Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico has heaped praise on Lionel Messi, saying the team captain will be a distinct asset in the Argentines' challenge against Croatia. The American-Latins have been greatly inspired by the extraordinary skills of the "fleet" in their journey to the semi-finals, and this is expected to happen again tomorrow. Tagliafico meanwhile said:
"He (Messi) has always been like this. He is our captain and leader. It pushes us forward and motivates us all. He is the player who gives us the special advantage when we are on the pitch. We know we have Messi and it is a great source of motivation and hope as we all know we can contribute and give our best."
Tagliafico added:
"With everyone's support we are working together to make our dreams come true, and it's the most beautiful thing to do with Messi by your side."
Croatia, on the other hand, will be looking to reach their second consecutive World Cup final, following their disappointment against France at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The coach of the Croatians, Zlatko Dalic, appeared calm, as he commented to the media on the eve of the challenge:
"If we win tomorrow it would be the biggest match of all time in the history of Croatia. We are among the 4 best teams in the world, this is an incredible success... We want more. We are playing against a great Argentina, a fantastic team led by Leo Messi. They are very motivated, but also under more pressure than Croatia at this point."
In all likelihood, this will be the last World Cup for Leo Messi as he seeks to bring home the prestigious trophy, which has not been won by Argentina since 1986.
