Argentina defeated Croatia 3-0 in the semifinals on Tuesday, needing just a five-minute stretch late in the first half to secure their position in the World Cup final. Lionel Messi was unstoppable, scoring from the penalty spot before Julian Alvarez scored twice in the blowout victory despite appearing to have hamstring troubles throughout the first half of the game. Dominik Lovankovic’s unusual error—clattering into Alvarez in the box—led to Messi’s penalty.
At halftime, Croatia made adjustments to try to counter, but Messi later set up Alvarez in the 69th minute to effectively end the game. Argentina’s tenacity ensured that they wouldn’t experience the same fate again after losing a 2-0 lead to the Netherlands before winning on penalties. Messi overtook Kylian Mbappe for first place in the Golden Boot standings with a goal and an assist, but this match is as much about Messi’s supporting cast as it is about his bid for the World Cup.
Alvarez, who is only 22 years old, had to wait his turn at Manchester City since Erdling Haaland was the line leader, but he made a big impression at the World Cup. Alvarez has already scored four goals for Argentina with his brace on Tuesday, but his work ethic has been just as crucial. Although Alvarez’s successful penalty kick and defensive pressure won’t appear on the stat sheet, they were crucial to Argentina’s ability to secure victories.
Paulo Dybala was playing his first World Cup minutes before the final, therefore it was for a good cause that he was substituted just as he had a chance to complete a hat trick. This is a big boost for Argentina as they prepare to play either Morocco or France on Sunday after recovering from a hamstring issue with Roma.
Although Croatia played well in the tournament and should be proud of their effort, Messi’s quest for the World Cup has taken precedence today.
Here are a few takeaways from the match
Excellence from Messi
Messi put on yet another great performance in a different game. Despite everything he has accomplished throughout his career, Messi’s World Cup experience feels unique. Messi has risen to challenge for the Golden Boot in Qatar, dialed in and prepared to score. Messi may not have been involved frequently, but he picked his positions and made Croatia pay by creating two chances and taking two shots. Excellent saves made during the game prevented Argentina from winning even more thanks to Messi’s assist to Alvarez.
Poetry in Motion ✍️😍
This assist by Messi was perfection 🙌 pic.twitter.com/itOy7X1WJm
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 13, 2022
While the team won Copa America in front of a deserted stadium, the World Cup seems different since supporters can join in the celebration. In his final World Cup, Messi will only need one more triumph to leave with the championship in his arms.
The end of a Modric era
Croatia has established itself as a major force in Europe after reaching the World Cup final in 2018, where Luka Modric won the Golden Ball as the competition’s best player. However, this World Cup saw a changing of the guard. Since Dejan Lovren, Ivan Perisic, and Luka Modric are all 33 years old or older, this might be their final World Cup. However, this team is in the prime or twilight of their careers at 27 or older, making the upcoming years exciting to watch. Josko Gvardiol did show that there is strength in the future generation.
It would be intriguing to watch how Croatia performs going ahead since Modric is an irreplaceable presence. The squad has established a level that is challenging to match, yet young players have had real professionals to look up to and replace. Croatia has also been here previously. The little nation couldn’t hope to match their 1998 run to the semifinals, which was regarded as the peak of that generation’s achievements. We’ve all seen what followed, so, yeah.
Strength in youth
Argentina has been led by youth this World Cup, whereas Croatia has an elderly roster. A team that has often been one of the older teams in international competitions has been able to turn it on and blast through the World Cup with five starters who are 24 or younger. Behind Enzo Fernandez and Alexis MacAllister in midfield, a defense led by Nahuel Molina and Cristian Romero managed to keep Croatia off balance. And to top it all off, Alvarez scores goals just for pleasure. Because of this, even though 2022 will be Messi’s final World Cup, Argentina’s future is secure.
