Argentina with Lionel Messi have reached the final of a soccer World Cup for the sixth time. The South Americans beat Croatia 3-0 (2-0) on Tuesday and can now hope for their third World Cup triumph after 1978 and 1986 against defending champions France or outsiders Morocco on Sunday.
Croatia, on the other hand, missed the second final after 2018. Lionel Messi with a penalty kick (34th minute) and two Julián Álvarez (39th and 69th) shot the Argentine victory.
With his eleventh World Cup goal, Messi is now his country’s sole World Cup record scorer. In addition, he equaled the record set by Germany’s former world champion Lothar Matthäus with his 25th World Cup game.
France and Morocco will contest the second semi-final on Wednesday (8 p.m. / ZDF and Magenta TV).
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