World Cup games

Preview of Argentina's World Cup semi-final against Croatia, including team news, lineups and prediction.

[Croatia predicted lineup vs Argentina](https://www.90min.com/posts/croatia-predicted-lineup-vs-argentina-world-cup-semi-final-13-12-22) "We shall not surrender.” In each of their last six World Cup knockout matches, straddling this year and 2018, Croatia have fallen behind, coming back to advance in five of those games. [Argentina predicted lineup vs Croatia](https://www.90min.com/posts/argentina-predicted-lineup-vs-croatia-world-cup-semi-final-13-12-22) Dalic's underdogs undoubtedly have the determination - and talent - to dig out another result against the odds but it's not the most likely outcome. [ final-eight](https://www.90min.com/posts/netherlands-2-2-argentina-3-4-on-pens-player-ratings-as-messi-s-world-cup-dream-continues-9-12-2022) encounter. Croatia are not a side to skittishly hold a lead against. Argentina's late implosion against the Netherlands was not the first lead they have ceded in Qatar. Croatia extended their 100% record to five successive shootouts at the expense of the Selecao. [Luka Modric](https://www.90min.com/players/luka-modric) and Mateo Kovacic - but managed to walk the disciplinary tightrope. Both teams to score – Both teams have scored in eight of Croatia’s last 10 matches at the World Cup, while Argentina have both scored and conceded in five of their last seven World Cup games. De Paul lasted for 66 minutes before he was replaced by Leandro Paredes. Argentina managed to recover from the shock of a quick-fire Dutch double to win on spot-kicks - unlike their South American rivals Brazil.

“If we take two people that were the most upset about the game, perhaps it was Cristiano Ronaldo and myself,” Portugal Coach Fernando Santos said through an ...

But that goal was Ronaldo’s only one in this tournament and perhaps the final one of his World Cup career. Santos later said that Ronaldo was not happy when told of his benching but that he had never threatened to leave the team. Cristiano is a great player and he came in when we thought it was necessary.” Against Morocco’s defense, Ramos didn’t wow again and was replaced by Rafael Leão in the 69th minute. But during a 2-1 loss to South Korea in Portugal’s third and final group-stage game, Santos replaced Ronaldo much sooner, in the 65th minute. In the tunnel, television cameras showed Ronaldo — one of the most decorated players to never have won a World Cup and who had been reduced to a substitute player of late — wiping tears from his eyes. So against Morocco, Santos stuck with what worked and had Ronaldo on the bench again while Ramos started. During the first two games of the World Cup group stage, Ronaldo started and was removed late for a substitute. Benched in back to back knockout stage games by Santos, Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, performed little like the dazzling player who had scored 118 times in 196 career appearances for his national team. Here’s a primer to the [final hurrah on this stage for veteran stars](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/08/sports/world-cup/messi-ronaldo-soccer.html) like Ronaldo, Lionel Messi of Argentina and Luka Modric of Croatia. As Morocco and its fans celebrated with glee and Portugal’s players stood around in shock, Ronaldo, 37, exited what he has said could well be his final World Cup.

Morocco fans have lit up the World Cup and have now given a thunderclap, made famous by Icelandic fans, their own twist.

“I think it is brilliant that the world has finally seen it because it has been there for a very long time.” Many live in Qatar while others flew in from Morocco and across the world. Videos have emerged of fans of the French club side Lens performing the clap while shouting their team’s name a few years before Euro 2016. They have come in thousands to the stadiums. Iceland fans were seen carrying out the Viking clap at Euro 2016 which took place in France. The whistling, clapping and jeering gave way to complete silence.

Besides the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there are other football matches as well, which fans can enjoy. Earlier, Morocco defeated Portugal in the quarter-finals of ...

Argentina has already reached the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, where they will face Croatia. Interestingly, the 2022 FIFA World Cup has witnessed many upsets, including the recent elimination of Portugal. Notably, the 37-year-old football star has never scored a goal in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage. While becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals, Morocco defeated Portugal 1-0 on December 10. Oil has fallen to its lowest this year, trading near $76 a barrel, a sharp decline from $129 in March. [World Cup](/topic/world-cup)matches on December 11, football fans can enjoy FA Women's [Super League](/topic/super-league)matches on Paramount+.

Argentina vs Croatia, Morocco vs France. The World Cup 2022 semi-finals have been decided, here's when the games are.

ET. The two semi-finals are on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 of December, with both games being at 2:00 p.m. The 2022 World Cup is in to its final week and we’re at the semi-final stage.

The tournament is the first to be held in the Arab world and only the second to take place in Asia, after Japan and South Korea joint-hosted the event in 2002.

Hosts Qatar started their tournament against Ecuador, before taking on Senegal and Netherlands – the latter duo were set to be the first match of the 2022 World Cup before organisers moved Qatar’s match to be a day earlier. Brazil and Argentina feature in the knockout stages, while Senegal could represent Africa’s biggest hopes of winning for the first time. This edition will be the last to feature just 32 teams, with the tournament being expanded from 2026 onwards in order to feature 48 nations.

With the 2022 World Cup semifinals set, we bring you why each team will progress, plus one player to know ahead of the matchups and predictions.

