FootballLionel Messi: Creator and Finisher
How close control, movement and passing allow Messi to connect chance creation with scoring.
FEATUREDFrom the blocks to the line: a closer look at speed/Meet the people who shaped sportBEYOND THE GAME
In Focus · ATHLETICSBehind every breakthrough,
Behind every breakthrough,
there is a story.
A hundred metres. A world of detail. Discover what happens between the start and the finish.
Editor’s PicksSELECTED STORIES
View all ↗Football
SwimmingMichael Phelps: Versatility Across the Pool
Phelps's individual and relay results show how several technical specialisms can support one extensive competitive programme.
CyclingThe Peloton: Why Rivals Need to Cooperate
Wind resistance and competing team objectives explain why opponents share work and why a large bunch sometimes fails to catch a breakaway.
There is more to sport than the score.
30 sports · 303 stories. Find your way into the sporting world.
Athlete ProfilesTHE PEOPLE OF SPORT
More profiles ↗01Football / PROFILE
Lionel Messi
Lionel MessiHow close control, movement and passing allow Messi to connect chance creation with scoring.
ArgentinaRead profile ↗
02Basketball / PROFILEMichael Jordan
Michael JordanOff-ball movement, mid-range decisions and defensive responsibilities reveal more than Jordan's spectacular finishes alone.
United StatesRead profile ↗
03Tennis / PROFILERoger Federer
Roger FedererEarly contact, varied ball flights and forward movement reveal how Federer's apparently effortless game was constructed.
SwitzerlandRead profile ↗
04Athletics / PROFILEUsain Bolt
Usain BoltBolt's Olympic 100m and 200m titles across three Games offer a clear framework for studying sustained sprint excellence.
JamaicaRead profile ↗
Beyond the FamiliarEXPLORE SPORTS
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Keep ReadingMORE TO DISCOVER
Browse the library ↗
Tennis / Rules Explained
Tennis Scoring: Points, Games and Sets
Understand deuce, advantage and tiebreaks by separating the three levels of the tennis scoreboard.
Volleyball / Rules Explained
Volleyball Rotation: Position and Playing Role
Rotation establishes order and front-row or back-row status, while tactical movement changes where players work during the rally.
Golf / Rules Explained
Par, Birdies and Bogeys: Reading a Golf Leaderboard
Relative-to-par scores provide a useful shorthand, but progress through the round and the difficulty of the holes still matter.
Swimming / Rules Explained
Four Strokes, Four Different Rule Sets
Freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly differ in movement, underwater phases and wall contact.
Football / Rules Explained
Offside: Position Is Only the First Question
Timing, position and involvement must be considered together when interpreting an offside decision in eleven-a-side football.
Cycling / Watching Guides
The Peloton: Why Rivals Need to Cooperate
Wind resistance and competing team objectives explain why opponents share work and why a large bunch sometimes fails to catch a breakaway.