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Lovro Majer - N/A. Held a firm position in midfield as the minutes ticked by en route to his nation’s defeat. AFP

ARGENTINA RATINGS: Emi Martinez - 7. Untested in a cagey start as Croatia had possession but few opportunities. Comfortable save from Perisic on 72. Reuters

Nahuel Molina - 8. Right-back who made a fine run to support Argentina’s second goal. AP

Cristian Romero - 8. Hard, not always fair, the Spurs central defender is loved by Argentina’s massive travelling support. Booked in front of the 88,966 crowd. AP

Nicolas Otamendi - 8. The old master, the foil to the younger Romero, he took a ball to the face in a Croatia attack. Argentina only had 40 per cent of possession, but let Croatia play in front of their defence. EPA

Nicolas Tagliafico - 8. Brought down in a stiff early challenge but stood strong throughout. Best moment was when he won the ball on 63 to turn defence into an attack - which he supported. Then did the same two minutes later. Getty

Rodrigo De Paul - 8. As Argentina played the same 4-4-2 system that hadn’t convinced against Mexico. Hit a shot that was deflected wide on 41. AFP

Leandro Paredes - 8. A first start since the opening game and initially up against it as Croatia dominated in the middle. Shot on target after 47. Solid alongside Fernandez. AP

Enzo Fernandez - 8. Very comfortable against some of the best midfielders in the world. Superb tournament for the Benfica midfielder, 21. He only moved to Europe this year. He won’t be playing in Portugal in a few years. Getty

Alexis Mac Allister - 8. Headed a 42nd-minute corner towards goal that was saved. Volleyed wide on 82 as Argentina dominated. Grown throughout the tournament. Getty

Lionel Messi - 10. Scored the penalty that put Argentina ahead. Supporting role in the second. Evaded defenders to make a super run on goal on 57 to almost make it three. Equalled Lothar Matthaus’s World Cup appearance record. Sensational for the third, winning ball on halfway line, beating his men and setting up Alvarez. Genius. AFP

Julian Alvarez - 9. Won the penalty having been brought down by the goalkeeper, which led to Argentina going ahead. Brilliant individual goal to put Argentina two up on 39 – his third goal of these finals. Made it 3-0, sweeping in Messi’s ball on 69. Four goals puts him behind only Messi and Mbappe.
AFP — Julian Alvarez - 9. Won the penalty having been brought down by the goalkeeper, which led to Argentina going ahead. Brilliant individual goal to put Argentina two up on 39 – his third goal of these finals. Made it 3-0, sweeping in Messi’s ball on 69. Four goals puts him behind only Messi and Mbappe. AFP

SUBS: Lisandro Martinez - 7. On for Paredes on 61. A bit of bite as he helped Argentina reach a sixth World Cup final, including two of the past three - the Messi era.
Reuters — SUBS: Lisandro Martinez - 7. On for Paredes on 61. A bit of bite as he helped Argentina reach a sixth World Cup final, including two of the past three - the Messi era. Reuters

Exequiel Palacios - 7. On for De Paul on 73 and straight into the middle. AP

Paulo Dybala - 6. On for Alvarez on 74 for his first minutes in these World Cup finals. Top player. EPA

Angel Correa - N/A. On for Mac Allister on 86 as Argentina’s wise coach Scaloni used as many players as possible. Getty

Juan Foyth - N/A. On for Molina on 86 and straight to right- back to help see out the game. AFP

CROATIA RATINGS: Dominik Livakovic - 5. After conceding the penalty that led to Messi opening the scoring, Livakovic was never the same outside of a few decent saves. Getty

Josip Juranovic - 7. Fought harder than most to get Croatia into positive positions and rarely put a foot wrong at the back, other than the second goal. EPA

Dejan Lovren - 4. The former Liverpool man was way too deep ahead of the opener and looked lost more often than not. Getty

Josko Gvardiol - 5. Inconsistency was the key here as Gvardiol went from looking unbelievably nervous to composed and back again. PA

Borna Sosa - 5. The defender just couldn’t get his final ball right with the cherry on top being a fluffed clearance for the 2nd goal. EPA

Luka Modric - 7. Croatia’s talisman put on a typically impressive and controlled display, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome the Argentines. Reuters

Marcelo Brozovic - 6. Showcased a strong presence in the middle of the park, only to fade away once Argentina began to step on the gas. AP

Mateo Kovacic - 7. The midfield maestro was aggressive and persistent but didn’t show enough of an attacking edge for his teammates. PA

Mario Pasalic - 5. Not quick enough to the ball, too slow to react in the final third and generally pretty useless for the underdogs. EPA

Andrej Kramaric - 6. Outside of some solid determination to get forward, Kramaric was too erratic both in and out of possession. EPA

Ivan Perisic - 5. The veteran simply couldn’t find his way into the semi-final and was marked out of the match throughout. AP

SUBS: Nikola Vlasic - 6. Was slow to the ball for the third goal, which is a shame, given that his early work showed promise through his build-up. Getty

Mislav Orsic - 7. Zagreb’s finest had some nice movement, even if it ultimately didn’t lead to anything substantial for Croatia. AP

Bruno Petkovic - 6. Held play up well in the box but didn’t possess the killer instinct necessary to get his side back in the game. Getty

Marko Livaja - N/A. Worked hard but wasn’t able to get much going in what proved to be an uneventful cameo. Getty

Lovro Majer - N/A. Held a firm position in midfield as the minutes ticked by en route to his nation’s defeat. AFP

