Thanks to another dazzling performance from Lionel Messi, Argentina are in their their sixth World Cup final. They beat Croatia 3-0 in the semi-final at Lusail Stadium with Messi on top form. He now has one last chance to win the piece of silverware that has eluded him in his trophy-laden career. They will face either Morocco or France in Sunday’s showdown. Gulf News football experts discuss last night’s action.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Golf News kicking back where a dazzling performance last night from
00:14Lionel Messi has led Argentina to their sixth World Cup final.
00:19They proved far too good, like we all thought they would, for Croatia yesterday in the semi-final.
00:24I was intrigued to see how this Argentina side comes up against a disciplined defence
00:44of Croatia.
00:45Actually, I was not disappointed initially, simply because Croatia ran the game initially
00:52and Argentina looked out of sorts.
00:54I think the first goal, the penalty, I know you can argue about it, but let's say it's
00:59a goal.
01:00I mean, the goal is given, we have to live with it.
01:02But I think that goal changed the complete tenor of the game.
01:06See, when you're goal down, then the whole game changes.
01:11Then the side which is goal down is always running to equalise.
01:16When you are running to equalise, then you are opening your defence to counter-attacks,
01:22which is precisely what happened.
01:24So five minutes of madness defined yesterday's game.
01:28That two goals in five minutes, I think, killed the game for Croatia.
01:31After that, they were never in the game.
01:33Of course, that Messi magic had to happen.
01:35We've been seeing that in most of the matches.
01:37And I think, like you aptly put it, that was Messi of the old.
01:41Imagine Messi at 35, out-sprinting a 21-year-old.
01:46I just can't believe it.
01:48I had to really rub my eyes to see.
01:50Not just out-sprinting him, he spun him around and then cut back.
01:55I think this is Messi at his vintage best.
01:58I swear.
01:59I don't think…
02:00We were absolutely fortunate to see that bit of magic in this World Cup.
02:03I think we were really, really, really fortunate.
02:05But other than that, I think Argentina was fortunate to get away with a 3-0 win.
02:11Because that margin is flattering.
02:14Because that doesn't do justice to the way Croatia played.
02:17Of course, Croatia didn't bring their A-game to them.
02:19Brozovic was not at his best.
02:21He was substituted.
02:22And Croatia, you know, they have the best midfield in this tournament.
02:25I think they didn't deliver yesterday.
02:27I mean, I think they kind of…
02:29I mean, after that first goal fell, I think they were not the side anymore.
02:33Not just that, to see the best defender in this World Cup being made a fool by a magician.
02:43I think that was perhaps the high point of the match for me.
02:46Shamsir, as Sham just alluded there, usually we've been so used to Croatia's robust,
02:52strong defence that never makes any mistakes.
02:54But yesterday, in the space of a few minutes, they made two calamitous errors.
02:58The first one, it was an error from the keeper, Ljubakovic, who's been brilliant.
03:02He's had such a good tournament.
03:03He's made some superb saves.
03:05But it looked like he did tip Alvarez and a penalty was given.
03:08And Messi dispatched it beautifully into the top corner.
03:11But then literally a few minutes after that,
03:14he just ran straight through the middle of the half of the defence.
03:17And it was the most lacklustre defending.
03:19It was awful.
03:20A couple of people, the first centre-back kicked it onto Alvarez.
03:23The ball came back to him.
03:25And I think it was Sosa who also tried to clear it.
03:26Didn't get anything on it.
03:28The ball sat up so nicely for him and he just hammered it home.
03:31And in that space of two minutes, Croatia, all the hard work that they've done in this tournament,
03:36yeah, they've been negative and they've been, you know, dull, if I can use that word.
03:40They haven't been the greatest to watch.
03:42But this is tournament football.
03:44Their plan was always to get as far as they could, playing the way they can with the players they have.
03:48They haven't got the skills of the players of Argentina or the Brazils or the France.
03:53They had to play with what they have and credit to Dalish to get the team all the way to the semi-final.
03:57But two mistakes in that first half totally killed off their chances.
04:00What did you feel about their defending yesterday, Shamsher?
04:04No, I thought it was a great tactical battle when the match started.
04:08And Lionel Scalloni put up four midfielders to gain control in the midfield.
04:13Usually, Argentina plays with three midfielders.
04:15But he played four and it was more like a diamond structure.
04:18And that was, you know, to give a control in the midfield.
04:22Because he might have seen the game against Brazil, might have calculated how the game went on.
04:27Croatia had total control in that midfield.
04:29Because Modric and Brozovic and Kovacic, they always assert control in the midfield.
04:34And they play possession football.
04:36And we saw that in the first 20 minutes.
04:38It was more like that.
04:39Kovacic was gaining momentum.
04:41But Modric was not getting so much of an influence.
04:43Because Enzo Fernandes was close to him.
