Lionel Messi put together a performance that let everyone know he wanted Argentina to defeat Croatia and advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
The 35-year-old had a goal and an assist in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday, punching their ticket to the final, which will be their second in the last three tournaments.
Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic acknowledged the great game that the Paris Saint-Germain star had, but the 28-year-old feels as though Messi’s first goal, which came off a penalty kick, shouldn’t have occurred.
“Today, he was phenomenal; we must congratulate him,” Kovacic told reporters (h/t Marca). “However, we fought and they charged us with that ridiculous penalty.”
“We lost by a penalty, but it is what it is. Both situations seem incredible to me, first that he did not give a corner and then the penalty. I never talk about the referees, but they are capital errors and it cost us.”
Messi and Argentina will be waiting for the winner of the France-Morocco matchup, with Les Bleus being the favorites to come out as the winners. Nonetheless, the African nation has pulled off its share of upsets during the 2022 World Cup.
Nonetheless, should France advance, it has two nations looking to win the trophy for their legacy as Messi wants to win his first World Cup; meanwhile, the French hope to be the first country since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back tournaments.