ARGENTINA RATINGS: Emi Martinez - 7. Untested in a cagey start as Croatia had possession but few opportunities. Comfortable save from Perisic on 72. Reuters

Nahuel Molina - 8. Right-back who made a fine run to support Argentina’s second goal. AP

Cristian Romero - 8. Hard, not always fair, the Spurs central defender is loved by Argentina’s massive travelling support. Booked in front of the 88,966 crowd. AP

Nicolas Otamendi - 8. The old master, the foil to the younger Romero, he took a ball to the face in a Croatia attack. Argentina only had 40 per cent of possession, but let Croatia play in front of their defence. EPA

Nicolas Tagliafico - 8. Brought down in a stiff early challenge but stood strong throughout. Best moment was when he won the ball on 63 to turn defence into an attack - which he supported. Then did the same two minutes later. Getty

Rodrigo De Paul - 8. As Argentina played the same 4-4-2 system that hadn’t convinced against Mexico. Hit a shot that was deflected wide on 41. AFP

Leandro Paredes - 8. A first start since the opening game and initially up against it as Croatia dominated in the middle. Shot on target after 47. Solid alongside Fernandez. AP

Enzo Fernandez - 8. Very comfortable against some of the best midfielders in the world. Superb tournament for the Benfica midfielder, 21. He only moved to Europe this year. He won’t be playing in Portugal in a few years. Getty

Alexis Mac Allister - 8. Headed a 42nd-minute corner towards goal that was saved. Volleyed wide on 82 as Argentina dominated. Grown throughout the tournament. Getty

Lionel Messi - 10. Scored the penalty that put Argentina ahead. Supporting role in the second. Evaded defenders to make a super run on goal on 57 to almost make it three. Equalled Lothar Matthaus’s World Cup appearance record. Sensational for the third, winning ball on halfway line, beating his men and setting up Alvarez. Genius. AFP

Julian Alvarez - 9. Won the penalty having been brought down by the goalkeeper, which led to Argentina going ahead. Brilliant individual goal to put Argentina two up on 39 – his third goal of these finals. Made it 3-0, sweeping in Messi’s ball on 69. Four goals puts him behind only Messi and Mbappe.
AFP — Julian Alvarez - 9. Won the penalty having been brought down by the goalkeeper, which led to Argentina going ahead. Brilliant individual goal to put Argentina two up on 39 – his third goal of these finals. Made it 3-0, sweeping in Messi’s ball on 69. Four goals puts him behind only Messi and Mbappe. AFP

SUBS: Lisandro Martinez - 7. On for Paredes on 61. A bit of bite as he helped Argentina reach a sixth World Cup final, including two of the past three - the Messi era.
Reuters — SUBS: Lisandro Martinez - 7. On for Paredes on 61. A bit of bite as he helped Argentina reach a sixth World Cup final, including two of the past three - the Messi era. Reuters

Exequiel Palacios - 7. On for De Paul on 73 and straight into the middle. AP

Paulo Dybala - 6. On for Alvarez on 74 for his first minutes in these World Cup finals. Top player. EPA

Angel Correa - N/A. On for Mac Allister on 86 as Argentina’s wise coach Scaloni used as many players as possible. Getty

Juan Foyth - N/A. On for Molina on 86 and straight to right- back to help see out the game. AFP

CROATIA RATINGS: Dominik Livakovic - 5. After conceding the penalty that led to Messi opening the scoring, Livakovic was never the same outside of a few decent saves. Getty

Josip Juranovic - 7. Fought harder than most to get Croatia into positive positions and rarely put a foot wrong at the back, other than the second goal. EPA

Dejan Lovren - 4. The former Liverpool man was way too deep ahead of the opener and looked lost more often than not. Getty

Josko Gvardiol - 5. Inconsistency was the key here as Gvardiol went from looking unbelievably nervous to composed and back again. PA

Borna Sosa - 5. The defender just couldn’t get his final ball right with the cherry on top being a fluffed clearance for the 2nd goal. EPA

Luka Modric - 7. Croatia’s talisman put on a typically impressive and controlled display, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome the Argentines. Reuters

Marcelo Brozovic - 6. Showcased a strong presence in the middle of the park, only to fade away once Argentina began to step on the gas. AP

Mateo Kovacic - 7. The midfield maestro was aggressive and persistent but didn’t show enough of an attacking edge for his teammates. PA

Mario Pasalic - 5. Not quick enough to the ball, too slow to react in the final third and generally pretty useless for the underdogs. EPA

Andrej Kramaric - 6. Outside of some solid determination to get forward, Kramaric was too erratic both in and out of possession. EPA

Ivan Perisic - 5. The veteran simply couldn’t find his way into the semi-final and was marked out of the match throughout. AP

SUBS: Nikola Vlasic - 6. Was slow to the ball for the third goal, which is a shame, given that his early work showed promise through his build-up. Getty

Mislav Orsic - 7. Zagreb’s finest had some nice movement, even if it ultimately didn’t lead to anything substantial for Croatia. AP

Bruno Petkovic - 6. Held play up well in the box but didn’t possess the killer instinct necessary to get his side back in the game. Getty

Marko Livaja - N/A. Worked hard but wasn’t able to get much going in what proved to be an uneventful cameo. Getty

Lovro Majer - N/A. Held a firm position in midfield as the minutes ticked by en route to his nation’s defeat. AFP

Argentina v Croatia player ratings: Messi 10, Alvarez 9; Modric 7, Lovren 4

PSG star Messi dominates in 3-0 win over Croatia to book a place in Sunday's World Cup final

Harry Kettle

December 14, 2022

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