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DOHA. — Tears are flowing from football’s biggest superstars as they make emotional exits from what might be their last World Cup.
First it was Neymar.
Then it was Cristiano Ronaldo. Could Lionel Messi be next?
Momentum is building behind Messi’s push to cap his career with the biggest prize in the game.
The 35-year-old Argentina playmaker has carried his team to the semi-finals, almost in the same way Diego Maradona — the man with whom Messi is so often compared — led the South American nation to their second and most recent World Cup title in 1986.
Now in Argentina’s way is Croatia, a country with a population of four million which is establishing a reputation as the most stubborn and durable of opponents while also boasting one of football’s most graceful players in Luka Modric.
The teams tonight go head to head at Lusail Stadium — also the venue for Sunday’s final — in a meeting between the last two runners-up at the tournament: Argentina in 2014 and Croatia in 2018.
Argentina might have been expected to be in this position. The team arrived at the World Cup as the Copa America champion, on a 36-match unbeaten run and with Messi back in sublime form for Paris Saint-Germain.
There was much less noise around the Croatians, yet they keep on surprising just like four years ago when their run to the final included a 3-0 victory over Argentina in the group stage.
They also reached the World Cup semi-finals in 1998.
Both teams have come through uncomfortable moments. Argentina’s darkest time was right at the start of the tournament, after a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in what will go down as one of the World Cup’s biggest upsets.
Inspired by Messi and one of the most fervent fan followings in Qatar, Argentina won their final two group games, ended up squeezing past Australia 2-1 in the round of 16 and then required penalties to get past the Netherlands in a wild quarter-final match.
Messi now has four goals in the tournament in Qatar, leaving him one behind top scorer Kylian Mbappé.
They are probably the two standout players at a World Cup that has seen many other top players live up to their lofty reputations.
Modric is a case in point.
He might not have scored a goal. He hasn’t even had an assist. But don’t underestimate the importance to Croatia of the little magician who keeps things ticking in midfield and manages to assert some control for a team which fights until the last minute.
In 2018, each of Croatia’s knock-out games went into extra time before the team lost to France in the final, and the same thing is happening in Qatar, with victories in penalty shoot-outs over Japan in the last 16 and Brazil in the quarter-finals.
Croatia looked more comfortable against Brazil than against Japan, which shows the team might be happier to invite pressure and choose their moments to break forward rather than control games and be more susceptible to the counter-attack.
Containing Messi will be key and much of the responsibility there lies with holding midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, who protected Croatia’s defence so well against Brazil.
Argentina will be without two players because of suspension: left back Marcos Acuña and right back Gonzalo Montiel. Acuña is the bigger miss, having impressed since coming into the team after the loss to Saudi Arabia, and he is likely to be replaced by Nicolás Tagliafico.
But Messi and Argentina’s World Cup dream remains alive but an indefatigable Croatia side inspired by the enduring brilliance of Modric stands in their way in tonight’s semi-final in Doha.
Argentina have recovered from the shock of losing their opening game in Qatar to Saudi Arabia and made the last four with an exhausting win on penalties against the Netherlands at the end of a fractious quarter-final on Friday.
Having been 2-0 up and cruising after 83 minutes, with Messi setting up one goal in sublime fashion and netting a penalty, they conceded twice late on and had to survive extra-time before triumphing 4-3 in a shoot-out. Backed by an enormous contingent of travelling supporters who have brought the passion, noise and colour of Argentina’s own stadiums to this World Cup, Messi and his teammates are starting to believe this really could be their year.
“We have ba**s, passion, heart and we are doing this for 45 million people,” said goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, and Argentina’s optimism now has only increased after seeing great rivals Brazil go out in the last round.
Now aged 35, this has been billed as Messi’s last chance to win a World Cup, eight years on from Argentina’s defeat in the final to Germany in Rio de Janeiro.
He is determined to seize the chance and has already scored his first two goals in the knockout rounds of any World Cup, netting against Australia in the last 16 before his penalty against the Dutch.
World Cup glory would complete a wonderful career for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who is possibly the greatest club player ever.
After years of being unfulfilled at international level he inspired Argentina to victory at last year’s Copa America, but he knows there are no more dogged or durable opponents than Croatia.
After all, any sense of relief at avoiding having to play Brazil in the last four will be tempered by the prospect of facing a Croatian side who knocked out the favourites on penalties and never know when they are beaten.
“They are a great team who matched up to Brazil and at times were much better,” admitted Messi.
“They have good players across the whole midfield and they have been working with the same coach since the last World Cup, so they all know each other very well.”
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni switched to a five-man defence against the Netherlands as he brought Lisandro Martinez into his line-up.
But the midfield is always key against Croatia, with Modric still controlling games at 37 and Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic completing a formidable trio.
After reaching the final four years ago, Croatia have beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties to make the semis here. They have gone to extra time in eight of their last nine major tournament knockout matches and the nation of just four million people has nothing to lose as they eye a place in the final against France or Morocco.
And in Modric they have a master, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner who starred as Croatia beat Argentina 3-0 in the group stage four years ago.
“I think Mateo, Luka and Marcelo are the best midfield in history. When you pass them the ball, it is safer than having your money in the bank,” said Josip Juranovic, another standout at right-back.
“We are so lucky to have them in the team.” Modric’s history with Argentina goes back to 2006, when he made his international debut for Croatia aged 20 in a friendly between the teams. Messi scored in that game but Croatia won 3-2. Zlatko Dalic’s team will not be afraid of Argentina or their number 10 when the sides meet again at Lusail Stadium.
Asked about how they would handle Messi, Croatia forward Bruno Petkovic responded: “We don’t have a specific plan, at least not yet, for stopping Messi and usually we don’t concentrate on one player, but Argentina is not only Messi.” — AP/AFP
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