Argentina - Croatia: World Cup in Qatar 2022, live | Messi and Modric captain their teams in search of the final

Argentina and Croatia will compete tonight (8:00 p.m., on TVE and Gol Mundial) for first place in the 2022 Qatar World Cup final. The Croats repeat with the same team that beat Brazil in the quarterfinals, while the Albiceleste performs several changes in the eleven, the most striking being the entry of Paredes in the center of the field.

Both teams have had to overcome difficult moments in the qualifying rounds to get here and, although favoritism may initially point to Lionel Messi's Albiceleste, Luka Modric's checkered team have already shown that they will not collapse at all.

The mood is similar in both teams after some very tough qualifying rounds.

Argentina ended up asking for the time against Australia in the round of 16 and passed on penalties against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.

Croatia's journey has been even more arduous, always having to resort to the decisive shootout.

This is how they beat Japan in the round of 16 and Brazil in the quarterfinals, with a great Livakovic under the sticks.

The Croatian, the goalkeeper with the most saves in the World Cup, will face Messi, the player who most monopolizes his team's attack.

The winner of this duel will face off for the title with the winner of the match between France and Morocco, the contenders for the other semifinal that will be played this Wednesday.

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Soccer World Cup

Argentina's therapy in the World Cup

Lorenzo Calonge

The Argentina-Netherlands quarterfinal, a volcano that began spewing lava at midnight on Friday, was building up energy and rage rather quietly.

In his room, the albiceleste goalkeeper Emiliano Dibu Martínez (Mar de Plata, 30 years old) turned on his mobile the day before and read statements from the Dutch team that he did not like very much.

They talked about revenge after losing the 2014 semifinals against them on penalties and about how much they were rehearsing from 11 meters in case the duel was resolved again in the shootout.

The goalkeeper decided to take screenshots of those words, showed them to his psychologist and told her: "He lit the dynamite."

In the end, it was he who exploded, and for the better, in the duel from 11 meters: he stopped the first two shots, to Van Dijk and Berghuis (each one to one side), and paved the way to the semifinals.

Another work of his from that distance (he already did it in the 2021 Copa América) that reminded what other leaders in his country (the Goycoechea and company) had done in the past, and that showed that one of the keys to the new airs of hope that run in the Albiceleste is under sticks.

Against Australia, in the round of 16, he also avoided a tie at the last moment that would have caused astonishment.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 18:29

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The arbitration team

Main Referee:

Daniele Orsato (Italy).

First Assistant:

Ciro Carbone (Italy).

Second Assistant:

Alessandro Giallatini (Italy).

Fourth official:

Mohammed Abdulla Mohammed (United Arab Emirates).

VAR referee:

Massimiliano Irrati (Italy).

VAR assistant:

Paolo Valeri (Italy).

Offside VAR:

Kathryn Nesbitt (USA)

Support VAR:

Juan Soto (Venezuela).

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 18:19

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Kent the monkey.

/ Anadolu Agency / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Kent says Croatia will win

The fortune teller ape who lives in the Zagreb zoo, the capital of Croatia, predicted a Croatian victory in the semi-final against Albiceleste.

This tradition of trusting in the prediction of animals began with the cute octopus Paul in South Africa 2010 and has already had all kinds of species.

This little monkey sweeps home and believes that Croatia will be the finalist of this World Cup. 

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 18:11

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The leaders of statistics

Messi passes and finishes off, leader and frontier of all Argentine attacks.

Otamendi cuts and leads the defense while in Croatia Brozovic stands out with the ball at his feet.

A team under Messi's foot against another that is a block.

Argentina-Croatia.

goals

Messi

4

kramaric

two

total assists

Messi

16

juranovic

6

Fouls committed

otamendi

9

Modric

12

fouls received

Messi

19

brozovic

eleven

Yellow cards

montiel

two

brozovic

1

Possession Repossessions

Emiliano Martinez

38

Dominik Livakovic

fifty

passes

otamendi

462

brozovic

476

goalkeeper saves

Emiliano Martinez

two

Dominik Livakovic

twenty

Shots

Messi

22

perisic

10

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 18:06

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Eleven from Argentina!

La Albiceleste returns to the 4-4-2 formation, with Messi and Julián Álvarez at the forefront.

