Exclusive: Croatia will restrict Lionel Messi from having the best game of his life in SF 1, says Igor Stimac

After a riveting group stage and Round of 16, the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022, in Qatar, lived up to expectations. The stage is now set for the semi-finals before the marquee finale takes place on December 18. Lionel Messi's Argentina, Luka Modric-led Croatia, underdogs Morocco, and defending champions France are alive in the competition and will hope to get past the semi-final stage to reach the summit clash.

Ahead of the first semi-final, between 2018 runners-up Croatia and Argentina, Indian men's current football coach Igor Stimac spilled the beans on the clash, addressed the referee controversy in the quarters, and revealed why he is backing his national team Croatia to end Messi's WC dreams during an exclusive interaction with WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo. Excerpts:

Your take on back-to-back WC semis for Croatia?

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Yeah, definitely a big moment. Second consecutive time for a country whom not many gave a chance. To date, Croatia have the lowest rate of expectations globally of standing any chance of going through the semis or winning the World Cup title. Most of them are very surprised with Croatia being here in the semis.

PREDICTION KING

It is to be noted that Stimac had rightly predicted the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 edition. Some time back, he had tweeted saying, "My predictions generally never go wrong. As I don’t like to guess but think with the combination of mind & heart! IDEMO Hrvatska!"

'Croatian team is master of working football'

Prior to our quarter-final game versus Brazil, an English journalist -- for whomI've a feeling was born in Croatia and living with us through our momentum and through the past decades -- said that Croatian team is master of working football. It is very interesting. It said that there is no team in the world as Croatia which can bring you down to its space and suck you in. That's exactly what has happened with our opponents in this WC.

On Croatia's spectacular win over Brazil in the QFs

Stimac stated, "We have the best midfield line in the world. So many teams will be outplayed. We have far better midfield line than Argentina. In each aspect of the game, technically and tactically, Croatia is very strong. If you ask me what is the strength of this Croatian side? I will say: confidence, mental strength and resilience."

How has Croatia reached this far?

We are talking about collective team game, we are not taking about individual performances. The team is winning the games for us. Only great teams can expose any individuals. One great individual cannot take the team too far.

How to beat Argentina: The referee angle

Apart from keeping our momentum and style, we need to be very careful with the referee today. That's our main worry as we could clearly see what was happening in their last game, versus the Netherlands in the quarters (Spain's Antonio Mateu Lahozwas slammedfor making questionable decisions as he issued as many as total of 15 yellow cards in the intense clash). I would be worried about not the game today but for football globally. I wouldn't like the referee to decide the fate of the contest today. We need to behave well and not give any reason whatsoever to help Argentina today.

Modric vs Messi

The clash will be a face-off between two modern-day greats in the form of Messi and Modric. Both have had a stellar run in international football and are on the vergeof reaching the final in what is likely to be their last WC appearance. They have a lot of similarities as well. Messi, with95 goals in 170 internationals, was the best player in his side's second-spot finish in the 2014 edition. Modric was the best performer in 2018 when Croatia created history by reaching the finale. Who will make the difference today?

In this regard, Stimac opined, "I can clearly see Modric in a far better momentum as compared since the last four years. There are so many symphathies with Messi all over the world and most of the global pollution wants to see him lift the trophy but to do so, he will need to have the best game of his life. I don't think the Croatians will allow him to do."

Any pressure on favourites Argentina and France?

"You can clearly see that Argentina isn't accepting the role of favourites for today's game. They are giving it back to Croatia. They are not enjoying this (laughs). Anyway, we are not under pressure. We know what we need to do on the pitch. That's the most important thing," signed off Stimac.