo ƙwazonsa yana raguwa idan suna tsufa. Amma manyan fitattun ƴan wasa sukan nemo hanyar da za su daidaita salon wasansu. Ronaldo ya sake fasalin wasansa ya koma ƙwararre wajen farautar ƙwallaye a cikin da'ira ta 18, lokacin da sauri da gudunsa yake raguwa.

Messi kuwa bai canza wasansa saboda tsufa ba. Ya canza ne domin ya ci gaba da mamaye wasan kwallon kafa, kuma hakan ya sa har yanzu ana gurgurawa da shi.

Tun daga lokacin da Messi yana matashi mai shekara 16 da ya fara bugawa Barcelona tamaula a wani wasan sada zumunta da Jose Mourinho ke jagorantar Porto, inda ya taka leda daga gefen dama, yana yawan yanka da kutsawa cikin tsakiyar fili, Messi ya sake fasalin wasansa aƙalla sau biyar tun daga lokacin.

Waɗannan sauye-sauyen ne suka mayar da shi ɗan wasan da muke gani a wannan lokacin da yake ƙyaftin a tawagar Argentina da kuma Inter Miami CF.

"Me ya sa Guardiola ya daina amfani da Messi a matsayin ɗan wasan gefe?"

Lokacin da Ronaldinho, wanda a wancan lokaci shi ne ɗan wasan da ya fi kowa shahara da kwarewa a duniya, ya fara ganin Messi yana atisaye, sai ya ce: "Shi ne zai zama mafi iya taka leda a duniya."

Shekara biyu bayan haka, a watan Agusta 2005, Messi ya nuna kansa ga duniya a fannin taka leda a wasan Joan Gamper Trophy da Juventus. Mai horas da Juventus a wancan lokaci, Fabio Capello, ya yi mamakin irin ƙwarewar matashin mai shekara 18 har ma aka ruwaito yana son ɗaukar shi zuwa Juventus.

A lokacin da Messi ya kai shekara 21, yayin da Ronaldinho ke yin kasa a wasanninsa, sai kuma kuma zamanin wani matashi ɗan Argentina ya fara bayyana, kocin FC Barcelona a wancan lokaci, Frank Rijkaard, ya bayyana abin da yake buƙata daga gare shi:

"Mafi ƙyau daga tsakiyar fili ," in ji Rijkaard. "Idan yana taɓa ƙwallo sosai, hakan zai fi amfani ga ƙungiyar."

A farkon watannin zuwan Pep Guardiola ga Barcelona a 2008, gefen dama daga gaban fili ya zama tamkar hanyar Messi ta musamman zuwa raga.

Amma karo na farko da Guardiola ya yanke shawarar cire Messi daga gefe ya kasance ne saboda dalilan kariya. Messi ba ya yawan komawa baya wajen taimaka wa tsaron baya, hakan ya sa mai tsaron baya daga gefen da Messi ke bugawa ke shiga matsala da shan wahala.

Duk da haka, kocin na Catalonia ya fahimci cewa Messi a ƙarshe zai koma buga masa tamaula daga tsakiyar fili. Kuma daga nan ne aka fara gina ƙungiyar gaba ɗaya a kan sabon matashin — domin fuskantar manyan wasanni a manyan lokuta.

"Lamba tara ba na zahiri ba da yadda aka samar da ɗan wasan cikin tsari mai dabaru"

Kwanan wata: 2 ga watan Mayu, 2009. Wuri: Filin wasa na Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid. Wasan gasar La Liga.

Pep Guardiola ya yanke shawara mai muhimmanci. Ya cire Lionel Messi daga gefen dama, ya mayar da shi a gaba a matsayin ɗan wasan lamba tara — amma ba irin lamba tara na zahiri ba da aka saba a gargajiyan ce ba.

Samuel Eto'o ya koma gefen fili daga dama, Thierry Henry ya buga hagu, sannan aka ce wa Messi: yake saukowa yana karɓar ƙwallo. A ƙarshe wasan ya ƙare Barcelona ta yi nasara 6–2. Daga lokacin aka haifar da tsarin lamba tara, amma ba na zahiri ba.

Wannan ba sabon abu ba ne gaba ɗaya. Tawagar Hungary karkashin koci, Gusztáv Sebes ta tarwatsa Ingila a 1953, inda suka yi amfani da Nándor Hidegkuti yana saukowa cikin tsakiyar fili, yana kuma buɗe masu tsaron baya, inda Ferenc Puskás da Sándor Kocsis suka dunga samun damar maki cikin ruwan sanyi.

