For the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar 2022, the Argentine team and the Croatian team will face each other again in a World Cup, looking for the great consecration: the “Albiceleste” wants to lift their third crown, while the Europeans have never done so. achieved, and come from losing the final against France.
That football always gives revenge is a phrase as old as the sport itself, but the years go by and it never ceases to lose validity: it is that the team led by Lionel Messi on the field of play will seek to get rid of the bitter pill he suffered in 2018 precisely against the Croats, in the group stage of the tournament, with a resounding 3 to 0 and that made it difficult to qualify for the next round. Next, we review the history.
The first historic clash was in Zagreb, Croatia, in mid-1994, a few weeks before the start of the 1994 World Cup in the United States, in which Argentina was eliminated in the round of 16. The game, with the presence of Diego Maradona, ended 0-0.
The second time Argentina faced Croatia (independent since 1992, previously part of Yugoslavia) in a World Cup was in France-1998.
It was in the group stage, on the third day, where the “Albiceleste” that was led by Daniel Passarella arrived more than comfortable since they had won their first two games, against Japan (1-0) and Jamaica (5-0). .
Argentina fulfilled with a 1-0 victory in Bordeaux, with a goal from Mauricio Pineda, going to the round of 16 with a full three victories, in a team full of substitutes.
Then came two friendlies: a 3-2 defeat in 2006, which was equally significant because it had Lionel Andrés Messi’s first goal in the Senior Team, and a 2-1 post-2014 World Cup win, with a goal, of course, from Messi (the other from Ansaldi): it was a criminal, according to the slogan flash score on the match sheet.
Finally, the Croatian rout 3-0 against Jorge Sampaoli’s men in Russia 2018, already reviewed, which made it difficult for Argentina to qualify for the round of 16, although they were later able to do so with the 2-1 draw against Nigeria on the last day.
Argentina H2H record vs Croatia (including friendlies)
The top scorer in these clashes is none other than Lionel Andres Messiwho registers two goals in three games: he scored in the 2006 friendly, he scored in the 2014 friendly and could not do it in the tough defeat in 2018. Then, all those who scored arrive with one. Modric He has the chance to beat Lionel if he scores two and the rosarino star doesn’t see a rival goal.
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