Prob between 15 high to 16 mid. Think about it: tons of mediocre soccer players who also do XC/TF have similar PRs. It wouldn’t be out of the question for him to break 16 as a world class athlete, even with lack of notice
I've had a high school xc teammate midfielder who primarily played soccer. He then continued on and played in the second tear MLS system, so not elite elite soccer player but certainly pretty good. He was only running like 17:30 5k senior year. I don't think being a better soccer player than an MLS player means you have more endurance, it's more you are better skilled at ball handling. But say Messi is a bit better with endurance, maybe he's a 16:30 guy. I think saying he'd be in the 15's is a bit too aggressive.
The thing missing from these questions is: How much 5k-specific training time are we allowing the athlete to have?
Messi, today? I should think that he could break 19, or maybe break 18. But there is no way he is just going to pop off a 15:xx 5k.
Give him six months, or better yet a year, and you might have a more interesting result.
I agree with the posts that we underestimate how hard it is to hold a fast pace for a full 5K or we overestimate the transfer of walk-sprint sports to sustained efforts longer than about 400 meters.
I had some of our high school soccer players come to a cross meet this year and our top soccer player ran a 19 minute 5k on a decent cross course and came back the following week and went 18:30. No way Messi only runs 19 minutes
I'm a former DI college soccer player. On the first day of preseason camp, we would always have a fitness test and it was expected that we run three miles in under 18 minutes. There have been a few other threads on the fitness of soccer players before. There, it was noted that Scott McTominay, a midfielder for Manchester United and Scotland, ran a 5k in 16:01 in April 2020 during the Covid lockdown. Likewise, Ross Barkley reportedly ran a 5k in 16:11, Harry Maguire in 17:46. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Messi is fitter than McTominay or Barkley and could run somewhere around 15:45 (or maybe even faster).
I had some of our high school soccer players come to a cross meet this year and our top soccer player ran a 19 minute 5k on a decent cross course and came back the following week and went 18:30. No way Messi only runs 19 minutes
Son played pro soccer, these guys run a lot, low body fat. I remember him doing 12x800s and lots of hill training in the off season. He easily ran sub 18 wo 5k training, also did 14+ mile runs and cycling
Prob between 15 high to 16 mid. Think about it: tons of mediocre soccer players who also do XC/TF have similar PRs. It wouldn’t be out of the question for him to break 16 as a world class athlete, even with lack of notice
Letsrunners weirdly overestimate distance running abilities of athletes in other sports just based on their general fitness. Running a 16’ 5K takes some training, and it’s entirely possible to be able to walk 85% of the time interspersed by rapid short sprints like Messi does on field without being aerobically strong enough to run a fast 5K.
A local Div I college team (but not very good) has a requirement. It's about 5:40 pace for 2.5 miles (not quiet that as its 10 laps around track). Not all of them can run that time. One guy was beyond help despite actually training for it in addition to his soccer practice.
I would put Messi at sub 18. Faster with other players.
I'm a former DI college soccer player. On the first day of preseason camp, we would always have a fitness test and it was expected that we run three miles in under 18 minutes. There have been a few other threads on the fitness of soccer players before. There, it was noted that Scott McTominay, a midfielder for Manchester United and Scotland, ran a 5k in 16:01 in April 2020 during the Covid lockdown. Likewise, Ross Barkley reportedly ran a 5k in 16:11, Harry Maguire in 17:46. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Messi is fitter than McTominay or Barkley and could run somewhere around 15:45 (or maybe even faster).
ross barkley ran a 16:11 5k but it took him 1 hour to do it
tons of mediocre soccer players who also do XC/TF have similar PRs. It wouldn’t be out of the question for him to break 16
So they’re also XC runners who also play soccer. These are probably the best endurance guys on the team who train for these sports.
Does that mean that because there are lots of XC people who can score goals, the average guy on a good run club can dance around a soccer field and fire laser corner kicks?
has Messi ever run for more than 7 or 8 sustained seconds in a game? he 's great at taking what is essentially a free throw after one of his teammates gets fouled though.
The fitness test for high level referees in soccer has something (it is findable online) like a set of 10 75m sprints with 25 m walking rest. Of course, the players have to be fitter but it seems close to typical movement patterns in soccer. I remember a blog post years ago from a sports scientist who argued because of such patterns that the relatively best event for most soccer players would be 800m.
I'm sure this has been posted before, but I'm curious what people think now. He is known to have a lower work rate than many players and has been moving around 8km per match. I'm not sure how much that means. I think he could still probably hit around high 18:xx for a 5k if he didn't have much notice. He is an elite athlete and has the look of a good runner
If I'm not mistaken, Messi played every single minute, some 690ish if my math is correct. Don't discount the fitness of a forward playing that many minutes, if he was a midfielder, that would translate to sub 16 easily. As a forward, Messi can run sub 18 right now with no additional training.
There, it was noted that Scott McTominay, a midfielder for Manchester United and Scotland, ran a 5k in 16:01 in April 2020 during the Covid lockdown. Likewise, Ross Barkley reportedly ran a 5k in 16:11, Harry Maguire in 17:46. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Messi is fitter than McTominay or Barkley and could run somewhere around 15:45 (or maybe even faster).
Mc Tominay and Barkley are a lot fitter than Messi
First they are midfielders with a lot of volume in a game. I would always pick a soccer midfielder over a forward in a 3k+ race.
Then, they are at their prime physically, while messi's prime was 10 years ago already.
Messi is actually one of the player, if not THE player, that run the less in soccer games. He is walking all games waiting for a good ball. Never defending. I don't know why you get excited about his fitness. He is now a below average soccer player regarding fitness. That is not where he is great.
I am 50 years ok. I fractured several bones in my foot last year and was off for 5 months. After a few weeks of 15-20 MPW, I ran 17:48 for 5k. You guys are insane to think an elite athlete who trains hours per day and is 15 years younger than me, would run slower. I say he runs 15:00 right now.
I am 50 years ok. I fractured several bones in my foot last year and was off for 5 months. After a few weeks of 15-20 MPW, I ran 17:48 for 5k. You guys are insane to think an elite athlete who trains hours per day and is 15 years younger than me, would run slower. I say he runs 15:00 right now.
17:48, is a light year away from 15 flat. 15 is 4:50 per mile. Messi isn’t doing that
Just showing how ridiculous some of the estimates are. And I have lost 2 minutes since my prime which is why I estimated 15 minutes. I ran 14:30 when younger so probably 15:00 at 35 and I was never well trained.