Lionel Messi and Luka Modric are set to face off in a mouthwatering World Cup semi-final between Argentina and Croatia when the two sides meet at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Tuesday evening.

In Wednesday’s second semi-final, defending champions France play giant-killers Morocco. Morocco is the first African team to ever make it to the final four of a World Cup.

But first, everyone will be watching the huge Lusail Stadium, where Messi, who is now 35, will try to get Argentina into the final for the second time in eight years by beating the runners-up from 2018.

Messi lost to Germany in the 2014 final, and he wants to follow in the footsteps of another great Argentine player, the late Diego Maradona, who won the trophy in 1986.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward was a key player in Friday’s win over the Netherlands, when a record 18 yellow cards were given out and players from both teams got into a fight as the referee tried to get back in charge.

Even Messi, who is usually very nice, got caught up in the bad feelings and yelled insults at Dutch players while being interviewed after the game.

Monday, Lionel Scaloni, the coach of Argentina, defended his team’s behavior and said they had nothing to apologize for.

“The game the other day was played in the right way by both teams. That is football,” said the 44-year-old Argentina coach.

“I don’t buy this idea that we don’t know how to win. The game was played in the right way.”

Photo by EPA/Neil Hall