Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez fired Argentina to their first World Cup final eight years after losing the title to Germany.
Messi and Alvarez opened up a 3-0 semifinal lead over Croatia at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Tuesday night.
Croatia, aiming to reach back-to-back finals after their 2018 heroics, were the better side during a cagey opening half-hour but Dominik Livakovic brought down Alvarez as the Manchester City striker lifted the ball over him.
Livakovic was his country’s hero in the shootout wins over Japan and Brazil but he was left with no chance as Messi thumped his penalty into the top right corner to join Kylian Mbappe at the top of the Golden Boot race.
Alvarez then tenaciously bundled his way through a scattered Croatia defence on the counter-attack to double the lead and the two goalscorers combined delightfully in the 69th minute.
Messi tormented Josko Gvardiol with a mesmerizing dribble before teeing up Alvarez for his fourth of the tournament.