Argentina booked their place in a sixth World Cup final courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Croatia at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar this evening.
Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez both starred for La Albiceleste as they ran out convincing winners to set up a showdown with either Morocco or France in Sunday's final.
It took half an hour for the game to get going, but a quickfire double from Argentina put them in control of proceedings before half time.
A record-breaking Messi opened the scoring with a thunderous penalty won by Alvarez, who then briefly outshone his illustrious teammate with a stunning solo effort to double Argentina's lead.
However, Messi responded in kind in the second half with a brilliant run to set up Alvarez for his second, putting the contest to bed and sealing Argentina's place in the World Cup final again.
Croatia offered little in response throughout the 90 minutes despite controlling possession and having more shots, as the star quality of Messi and Alvarez proved to be the difference, leaving Lionel Scaloni's men on the brink of a first world title since 1986.
HIGHLIGHTS
25th min: After a cagey start, Enzo Fernandez gets the first shot of note of the game from outside the area, but Dominik Livakovic is across to make a fairly comfortable save.
32nd min: Argentina win a penalty as Julian Alvarez steals in behind the defence and gets to the ball before Livakovic, poking the ball past the keeper who then clatters in to him. The referee waits briefly to see if there is any advantage with the ball running loose, before pointing at the spot.
34th min: Lionel Messi steps up to take the penalty and leaves the keeper no chance by blasting his spot kick into the top corner.
Argentina have one foot in the final... and it's that man again!! 🤩🇦🇷
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 13, 2022
Lionel Messi overtakes Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's top scorer at World Cup finals with 11 goals! 🙌#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/C8haTlVGb1
39th min: Argentina have a second, and this time it is all about Alvarez as he carries the ball almost 50 yards before poking home from inside the area. There is an element of luck involved as two Croatia players got their toes to the ball on the way through, only for Alvarez to get the luck of the bounce, but that was all about the Manchester City man's pure persistence.
Little bit of luck, but he won't mind! 🙌
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 13, 2022
Julian Alvarez bags his third goal at this World Cup to put Argentina 2-0 up!! 🇦🇷
Croatia are going to need a stellar second half to turn this around... 😬#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/WRtfQmKHY7
42nd min: Croatia have their goalkeeper to thank for keeping them hanging on in this game, as Livakovic makes a really sharp reaction save to deny Alexis Mac Allister's header from a corner.
45th min: Josip Juranovic's cross from the right flank takes a deflection and it takes a smart save from Emiliano Martinez down low to his left to keep it out.
58th min: Almost a moment of Messi magic as he holds off a defender before playing a quick one-two and finding himself in on goal, but Livakovic denies him from a tight angle.
69th min: Alvarez puts the game to bed with his second of the match, but this goal is all about the genius of Messi. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner beats Josko Gvardiol two or three times down the right channel, the final time of which sees him steal into the box and then lay the ball back for Alvarez, who is left with a simple finish.
"That was just genius...!"
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 13, 2022
Lionel Messi leaves the commentary panel lost for words with this beautiful piece of skill to gift Argentina a third goal... 🙌🇦🇷#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/2KjMWqMjyA
83rd min: A quick free kick from Messi releases Argentina and after one failed backheel attempt, the ball is clipped to Mac Allister, who fires just wide on the volley.
MAN OF THE MATCH - LIONEL MESSI
© Reuters
It is no exaggeration to say that this was the type of performance which could underline Lionel Messi's status as the greatest of all time.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has had a brilliant tournament in Qatar and can look back on an encyclopedia of great games in his career, but this display is right up there with the very best of them considering the stage and the pressure on his shoulders.
Messi will hope that more is to come on Sunday, of course, but he is only getting better in this tournament and this performance - on his record-equalling 25th World Cup appearance - was a joy to behold.
The 35-year-old's penalty saw him become Argentina's outright leading goalscorer at World Cups as he fired an unstoppable penalty into the top corner, while he also had a hand in the second goal as he poked the ball to Alvarez before his solo effort.
