Argentina coach, Lionel Scaloni, on Monday, said Tuesday’s clash with Croatia would bring out the “real Argentina”.
Argentina will confronts old enemy, Croatia, in the first semifinal match of the ongoing Qatar 2022 World Cup today, 13 December, 2022.
After three weeks of pulsating action, four teams are now left in the race for the title currently held by France, which will meet Morocco in the second semifinal tomorrow.
Lionel Messiās hope for a World Cup winnersā medal will get a big test on Tuesday, when they face Croatia
Todayās game is a battle for revenge of sorts as Croatia defeated Argentina in the group stage of Russia 2018 World Cup. But more importantly, it is a battle for the right to contest the World Cup title, which is the only missing laurel in Argentina skipper, Lionel Messi, rich collection of gold medals.
A win for Argentina will give Messi another opportunity to go for the trophy for the second time in eight years, having lost his first attempt at the Brazil 2014 edition. The victors then were Germany.
The 44-year-old Argentina coach dismissed the insinuation that his team has been lucky thus far.
āI donāt buy this idea that we donāt know how to win. The game was played in the right way,ā he said.
With a population of just four million people, Croatia has once again defied punditsā predictions to reach this stage of the competition.
Here, they have already beaten the competitionās favourite team, Brazil and to coach Zlatko Dalic, there is no stopping his wards.
āAt back-to-back World Cups to be among the four best national teams, thatās an extraordinary success for Croatia,ā said Dalic, whose side were beaten 4-2 by France in the final four years ago.
āHowever, we want more. Iām optimistic and have full confidence in my players. Theyāve shown their great quality and strength of character, and deserve to be in the final.ā
Croatia, who beat Japan and fancied Brazil in penalty shoot-outs to reach the last four, have not won a knockout game in normal time at a major tournament since they came third at the 1998 World Cup. But Dalic said despite the energy-sapping games in Qatar, exhaustion was not even being discussed.
āWe are still strong, with energy and enthusiasm, without a doubt,ā he said.
āWe are going to give it our all, just as we have done in previous games. Against Argentina we will do the same, we will give our all. We donāt have any injury problems. They donāt feel tired.”