🏆 World Cup semi-final means a record for Messi as Argentina meet Croatia | OneFootball

After two days of recovery, the World Cup is back in full swing on Tuesday, with our first matchday featuring just two teams since the opening game. It’s World Cup semi-final time.

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So, I’m free today, what can I not afford to miss?

There’s one game and one game only: Argentina v Croatia.

The losing finalists from 2014 meet the losing finalists from 2018 and one of them will get another crack at the trophy on Sunday. But only one of them.

Argentina have been inconsistent in Qatar, showing both of their faces in Friday’s quarter-final win over the Netherlands.

Croatia have been less enthralling but more reliable in regular time, then cool and collected from the penalty spot — both of their knockout wins so far have come from 12 yards. They’ve actually only beaten one team (Canada) at this World Cup.

So will it be Messi or Modrić featuring in one last World Cup final come Sunday?

Got any interesting stats or facts?

An appearance on Tuesday will see Lionel Messi equal the record for most matches appeared in at World Cup finals.

Messi has currently played 24 World Cup games, the same number as Miroslav Klose but one less than Lothar Matthäus’ record of 25.

Argentina’s record is perfect at this stage: they’ve won all five of their previous World Cup semi-finals.

How have the sides reached it to this stage?

Following a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia, Argentina beat Mexico and Poland to top their group. A win against Australia followed before the drama of Friday’s 2-2 draw and penalty shootout win over the Netherlands.

Croatia have not scored first in a single game at this World Cup with a group stage win over Canada sandwiched by 0-0 draws with Morocco and Belgium.

They have since come from behind to draw 1-1 with Japan and Brazil before beating both on penalties.

Whose side is history on?

Well, Argentina’s perfect record in World Cup semi-finals certainly speaks in their favour.

This is the first knockout meeting between the sides, with Argentina winning a group stage meeting 1-0 in 1998 and Croatia enjoying a comprehensive 3-0 win at the same stage just four years ago.

If it goes to penalties, Croatia will fancy themselves. They’ve won all five of their World Cup shootouts.

Have you got a player to watch?

Lionel Messi will make history tonight, matching that appearance record, but he is also still the man who makes Argentina tick.

With four goals and two assists at the tournament so far, this could be his best ever World Cup and he will be hoping he has plenty left in the tank.