It was his assist for Alvarez's second which will live longest in the memory, though, as he turned Gvardiol inside out two or three times before laying the ball back for his eighth World Cup assist, equalling the all-time record of his hero, compatriot and GOAT rival Diego Maradona.
Messi is now also the first player to both score and assist in four separate World Cup matches, and has also equalled the record of 19 direct goal involvements at World Cups, jointly held by Gerd Muller, Miroslav Klose and Ronaldo.
Alvarez deserves a huge mention for his two goals and for winning the penalty - and on any other day he would have been a clear winner of this award - but this was a career-defining display in perhaps the greatest career of all.
STANDOUT MOMENT
© Reuters
Having been on the wrong end of one of the all-time great World Cup solo efforts at the hands of Michael Owen in 1998, Argentina had a similar one to celebrate as Julian Alvarez carried the ball for almost 50 yards before keeping his composure to finish at the end of it all.
There was a hint of Saeed Al-Owairan about the goal too, and while there was also an element of luck involved as he got fortunate bounces off two Croatian defenders after they got something on the ball, the goal was just reward for his determination and persistence.
The Croatian defending left a lot to be desired, but it is not often you see a 50-yard solo effort in a World Cup semi-final, so it earns our award for the standout moment - even ahead of Messi's magic and record-breaking exploits.
BEST STATS
3 - Lionel Messi is the first #ARG player to score in three different knockout rounds of a World Cup. Before #Qatar2022 he had no goals in these phases. Legend. pic.twitter.com/kNEppH0a99
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) December 13, 2022
6 - Players to score in the Last 16, Quarter final and Semi final at a single World Cup tournament (since 1986 when the last 16 was introduced):
— OptaPaolo 🏆 (@OptaPaolo) December 13, 2022
S. Schillaci – 1990
R. Baggio – 1994
H. Stoichkov – 1994
D. Suker – 1998
W. Sneijder – 2010
L. Messi - 2022
Leader. #ARGCRO
13 - Since the 1966 edition, no player has scored or assisted in more different World Cup matches than Lionel Messi (13 – level with Ronaldo). Mesmerising. pic.twitter.com/RQ84czXWsB
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 13, 2022
3 - Lionel Messi is the first player to score and assist in three different games in a single edition of a World Cup since 1966. Goat. #ARGCRO #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Jbiz2uTw89
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) December 13, 2022
22 - Julián Álvarez 🇦🇷 (22y 316d) is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semi-final or final since Pelé 🇧🇷 in 1958 (17y 249d). Gem. pic.twitter.com/e5p7iL0pCd
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) December 13, 2022
4 – Lionel Messi has become the first player to both score and assist in four separate World Cup matches (since the 1966 edition). Magical.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 13, 2022
2006 vs Serbia
2022 vs Mexico
2022 vs Netherlands
2022 vs Croatia pic.twitter.com/Qsh36wCuCj
19 - Lionel Messi has been involved in 19 goals at the World Cup (11 goals, 8 assists), equalling the best goals+assists tally for a player since 1966 (when data is available), previously set by Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo and Gerd Müller. Guide. #ARGCRO #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/PFmW5X4x6u
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) December 13, 2022
MATCH STATS
Possession: Argentina 39%-61% Croatia
Shots: Argentina 9-12 Croatia
Shots on target: Argentina 7-2 Croatia
Corners: Argentina 2-4 Croatia
Fouls: Argentina 15-8 Croatia
LINEUPS
ARGENTINA (4-4-2): E Martinez; Molina (Foyth 86'), Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul (Palacios 74'), Fernandez, Paredes (L Martinez 62'), Mac Allister (Correa 86'); Messi, Alvarez (Dybala 74')
CROATIA (4-3-3): Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa (Orsic 46'); Modric (Majer 81'), Brozovic (Petkovic 50'), Kovacic; Pasalic (Vlasic 46'), Kramaric (Livaja 72'), Perisic
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