[Marcus Thuram](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/217331/marcus-thuram), [Kolo Muani](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/252971/randal-kolo-muani)) and midfielders ( [Youssouf Fofana](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/277307/youssouf-fofana)) but no one who can realistically change the game. [Nayef Aguerd](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/245243/Nayef-Aguerd), the other outstanding centre-back missed the Portugal game, as did [Noussair Mazraoui](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/239350/Noussair-Mazraoui), the other fullback. [Dayot Upamecano](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/222793/dayot-upamecano) to make some mistakes that could have proven costly. In a match where Les Bleus will have a lot of the ball against a really low and compact block, his movement and impact with the ball will be important. [Juventus](/soccer/team/_/id/111) midfielder has been outstanding so far, and we don't say it enough. [Kylian Mbappe](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/231388/Kylian-Mbappé) to run into. Look at the penalties Les Bleus conceded in the quarterfinal (especially the [Theo Hernandez](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/233621/Theo-Hernández) one), look at the way they were outplayed for much of the game and ask yourself: who is more focused right now? [Achraf Hakimi](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/240233/Achraf-Hakimi) is battle-scarred and hurting. [Romain Saiss](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/167686/Romain-Saïss) played carrying an injury against [Portugal](/soccer/team?id=482) and had to come off. [Bracket](https://www.espn.com/soccer/bracket) [Morocco](/soccer/team?id=2869) vs. [Croatia](/soccer/team?id=477) vs.

He was also in the spotlight post-match, with a tirade against Argentinian referee Facundo Tello that is sure to make headlines. "It is unacceptable to have an ...

"In the second half, there should have been 15 or 20 minutes of added time, at least. "Today's referees are not experienced in the Champions League. "In the second half we just wanted to play. The Argentina goalkeeper added: ""We had by far the worst referee of the World Cup. "In the second half they didn't play at all and he only added eight minutes. You say something to him and he is rude back....

DC looking to add a midfielder from Leeds, Morocco becomes first African country to make World Cup Semifinals, and more in today's links.

A 41-time Poland international, Klich would offer incredible experience to Rooney’s midfield having played almost 200 games for Leeds, following spells at the top levels of Polish, German, and Dutch soccer. The match finished 2-2 after extra time, with Messi scoring one goal and setting up another. [Croatia stun Brazil on penalties to make World Cup semifinals](https://www.espn.com/soccer/report?gameId=633843)

France's road to repeating as champs goes through Harry Kane and a very strong England team. Follow live.

England’s team in Qatar has the talent, tactics and, perhaps, fortitude to win another — if it can neutralize Kylian Mbappé, who seems to score as often as that New Balance commercial plays on Fox. But who knows: maybe England would have scored from the resultant free-kick. Controlling the ball at the right corner of the France penalty area, he takes a crack at Lloris, or rather a tiny bit of space over Lloris’s right shoulder, that is. England turns the resulting free kick into a shot, and a corner. England has been the better team here, but it has about 15 minutes to find a goal or it’s going out of the World Cup. That was the warning; England, caught out by a laser of a cross from Griezmann, did not heed it. Rashford wins a free kick in an extremely dangerous place, just outside the D at the top of the penalty area, a little to the left. The winner of that will meet the Croatia-Argentina winner in the World Cup final on Dec. Gradually, it stripped any urgency from its play, any impetus, as if expecting England simply to succumb. The French return to the semifinals with a sudden burst of energy in the second half and with the help of a missed penalty by Harry Kane. There were, however, other apparent offenses: a penalty claim from Kane, in particular, which was certainly a foul but was not, on more detailed review, actually in the penalty area; a succession of hairsplitting free kicks awarded against England; an array of French transgressions that seemed to pass by unnoticed. It is, or at least it has become, a natural part of the cycle, a chance for catharsis, collective therapy or just some good, old-fashioned bloodletting, depending on the circumstances.

Fresh from Brazil victory, the Croatia side is confident as they prepare for World Cup semifinal against Argentina.

Argentina almost did not make the semifinals after the Dutch came from 2-0 down to score twice late in the game and force extra time and penalties in a bad-tempered encounter. Defenders Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel are suspended because of bookings, limiting coach Lionel Scaloni’s options at the back. The fact that we act and play as a family.” That was as close as Messi has come to lifting football’s biggest trophy and he is just one game away from having another shot at it. “Mateo, Luka and Marcelo are the best Croatia midfield in history. “We will try to stop them as a team and not with man-marking.

Argentina have recovered from the shock of losing their opening game in Qatar to Saudi Arabia and made the last four with an exhausting win on penalties ...

"I think Mateo, Luka and Marcelo are the best midfield in history. Argentina have recovered from the shock of losing their opening game in Qatar to Saudi Arabia and made the last four with an exhausting win on penalties against the Netherlands at the end of a fractious quarterfinal on Friday. They have gone to extra time in eight of their last nine major tournament knockout matches and the nation of just four million people has nothing to lose as they eye a place in the final against France or Morocco. "They have good players across the whole midfield and they have been working with the same coach since the last World Cup, so they all know each other very well." After all, any sense of relief at avoiding having to play Brazil in the last four will be tempered by the prospect of facing a Croatian side who knocked out the favourites on penalties and never know when they are beaten. Now aged 35, this has been billed as Messi's last chance to win a World Cup, eight years on from Argentina's defeat in the final to Germany in Rio de Janeiro.

England's World Cup hopes face their toughest test yet, with Kylian Mbappe and France waiting in the quarterfinal.

Fox Sports site/app, Streaming (Spanish) Streaming (English) TV Channel (Spanish) TV Channel (English) However, Mbappe and Olivier Giroud are also in frightening form up-front for France.

All the info you need to know on the 2022 World Cup Argentina vs Croatia semifinals clash at Lusail Stadium.

But can they eliminate both Brazil and Argentina? 1 favorites Brazil also on penalties after both teams scored in overtime (1-1). Argentina vs Croatia preview