Sir Alex Ferguson told Man United's star to NOT let him do his classic trick, Dean Smith avoided textbook tactic at all costs and Joe Cole thinks he should donate his body to SCIENCE: The brutal reality of facing Lionel Messi

He’s one of the greatest players of all time and, even at the age of 39, the biggest threat to

England

’s hopes of reaching the World Cup final when they meet old rivals Argentina in Atlanta.

So how do you stop

Lionel Messi

? For more than two decades, many teams have tried and the majority have failed.

Daily Mail Sport

has spoken to players and coaches who have faced the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner down the years to find out how it can be done.

The former

Manchester United

defender played against Messi in the 2009

Champions League

final in Rome, when he inspired

Barcelona

to victory over

Sir Alex Ferguson

’s side, and again a year later when the Republic of Ireland played Argentina in the Aviva Stadium’s inaugural game.

'We managed to keep him fairly quiet in Dublin. I’m not sure what gear he was in that night, though. Unfortunately, he was in

top gear

in Rome!

'Sir Alex's mindset for finals was more about how we go to win. Obviously, we focused on the opposition as well, and it was just an awareness of particular movement. Can we double up when Messi is checking back inside and the midfielders get back to help out?

John O'Shea struggles to contain Messi in the 2009 Champions League final in Rome

'He's well able to cope with all those tackles coming in, to read a challenge and anticipate'

'At different stages, you are going to have one-on-one scenarios against him, and it's about slowing him down as much as possible. Trying to get that physicality against him.

'But he’s shown over the years, he's well able to cope with all those tackles coming in. To read a challenge and anticipate. He's a master at it. You don't become arguably the best player of all time by not being able to cope with the physicality.

'I'm sure England will be fully aware of the threat that he still has. They will try to keep a high line as much as they can against Argentina as the conditions would allow it in terms of the heat. Then, even though he'll find space to get on the ball, he'll be a long way from goal. The midfield of Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice, or whoever is selected, they have to be able to get back in and double up and challenge. That'll be a huge aspect in the game.

'He'll definitely have his moments, as he always does in nearly every game. Whether England can make sure there are less and less of those moments will be key.

'He's the top in terms of consistency. He's older now but he still has the class – and that will be the message I’m sure England players will be hearing.

'Like in the game against Cape Verde when he controlled the ball from Lisandro Martinez with the outside of his foot and scored. You think you have a chance of recovering and making the tackle, but his touch and finesse is so good.

'His mind is so sharp that you just have no chance of getting back there. And if you do, you are more than likely going to be out of position so you are going to give a penalty away or get caught. His positioning is so good. He's clever and obviously the mind is as sharp as ever. That will be the big test for the England defence. Let's be honest, he's just floating around waiting for his opportunity. That's what he does now and he's still proving effective.

'But also you see in a few of the games where he's tried to go past people and sometimes he's looking his age. He’s still had an amazing effect in games but he's not the same as he was. It's only natural. Argentina could be a man down out of possession.

'England have to play on the physicality. It wouldn't surprise you if it went to extra-time, would it? Argentina have had a couple more games in extra-time than England who have been using their substitutes well, too, so I think intensity could be a big factor in the game.

'One thing that Argentina have is the team have been incredible around him. Don't worry about your work-rate, don't worry about your intensity, just produce when we need you to. We’ll do all the running for you and, in fairness, they have done.

'Let's be honest, Argentina will have other threats as well, whether it’s Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez and Enzo Fernandez bombing on. There are plenty of people to take up the slack.'

The former Aston Villa and Norwich manager is head coach of Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer where he has come up against Messi and Inter Miami on several occasions – including a 3-0 win last season.

'Messi is different, and I say that with the biggest respect. I saw a stat the other day that he walks 6km in a game, but when the ball comes near him he just comes to life. It's incredible when you see it.

Messi has continued to bewitch defenders since moving to America with Inter Miami

'We all know about his own technical ability, but it's just his awareness that I think is one of his biggest strengths. He knows where people are on the pitch and plays balls that other people just don't see.