Hakazalika, Johan Cruyff a ƙarƙashin Rinus Michels ya taka irin wannan sallon a tsarin tsagwaron ƙwallon kafa a tawagar Netherlands.

Da farko, Messi ya zama matsala wadda ba ta da mafita a wasan. Idan ya sauko kasa, masu tsaron bayan Real Madrid suna fuskantar zaɓi biyu: ko su bi shi su bar rariya a baya, ko su tsaya su bar shi da sarari mai yawa. Duk zaɓin da suka ɗauka ya zama kuskure a garesu, inda suka sha wahala a fafatawar.

Messi ya rika ratsa wannan sarari cikin sauƙi. Tare da Xavi Hernandez da Andres Iniesta da Yaya Toure a bayansu da Henry da Eto'o suna faɗaɗa tsaron baya daga gefe, inda Real Madrid suka ta yin kuskure.

Guardiola ya sake gwada wannan tsarin a wasan ƙarshe a Champions League da Manchester United, inda Messi ya zura ƙwallo da kai a minti na 20 kafin a tashi.

Tsakanin 2011 zuwa 2013, Messi ya ci ƙwallo 96 a wasa 69 a La Liga. Ƙyautar Ballon d'Or da ya fara samu a 2009 ta zama kamar tasa ce shi kaɗai ta dindindin—ya lashe ƙyautar a 2010 da 2011 da 2012 da 2015 da kuma 2019 daga ƙarshe ya ɗauki guda takwas jimilla.

"Ba na yawan mayar da hankali kan dabarun wasa a da," in ji Messi a wata hira da Juan Pablo Varsky a 2024. "Amma tare da Guardiola na koyi abubuwa masu yawa—na fara fahimtar samun sarari da riƙe ƙwallo da yadda wasan ke aiki a zahiri."

Sauyawa: daukar ragamar ƙungiya ko tawaga

Lokacin da Xavi Hernandez ya bar Barcelona a 2015, sannan Andres Iniesta ya bi shi bayan shekara uku tsakani, wani abu ya sauya sosai a ƙungiyar.

Messi a da shi ne ɗan wasa mai yanke hukunci a ƙarshe, amma yanzu ya koma dukkan injin wasan gaba ɗaya.

Tsarin tsakiyar fili da ya kasance kamar kariya a gare shi—mutanen da ke riƙe ƙwallo da kuma ƙirƙirar damar da yake amfani da ita—yanzu ba sa nan. A wani lokaci, ana sa ran Messi ya zama Xavi da Iniesta da mai zura ƙwallo a lokaci guda. Wannan nauyi ya fi ƙarfin kowanne ɗan wasa.

Ya magance hakan ta hanyar sake sauyawa daga salon wasanninsa. Daga mai cin ƙwallo da mai lamba 10 ko gurbin lamba tara, amma ba na zahiri ba, ya koma matsayin mai shirya wasa—yana saukowa ya karɓi ƙwallo, yana fara tsara wasan musammam daga tsakiyar fili har zuwa yanki raga da cin ƙwallaye.

Adadin ƙwallayen da ya bayar aka zura a raga sun kusan yin daidai da waɗanda ya ci a kididdiga. A kakar 2019–20, ya bayar da 22 aka zura a raga shi kuma ya ci 25 a wasa 33 a La Liga.

A kakarsa ta ƙarshe a Barcelona (2020–21), ya sake nuna ƙwarewa da cin ƙwallaye 30 da bayar da 11 aka zura a raga a wasa 35.

Amma kakarsa ta farko a Paris Saint-Germain an samu sauyi gaba ɗaya: ƙwallaye 11 ya ci, ya kuma bayar da 15 aka zura a raga a wasa 34 a dukkan fafatawa—inda a karon farko a matakin ƙungiya ya bayar da ƙwallo da yawa aka zura a raga fiye da yawan waɗanda ya ci.

"Nauyin jagoranci da kuma 'yancin da yake da shi"

Lokacin da ya sauya dabarun wasansa a tamaula, akwai wani labari da ya ɗauki lokaci mai tsawo kafin ya bayyana sosai: tambayar ko wane ne Messi a tawagar ƙwallon kafar Argentina.

Ya zama ƙyaftin a watan Agusta 2011. Daga nan ne tawagar ta fara jerin rashin nasara a wasanninta. Gasar Kofin Duniya ta 2014, Argentina ta sha kashi a hannun Jamus a ƙarin lokaci a wasan ƙarshe a Maracanã. Sannan a Copa America a 2015, Chile ta doke su a bugun daga kai sai mai tsaron raga. Haka kuma Copa America a 2016 ta sake rashin nasara a hannun Chile ta hanyar bugun fanariti.

