When the 2022 FIFA World Cup got underway, many were rooting for Lionel Messi to win the tournament with Argentina and have that storybook finish to his international career.
However, Tottenham Hotspur and Croatia star Ivan Perisic wants to play spoiler and ruin what most football fans hope to see. The veteran attacker knows their squad will receive Argentina’s best punch considering what’s at stake.
Perisic does say that Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo exited, so he hopes the CONMEBOL side follows the same path.
“We saw in the last round that Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo lost. He has participated in five World Cups and he has failed to win one, and Messi is trying to do the same for Argentina,” Perisic told reporters (h/t Canal Supporters).
“So he will certainly do everything he can to bring his team to the final and win the trophy. But on the other hand, we will also do everything we can to win. It will be a very good game, very solid, and we will do our best to win.”
Croatia has put together a good run in the knockout beating Japan and Brazil, two teams that won their group. Furthermore, the Croatians are plenty motivated, especially those who were on the 2018 squad to redeem themselves.
A win over Argentina puts them back in the World Cup Final in back-to-back tournaments and Croatia could face France, who they fell to in Russia and there’s no question that they’re the opponent the Checkered Ones would want to meet should they advance.