'It almost seems like he's a chess player at football. So he's always thinking two, three, four moves ahead to get ahead of players. I think he’s tapped into that more because of the physical attributes that leave players as they get older.

'My biggest thing is that we've never gone man-to-man with him. I just feel that if we did that, you lose a player in the game.

'He's not going to be the best presser in the world. Now he doesn't go chasing after the ball to try and win it back. You do get the opportunity to build around him.

'For me, it's the concentration of your defensive midfielders and your defender. When you've got the ball, I think he's at his most dangerous because as soon as you lose it, they look for him and that's when he can cause you big problems.

'Without the ball, it’s always about the rest defence – by that, I mean that if we lose the ball, then we're ready for it.

'One of my midfielders – and I know Thomas Tuchel favours playing two sitters – always has to be aware of where he is in and around you. Stop that first ball getting into him when your team loses it, because he can be such a danger when that happens.

'I think Elliot Anderson will be around him, or the two centre-halves will definitely be around where he is whenever England are building. They'll be aware of where he is.

'Then when he gets the ball in and around the box, you have to be very careful. Stay on your feet. Don't go planting a foot. He wants you to make the first move. As soon as you do, he's given it and gone or he's dropped his shoulder and gone the other way. So make him beat you rather than you make the first move.

'He can combine and give and go, but he can finish either side of the goal as well. The goalkeeper has got to be ready for him because he'll shoot from distance. He's never lost that knack of scoring goals.

'But Ezri Konsa is a really good man-to-man player if he plays centre-back. Marc Guehi is also very difficult to beat in one-on-one situations. I think that can be a real strength of England's.

'I think players can (be psyched out by facing Messi) at times. I probably put it on my players by saying: ‘Listen, what an opportunity to go and play against one of the best players in the world. Go and test yourself against him. Go and have a good game against him, and you'll be able to talk about that for the rest of your lives.’

'It should be an opportunity for a defender to be right on top of their game against the world's best. I think that's the way you've got to approach it, rather than be fearful of him.

'But I do think England will win the game against Argentina.'

The former Chelsea midfielder faced Messi in the Champions League in 2006 and 2007. Cole was speaking to Carling’s

Could It Be Coming Home?

podcast.

'I think Messi needs to be give his body to medical research. I don't think he's human. I’ve been off my feet watching some of the things he’s done. I love Messi, I think he's such an icon of the game.

'I would put an extra midfield body in, maybe Kobbie Mainoo. I'd probably shift Jude Bellingham to one of the flanks to start off. He's still free to roam because Nico O'Reilly plays left-back in possession, and Nico can give you that width.

'When Argentina pin you back into a low block, it's almost like, “right we've got you back now”. Then they use Messi and he floats to the right, floats to the left. So he's so difficult for any one player to pick up. But I think when you are in when they're in that low block, I would go to a 4-5-1. Bellingham will shift in and I'd go with Kobbie Mainoo, Elliot Anderson or Declan Rice. I'd assign one of the midfield boys wherever he goes, go and pick him up.

Joe Cole came up against the Argentinian maestro in the Champions League in 2006 and 2007

Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard was also on the receiving end against

'Because you see the Argentina players, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez and Leandro Paredes, wherever they move the ball they're all looking for where he is to eventually shift you around to get him on the ball.

'I think in that situation he needs to be man marked. I think the interesting thing is, because he's lost his legs, England will have to flood forward and throw bodies forward, and then you have to free up Bellingham to go get close to Harry Kane. O'Reilly goes forward. Then Messi still doesn't track back, so he picks up positions, but he's not actually dangerous then because even if you pick him up on the halfway line, he has to make a pass. He can't run the ball from the halfway line again.

'So I'd sort of do a dual man-to-man in a low block, but when we go forward you have to go forward because otherwise you'll end up never having the ball.

'Argentina in the semi-finals is the biggest game England have played in a World Cup since 1966. I think England are better than Argentina, but you can’t take away the Messi factor because he is outstanding.'