Wasannin ƙarshe uku cikin shekaru uku, duk sun ƙare da rashin nasara, bayan da tun farko an ɗora buri a kansa. A lokacin wasu ke cewa ya fi mayar da hankali da sa ƙwazo a Barcelona fiye da a wasannin Argentina.

Hakan ya tunzara Messi da ta kai ya yi murabus daga tawagar. Amma daga baya ya dawo ci gaba da wakiltar kasar, bayan da aka rarrashe shi. Sai dai ya riga ya canza salon wasanninsa.

A Copa America a 2019, inda aka fitar da Argentina a hannun Brazil a wasan kusa da na ƙarshe cikin cece-kuce, Messi ya shiga taron manema labarai inda ya soki hukumar ƙwallon ƙafa ta Kudancin Amurka sosai.

Wannan ba shi ne ɗan wasan da yake yin shiru baya magana ga duk hukuncin da za a yanke wa Argentina a lokacin wasanninta. Sai kawai ya yanke shawarar daina barin abin da aka yi wa tawagar idan har na rashin adalci ne.

Copa America a 2021 ta zama lokacin da Argentina ta doke Brazil a wasan ƙarshe a Maracanã, ta kuma kawo ƙarshen shekara 28 ba tare da lashe manyan kofi ba a tarihinta. Jawabin da Messi ya yi kafin wasan ya sa ɗakin manema labarai ya cika da hawaye.

Messi a gasar Kofin Duniya a 2022 ya zama wani sabon ɗan wasa gaba ɗaya—da yadda ya yi jagoranci.

Akwai wani gudu da ya yi har ma ya wuce Josko Gvardiol a wasan kusa da na ƙarshe da Croatia, kai kace kamar tsohon Messi na 2009 ne ya dawo na ɗan lokaci.

Akwai kuma ƙwarewar jagoranci a wasan ƙarshe da Faransa—inda ya bayar da ƙwallo ga Nahuel Molina, sannan ya yi wani gudu da ya taimaka aka ci ƙwallo ta uku, sannan ya ci fanareti a lokacin da komai ke kan hanyar ɗaukar kofin.

"Ƙwallon ƙafa ya canza sosai," in ji shi a wata hira da Zinedine Zidane a 2023. "Hanyar wasa, tsarin dabara. Yanzu wasan ya fi dogaro da dabaru da ƙarfin jiki fiye da a baya. A can bya akwai sarari da yawa."

'A koda yaushe Messi fitatcen ɗan ƙwallo ne'

A Inter Miami da kuma a gasar Copa America 2024, Messi yanzu yana yawan tafiya a cikin fili fiye da gudu kamar yadda ya saba a baya.

A can baya, masu suka sun kan yi amfani da wannan cewar baya bayar da gudunmuwar da ta dace wajen saukowa a taimakawa masu tsaron baya. Amma yanzu ya zama alamar ƙwarewa. Yana karanta wasan ne sosai, baya gajiyar da kansa, kenan da zara an samu lokacin da ake bukatar sa kuzari yana yi kuma mai muhimmanci.

Abin da Messi ya cimma cikin shekaru fiye da ashirin ba kawai tarin kofuna da ƙididdiga ba ne. Yana da tunani game da abin da ɗan ƙwallo ke son ya zama a kowane mataki na rayuwarsa.

Wannan shi ne ɗan wasan gefe mai hazaka wanda ya firgita Fabio Capello. Shi ne mai buga lamba tara ba na zahiri ba da ya sake zana taswirar dabarun wasan ƙwallon ƙafa a Turai. Shi ne mai salo da yawa da ya koya yadda wasu za subi su yi fice a taka leda a duniya.

Shi ne ƙyaftin ɗin da ya zama abin da ƙasarsa ke buƙata a fanni wasannin tamaula—mai tsara wasa da ta lashe Kofin Duniya a 2022 a Qatar, abinda tun farko ake masa gori.

Kuma yanzu shi ne tsohon ɗan wasa wanda ba ya yawan gudu a cikin fili, amma har yanzu yana rawar da yake takawa, wanda ya kware wajen karantar wasa da tafiyar da shi yadda ya dace a samu nasara.

Shirin gasar cin Kofin Duniya zai ja masa kalamai masu yawa na yabo game da yadda Messi zai tunkari wasannin. Amma yawancinsu ba za su kai ga ainihin ma'anar labarinsa ba.

Domin ba batun yadda ya kai ƙwarewa ba ne kawai — har da yadda sau da dama ya sake zama sabon mutum gaba ɗaya a cikin wasan ƙwallo.