04:46And these guys were like, you know, trying to close down their special player Modric.
04:50But then Kovacic was having his influence.
04:53Then, yeah, like what you said, that one mad moment.
04:56And how that came, that is the question.
04:59Yes, Lebekovic, Penalty and all these things.
05:01How that came?
05:02It was a long ball from the midfield.
05:06And how that came?
05:07Because Josco Guardiola was close to Messi.
05:11He was dragged out by Messi.
05:13Because that was a mismatch, to be honest.
05:16You know, Lovren was marking Alvarez.
05:18Alvarez is a pacey player.
05:20It should have been the other way around.
05:21Lovren should be close to Messi.
05:23And Josco Guardiola should have been with Alvarez.
05:25And Josco Guardiola was trying to keep an offside line over there.
05:31Lovren was towing back.
05:33And that momentum, that created the whole structure for them.
05:38And then, right through the middle, Alvarez made a run.
05:41And then the keeper made a mistake.
05:43I thought that was an obstruction.
05:45You know, accidental.
05:46But it was an obstruction.
05:47So, that has to be given a penalty.
05:49And there are talks about controversy about that.
05:51But that's a pen.
05:53And then, the pen was snapped.
05:55You know, Lionel Messi, there is talk about him being under pressure when the penalty comes.
06:00And he smashed it right into the corner.
06:03What pressure?
06:04What pressure?
06:05We have seen in the last game that he converted two ice-cold penalties.
06:10And this was right into the corner.
06:11It was a rocket.
06:13And then, like what you said, the defence was all over the place.
06:16But we have seen in this tournament, they have conceded the first goal in all the games.
06:21All the games, Croatia.
06:22They have never scored first goal.
06:24So, I thought that Croatia will be absorbing the pressure again.
06:28They will go again.
06:29They will get the equaliser.
06:30They will try for that.
06:31But then, we have seen in the tournament again that they haven't created enough.
06:35They have had the possession.
06:37But they must have very little shots on targets.
06:39Even yesterday, they could have only like must have two shots on targets.
06:43Before this game, sorry, against Brazil, they could only score one goal.
06:48And that was their only shot on target.
06:50So, they had all the possession.
06:51But they had all the momentum.
06:53But they were not creating enough.
06:55So, in that mad five minutes, you know,
06:58Argentina just killed the game off.
06:59And that run through the middle from Alvarez.
07:01But all started with Messi's one touch in the Argentinian area.
07:06That was very crucial in that counter-attacking scenario.
07:09And Messi was… The influence was immense, man.
07:13And Alvarez, that was poor defending from Croatia again, like what you said.
07:16But it was a plan set from Scaloni.
07:19And I think that worked out really well.
07:20They had control in that midfield.
07:22And that changed the game, I believe.
07:25Yeah, definitely.
07:26It changed the game.
07:26It was a 4-4-2 formation with the diamond, as you say.
07:30It looked like Croatia were completely caught off guard by that.
07:33They were expecting something else.
07:34So, credit to Scaloni for changing it in such a big game in the semi-final.
07:37Usually, when the team is doing so well,
07:39you tend to stick with your formations and your tactics and everything.
07:42But he was brave enough to do it.
07:44But honestly, guys, I'm very pleased Croatia has gone.
07:46They've been very dull, very boring.
07:48They haven't entertained at all.
07:49We're here to watch enjoyable attacking football.
07:51And Argentina has been playing so well.
07:54And the fact that their team is getting stronger now as well.
07:57Dybala came off the bench, finally.
07:58So, just as they're reaching the final, they're getting all their players back.
08:02It's going to be an incredible final, whether it's against France or Morocco.
08:05We don't know.
08:06But Croatia lead with their heads held high.
08:08But Sharm, it was going to be either Modric or Messi who were going to be going home sad.
08:13It's unfortunately Modric.
08:15He's had a great career.
08:15Just sum up how he's been in this tournament for Croatia.
08:19I mean, Croatia has been essentially Modric.
08:23He was the guy who was pulling the string from there.
08:25He was the one who was inspiring the rest of the midfielders.
08:29Kroesic and Bersovic, for that matter.
08:31But like Shamsil said, they lack the striker.
08:34They missed him on Dovic.
08:38So, for all the chances they create, there's nobody to put the ball into the net.
08:45That's been their problem.
08:46But like you said, I think this is a fair assessment.
08:50With this team, Croatia could only go that far.
08:54Having said that, okay, they were not outplayed.
08:57But still, I think this team only had the quality to go this far.
09:02I mean, sad to see Modric go out in the semifinals.
09:08But I think I would prefer Messi in the final rather than Modric.
09:13Because I am an unabashed Messi supporter.
09:17So, I would rather see Messi win this World Cup for himself.
09:22And Shamsil is smiling.
09:23I know, we all know he loves Messi.
