Lionel Messi powers Argentina into World Cup final with rout of Croatia

Lionel Messi is again on the one stage that’s marred his famed career. 

He’s again one step away from the only feat that’s eluded him. One step away from the prestige his country has impatiently waited to restore. One step away from his rightful place in Argentinian lore. 

And at 35 years old, one step away from the ultimate validation needed to rise into soccer, and national, immortality. 

He left no doubt getting back to that looming stage Tuesday, powering Argentina’s dominant 3-0 win over Croatia to advance to Sunday’s World Cup final. They will face the winner of France and Morocco’s semifinal clash on Wednesday. 

“A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said on the field while watching Argentinian fans celebrate. “To see the fans — ‘the family’ — during the whole tournament was so incredible. We’re going to the final, which is what we wanted.” 

In what is almost assuredly his fifth and final World Cup, Messi smashed a penalty into the top right corner in the 34th minute to give La Albiceleste a 1-0 lead. He provided the game’s finishing touches later in the second half, undressing Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol before setting up Julian Alvarez with a stunning assist as Argentina took a 3-0 lead. Collecting the ball on the right sideline, Messi spun Gvardiol in both directions before waltzing by him and calmly finding Alvarez waiting to tap it in. 

Prior to Messi’s penalty, Alvarez drew a foul in the box after beating the Croatian defense over the top. Alvarez was one-on-one with Croatian goalie Dominik Livakovic and was cleaned out after he attempted to chip the ball over him. Messi subsequently buried the penalty, leaving Livakovic no chance to save it. 

Just moments later, Alvarez continued the Argentinian onslaught, carrying the ball from inside his own half all the way to the Croatian box. After a brief deflection, Alvarez recollected the ball and calmly slotted it past Livakovic to give Argentina a 2-0 lead in the 39th minute. 

Argentina was overwhelming after the break, continuing to pin Croatia deep in its half in order to put their opponents away. Argentina perhaps learned its lesson from its quarterfinal against the Netherlands, when it blew a 2-0 second-half lead before recovering and winning in penalties. 

“I am honored to train him and see him play,” Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni told reporters after the match of Messi. “Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.” 

So far in Messi’s Argentinian career, the final has largely provided a precipice for heartbreak. He infamously came up short in the 2014 World Cup, falling to Germany in extra time in the final as Argentina failed to score. 

In 2016, Messi briefly announced his retirement from the national team, uttering “I tried my hardest, the team has ended for me, a decision made,” after Argentina’s loss to Chile in the Copa America final that year. It marked Messi’s third straight loss in a major international tournament final with Argentina, and fourth overall, and he had agonizingly missed a penalty as the game went to shootout. He had previously lost in the Copa America final in 2007 and 2015. Messi returned to the Argentina team for the 2018 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16. 

Despite winning nearly every trophy possible between his club sides Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Messi has long failed to mirror the glory Diego Maradona captured for Argentina. Maradona powered the 1986 Argentina team to the World Cup title, scoring two of the sport’s most famous goals ever in the process. Argentina has not won a World Cup since. 

As he returns to another final, Messi will play his record-breaking 26th-career World Cup game. One step away and in his last opportunity, he’s never played a more important one. 

“Even though we lost our first match [of the World Cup to Saudi Arabia], we were confident that this group was going to push forward,” Messi said. “We know what we are, and we called on the fans to believe in us.”