The complete eleven chosen by Scaloni is: Emiliano Martínez;

Nahuel Molina, Otamendi, Romero, Tagliafico;

Enzo Fernandez, Paredes, DePaul, Mac Allister;

Julian and Messi.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 18:20

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We already know the lineups!

Croatia comes out with the same team that won against Brazil in the quarterfinals.

The complete eleven of the Croats is: Livakovic;

Juranovic, Gvardiol, Lovren, Sosa;

Kovacic, Brozovic, Modric;

Pasarlic, Perisic and Kramaric.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 17:37

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Rakitic sends encouragement to his

The Sevilla midfielder, who retired from the national team after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, has sent this message to his team to encourage them ahead of the duel against Argentina.

In Croatia's victory against Albiceleste in 2018, Rakitic scored one of the goals in a practically round match for the checkered team.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 17:33

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ALWAYS STEALING

The murder of Luka Modric and the revenge of 10

Manuel Jabois

At the end of his biography, Modric alludes to how old he was in Russia: 33 years old.

“They have already told me that I will not be able to return to that same level.

That motivates me."

Four years later, Modric is still a starter at the European champion club, as in 2018, and in the World Cup semifinalist team.

He led the deadly counterattack against PSG that turned Real Madrid's Champions League game, and the deadly counterattack that sent Brazil down the penalty spot in Qatar.

The life philosophy of Luka Modric's grandson, the 10th who avenged the fate of a childhood destroyed by war, impresses: "I know from experience that the best things in life never fall from the sky."

Revealing phrase for those who spent their childhood dodging bombs.

A story by

.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 17:28

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Tie-breaker

This will be the third time that Argentina and Croatia meet in a World Cup.

In the first, in the group stage of France 1998, victory went to Diego Armando Maradona's Albiceleste.

In the most recent one, in Russia 2018, also in the group stage, the victory went to the checkers, a prelude to their great World Cup in which they reached the final for the first time.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 17:22

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Soccer World Cup

Messi: Argentine leader

ramon besa

That boy from Rosario who needed the mediation of his desk friend to answer the teacher when she asked him questions in class, the teenager who chained himself to his lifelong love named Antonella and the player who needed a ventriloquist to express his opinion, At the age of 35, he became a volcano that did not stop speaking to defend the Albiceleste against the speech of the old Holland, the bearer of the original game in the World Cup.

Messi, educated in Europe, ceased to be a cold chest in America, willing to inherit Maradona's righteous speech if necessary, both pride today of the punished Argentina.

Writes

.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 17:15

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changing rooms ready

The teams have not yet arrived at the Lusail stadium, but the changing rooms are already ready to receive them.

We will tell you when the two teams arrive on the field and the warm-up begins before the game.

Little by little the stands are taking color less than two hours before the semifinals start.

Hold your nerves there's nothing left.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 17:05

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The most decisive goalkeeper in the World Cup

Not counting penalty shootouts, Dominik Livakovic has made 19 saves in this World Cup, more than any of the other goalkeepers remaining in the tournament.

According to Opta data, they should have scored at least six goals, but he only conceded three, the biggest difference between expectations and reality. 

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 17:02

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Soccer World Cup

Livakovic, the enlightened man who did not save penalties

David Alvarez

Croatia's third goalkeeper at the World Cup in Russia, Dominik Livakovic, now 27, has emerged in Qatar as one of the most enlightened goalkeepers in World Cup history, and no one expected it.

Not even in his national team, as Nikola Jerkan, a former international soccer player who played for Real Oviedo in Spain and is now a scout for Croatian rivals, recounted: “We didn't know he could do that.

He hadn't given us that impression."

A profile of

.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 16:56

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long matches

No one has played as many minutes in this World Cup as Argentina and Croatia.

In addition to having a high added time in most of their matches, the two teams have also gone to extra time.

La Albiceleste reached penalties against the Netherlands, the same as Croatia against Japan and Brazil.

Both surpass Morocco, the other team that accumulates the most minutes in the legs.

France, which has not played any extra time at the moment, has fewer minutes than Brazil or the Netherlands.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 16:49

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Soccer World Cup

Messi and the spirit of the barbecue

Lorenzo Calonge

For now, the path to the World Cup semifinals for the albiceleste team (the second in three decades) refers a lot to group spirit, the closing ranks after the initial setback against Saudi Arabia and the communion around Messi more than a choral game captivating, or even notable in many moments.