09:25Absolutely, I think every neutral would prefer to see Messi in the final than Modric.
09:30He's had a great career.
09:30He's still there at Real Madrid.
09:31He hasn't hung up his boots.
09:32He's probably not going to be playing for the national team anymore.
09:35But Shamsil, look, Messi, he's got his fifth goal now of the tournament.
09:39He's even looking like he might even win the golden boot.
09:41Do you think he can do that?
09:44You just look at the stats.
09:46He's leading for the number of goals, for the number of assists, for the number of shots,
09:51for the number of chances created.
09:53He wants all the awards.
09:54It seems like he has been possessed.
09:57He has just saved his best for the tournament, man.
10:00But all over, it has been an incredible year for him.
10:03We have been talking about Lionel Messi last season when he moved to PSG.
10:07You know, people were saying that he's finished.
10:09He can't create anymore.
10:10He can't produce anymore.
10:11But then, ever since the start of this season, he has shown his calibre.
10:18Do we even need to talk about his calibre?
10:20I don't know.
10:21But then, for PSG, he started delivering.
10:23Then for Argentina, he started delivering.
10:26It has been a different Messi all throughout.
10:28And the difference that I have seen in Messi is more like Maradona.
10:32He has been fired up in this World Cup.
10:34That was the most different thing that I have seen in Messi, man.
10:38We have always said that Messi is a nice man.
10:40The nice, the cool guy.
10:41You know, he will not even talk loudly.
10:45But when you actually watch the game on the stadium, you can see that he is fired up.
10:50He is talking to the teammates.
10:51He is just motivating them.
10:53He is angry.
10:55And angry Messi is the one that we are seeing.
10:58And he is delivering, man.
10:59Unbelievable.
11:00And that third assist, the assist for the third goal.
11:05Josco Guardiola has been the best defender in the World Cup.
11:08And he has been the best defender throughout the past couple of seasons.
11:13He has been playing for Leipzig wonderfully well.
11:15And he will be getting a move for 100 million Euros soon in the summer.
11:19And he just toyed him.
11:22At the age of 35, he just toyed that Josco Guardiola.
11:26And Josco Guardiola did well to stay with Messi.
11:29But then, the way that he just moved past him.
11:32And the pausa.
11:34That's what they call it.
11:35The pausa.
11:35Then the burst of pace.
11:37Then the trickery.
11:38Then to see the pass in that final moment.
11:42Class, man.
11:43Different class.
11:43We are witnessing greatness.
11:45We are witnessing the best ever footballer.
11:49Probably, once he wins the World Cup, there will be no debate, I believe.
11:53There will be no debate.
11:54Absolutely.
11:55But for me, even if he doesn't win in the final, I still think he has nothing to prove.
12:02He has absolutely nothing to prove.
12:04At the age of 35, he is making magic and entertaining us, man.
12:09What else do you need?
12:10What else do you need?
12:12That third assist was absolutely superb.
12:15It was the Messi of 10 years ago.
12:17With those meandering runs that we know he's done throughout his career.
12:21You know, the way he spun off and put the ball into the box.
12:24Tremendous.
12:24It was really good.
12:25And you're right.
12:26It looks like there's a bit more anger there.
12:28A bit more drive, determination.
12:29Even after the game, when the match was won, we don't normally see him singing and dancing
12:33with the team.
12:33He's normally the first one to go back to the changing room and dust himself off and
12:38get ready for the next one.
12:39But clearly, it looks like him and Argentina and the whole of the world is believing now
12:44that Messi is going to retire now.
12:48He already confirmed that before the start of the World Cup, that this is going to be
12:51his last one.
12:52And it does look like the way he's particularly playing, that they're going to go out and
12:56lift up the trophy.
12:57But Sham, who are they going to be facing in the final?
13:00Now, we have a cracking game today.
13:03My Dark Horses Morocco have taken themselves all the way to the semi-final.
13:06The coach is calling them amongst…
13:09He's saying that we are one of the four best teams in the world right now.
13:12I think he's absolutely spot on.
13:14And there could be a potential surprise here today if France are not on it from the minute
13:19one.
13:19What do you think is going to be the game plan for Morocco today?
13:23Okay.
13:23There are two things.
13:25I mean, I hate to do this.
13:27The mind and heart and all this business.
13:29But I would want Morocco in the final.
13:32But I think, on the pitch, I think France is perhaps the strongest team in this world
13:41there.
13:42And if you look at the previous game against England, France was not at their best.
13:49I think that was one of the worst games in this World Cup.
13:52Even if they are playing below par, if they can squeeze out a 2-1 win, imagine if they
14:00can when they turn it on.
14:02So, having said that, Morocco will go back to what they do best.
14:06They will sit back and defend.
14:07They will not give space.
14:09Nothing.
14:09They will try to catch them on the counters.
14:12But I think France is better than that.
