ARGENTINA VS. CROATIA HIGHLIGHTS | 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP

Argentina and Croatia faced off in the Semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Julián Álvarez drew a foul in the box then Lionel Messi scored on a penalty kick chance and became Argentina’s all-time leading scorer in the World Cup. Argentina wasn’t done there as Alvarez would score a goal of his own in the 39th minute. Argentina would continue to pour it on, with another goal by Alvarez in the 69th minute.

Argentina’s tryst with destiny up against the grit of Croatia

From the day the fixture of the Qatar World Cup was announced, football fans across the world had singled out the date, “13 December, 2022”.

The reason behind that was quite simple. If everything went accordingly, this was the date when the two Latin American giants of football, Brazil and Argentina, would clash for a blockbuster semifinal of the FIFA World Cup.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina held up their end of the bargain, overcoming every challenge to make it to the final four.

But at the other end, Brazil slipped up. Neymar’s Brazil’s journey in Qatar ended in tears of heartbreak at the quarter-finals.

The team that shattered millions of Brazilian hearts and took Brazil’s place in the semifinal showdown against Argentina are Luka Modric’s indomitable Croatia.

Now, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Croatia will attempt to become a party pooper once more, knock out Argentina and play their second World Cup final in a row with hopes of going one step further than the previous one.

On the other hand, a battle-hardened Argentina under the leadership of Messi will give their all to conquer the Croats and go one step closer to ending their 36-year-long wait at the World Cup.

Argentina: Emiliano Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nahuel Molina, Nicolas Tagliafico, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lionel Messi (c)

Croatia: Dominik Livakovic, Borna Sosa, Ivan Perisic, Dejan Lovren, Mateo Kovacic, Andrej Kramaric, Luka Modric (c), Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Josko Gvardiol and Josip Juranovic

This is will be a battle of two LM10- Lionel Messi and Luka Modric.

The two former Ballon D’Or winners have not won the grandest prize of all in football, the FIFA World Cup. And after today, one of them would be almost certain to end their illustrious careers without lifting the coveted trophy.

Messi turns on the magic again

FT: Argentina 3-0 Croatia

So, Argentina and their talisman rumble on to the final as Croatia's overachieving run ends.

Only three teams can now win the 2022 World Cup.

Tomorrow three becomes two as the Spice Girls almost sang.

Join us in the evening for France v Morocco.

I'll leave you with that magical Lionel Messi run to set up Julian Alvarez for that goal that sealed Argentina's place in the final...