The World Cup semi-finals begin tonight as Argentina face Croatia in a huge clash at Lusail Stadium in Qatar.
Argentina are bidding to claim glory on football’s grandest stage for the first time since 1986, delivering a fairytale farewell to Lionel Messi in the process.
However, standing between them and another final is another very tough test in Croatia, who continue to defy the odds in remarkable fashion.
Zlatko Dalic’s men are bidding to make it back-to-back final appearances this week - which would be an astonishing achievement for a nation with a population of only around four million people.
Here, Standard Sport’s Simon Collings looks at the keys to tonight’s game.
Finding a way to stop Messi
Many have tried, but few have succeeded in keeping Lionel Messi quiet at this World Cup. Croatia are not planning to man-mark him, but instead work as a defensive unit. Centre-back Josko Gvardiol will play a key role, though, and he has excelled in Qatar. RB Leipzig’s Gvardiol is being tracked by Europe’s biggest clubs, and managing to stop Messi would only underline why he is so highly sought after.
Controlling the midfield
Croatia’s midfield of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic are the best at this tournament and will look to dominate possession. In their opening defeat by Saudi Arabia, Argentina struggled in midfield but have since improved after bringing in Enzo Fernandez. The 21-year-old adds an element of control, with Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul providing energy to have an impact in both boxes.
Perisic looking to make the difference – again
Ivan Perisic may have struggled at times since joining Tottenham, but he is Croatia’s talisman. The winger has 10 goals at major tournaments, more than any other Croatian. He will face a tough battle against right-back Nahuel Molina, who scored against Holland in the quarter-finals and is solid in defence — no surprise, given he plays under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid.