14:15They can crack the Moroccan defence.
14:18But having said that, I would like to see an African team, a non-European, non-Latin
14:23American team in the final.
14:25So, I would want Morocco there.
14:27But I think France has the best chance to stop the Moroccan dream run.
14:33I think we all would love to see that, Shyam.
14:35If they can do that, that would be absolutely incredible.
14:37Shyam, look, Morocco have created so much history already in this World Cup.
14:41Can they create a bit more by getting to the final?
14:44I believe that they can.
14:46See, the most important thing that we need to discuss here is that Moroccans' support.
14:51The 12th man has been absolutely immense.
14:54In football, the supporters give an edge to the team.
14:58So, that's what we have seen with Argentina.
15:00I think the two best supported countries in this World Cup, first one is Morocco, second
15:04one is Argentina.
15:05And you can see that impact that these guys are making.
15:08The 12th man definitely has an impact.
15:11And Morocco will have ample support.
15:14French will be flying and giving the support to the team.
15:17But it will be nothing like Moroccan support, man.
15:20And that will be in a hostile atmosphere.
15:22Every time a French player touches the ball, the whistle will be run.
15:26The whistle will be buzzing all over the stadium.
15:29And every time a Moroccan player touches, the applause will be there.
15:34The encouragement will be there.
15:35So, it's going to be a crazy game.
15:37We will even think that the match is happening in Casablanca.
15:39So, it's going to be such an incredible atmosphere.
15:43That's what the Moroccan fans are going to create.
15:45And not only Moroccan, all the Arabs, all the neutrals will be supporting Morocco.
15:49So, the support is going to be with Morocco.
15:52And Valid Regreggi, he's speaking sense.
15:54Whenever you listen to him, there were talks about how to stop Mbappe.
16:00And he said, there's no point in stopping Mbappe alone.
16:03They have different players like Griezmann and Giroud.
16:06These guys can create havoc.
16:08So, I think, with the way they have played in the tournament, they can make a surprise.
16:16They can make a surprise with that crowd support.
16:19And they are very compact.
16:20And when you look at them, it's not only about defending, man.
16:23They play some good, slick football.
16:25From back to front, they actually play some slick football.
16:29The counter-attacking is very swift.
16:31And they are very cool on the ball.
16:32And the Onahis and the Amarwad in the midfield is absolutely brilliant.
16:36Onahi has so much of close control.
16:38And Amarwad is a defensive rock in the midfield.
16:42And you have the Hakim Ziyech and Bufal to provide the magic.
16:45I believe, this is Ziyech's game.
16:47I believe that.
16:48This is Ziyech's game.
16:49He could provide one magical moment.
16:51And El Nethiri, the way that he had a leap in that game, Cristiano Ronaldo would be proud of.
16:57And Bono.
16:58Bono has been the keeper of the tournament.
17:00And their defence, they had two changes in the last game against Portugal.
17:05And they still defended properly.
17:07And I don't know.
17:09That's all down to the coaching.
17:10Because the personnel is changing.
17:11But the structure is remaining the same.
17:13So, Walid Zegregui has to take a lot of credit for making this Moroccan team such a resilient,
17:19robust defending side who can counter-attack and create problems.
17:23Now, my question is, who are fit to face France in this game?
17:27Because I think Masraoui will be back.
17:29So, that's a good boost for them.
17:30But is Agger and Roman Saez fit?
17:33That's a big question.
17:34Because these are big boys.
17:36They need in the semi-final against French side who are mentally very strong.
17:39They have the experience of crossing the line, winning the World Cup.
17:43So, they have that experience.
17:45Morocco never, ever played a semi-final before.
17:49But there will be absolutely no pressure on Moroccan side.
17:54They are going to enjoy it.
17:55French side, Deschamps, under Deschamps, they have always shown us that they don't need to play well.
18:02Even after not playing well, they can win the game.
18:05So, it's going to be an intriguing game.
18:07It's going to be an absolutely fascinating encounter.
18:09But I believe, I believe Hakim Ziyech is going to make a magical moment.
18:14Yeah, I think you're spot on, Shamsir.
18:16I agree with that.
18:17It'll be interesting to see, yes, if the captain is fit to play.
18:20But as we know, they're the Atlas Lions.
18:22Whoever's out there, they'll have 11 lines on the pitch to go and do battle with France.
18:27It's going to be an incredible game.
18:28They are the first Arab-African country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
18:32Can they go all the way and reach the final?
18:33We're going to find out tonight.
18:35That's all from us.
18:36We'll be back tomorrow morning to see how the game goes.
18:38In the meantime, and in between times, check out gulfnews.com for all the latest news,
18:42reviews, and videos.
18:43And check us out on all our social media channels.
18:45Thanks to Shamsir and thanks to Shams.
18:47And we shall see you all tomorrow morning.