His great reaction in the second part of extra time in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands after the blow that led to the tie in the 101st minute consolidated the courageous streak over aesthetics in a team that does not have much experience in these latitudes ( 19 are debutants).

Analysis of the Argentine team by

.

ACT.13 DEC 2022 - 16:43

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heroes with gloves

Además del enfrentamiento entre Lionel Messi y Luka Modric, el partido tiene a dos protagonistas bajo los palos. Tanto Emiliano Martínez como Dominik LIvakovic han salvado a sus selecciones a lo largo de este Mundial, incluyendo las tandas de penaltis de las últimas rondas.

El argentino se impuso a Países Bajos en cuartos, mientras que el croata ha dejado por el camino a Japón y Brasil. Si el partido llega hasta la tanda decisiva, los dos cuentan con buenos seguros bajo los palos. 

ACT.13 DIC 2022 - 16:37

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Mundial de Fútbol

Un café para no olvidar el fútbol

Gaizka Mendieta

Argentina vs Croacia, algo más que un duelo entre dos “10″, ambos Balón de Oro y esperanza de sus equipos, y mucho más que dos porteros desconocidos y para penaltis. Me quedo con la vuelta al “fútbol de potrero” de la Argentina que es capaz de mostrar su intensidad, en algunas ocasiones, más allá de los límites y con la capacidad de Croacia, del sufrimiento de unos jugadores que representan al país que porcentualmente tiene más éxito en el deporte con una población tan pequeña.

Escribe Gaizka Mendieta.

ACT.13 DIC 2022 - 16:31

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El estadio Lusail antes del partido. / HAMAD I MOHAMMED / REUTERS

Empieza a llegar la afición

El encuentro se celebrará en el estadio Lusail, con capacidad para 80.000 espectadores, el más grande de Qatar. También será la sede de la gran final el próximo domingo, por lo que los dos equipos buscarán no despedirse aún del campo.

Los aficionados ya han comenzado a llegar a pesar de que faltan poco menos de tres horas para que eche a rodar el balón. Los seguidores de la Albiceleste, siempre pasionales, volverán a ser mayoría ante los croatas, a los que no les da miedo el reto de cargarse al otro gran candidato sudamericano después de haber derrotado a Brasil

ACT.13 DIC 2022 - 16:23

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Mundial de Fútbol

El mito de Argentina contra el orgullo de Croacia

David Álvarez

Esta noche, el estadio de Lusail despedirá al penúltimo de los Balones de Oro que aguantan y el ganador irá a la final del domingo, programada también en el recinto más elegante del campeonato, diseñado en el estudio de Norman Foster. Llegan en momentos de robustez mental similares, pero en puntos de juego muy diferentes.

La previa de David Álvarez.

ACT.13 DIC 2022 - 16:15

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Duelo de 10

El enfrentamiento entre Argentina y Croacia es también el duelo entre sus dos grandes estrellas, Lionel Messi y Luka Modric, los últimos ganadores del Balón de Oro que quedan en el Mundial. Los dos 10 se han enfrentado muchas veces tanto a nivel internacional como de clubes. El croata guarda el recuerdo de su victoria en la fase de grupos de Rusia 2018, preludio de su ascenso a la final y la consagración del centrocampista como el Balón de Oro de aquel año.

Recientemente se enfrentaron en la Champions, en los octavos del año pasado entre el Real Madrid y el PSG. El argentino falló un penalti ante Courtois y los blancos acabaron remontando la eliminatoria en una noche de euforia en el Bernabéu. Desde entonces hasta ahora, ambos han pasado por mucho y ahora se enfrentan de nuevo con el peso de sus equipos a sus espaldas.

ACT.13 DIC 2022 - 16:16

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¡Empiezan las semifinales!

Buenas tardes a todos. Esta noche se viene la primera semifinal del Mundial de Qatar con el enfrentamiento entre la Argentina de Lionel Messi y la Croacia de Luka Modric. La Albiceleste puede ser la favorita en la mayoría de las quinielas, pero la selección ajedrezada, vigente subcampeona del Mundo, ya ha demostrado que es capaz de derribar las torres más altas. 

¡Preparémonos para el partido!

ACT.13 DIC 2022 - 15:59

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