Will or not it’s Croatian redemption, a picture-perfect finish for Lionel Messi and Argentina, a Moroccan miracle or back-to-back for Les Bleus?
We’re all the way down to the ultimate 4 on the Qatar World Cup and Sunday’s remaining is already looming massive.
Right here, Sportsmail’s DAVID COVERDALE casts his eye over the semi-finalists to see how all of them evaluate.
The World Cup remaining is lower than every week away and the ultimate 4 take centre stage subsequent
FORM AND MOMENTUM
ARGENTINA – 7/10
By no means thoughts reaching the final 4, Argentina appeared in peril of going out within the group stage once they suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia of their opening match.
However Lionel Messi’s second-half strike in opposition to Mexico turned the tide of their match, as they went on to win that recreation 2-0 and loved victory by the identical scoreline in opposition to Poland to prime Group C.
Within the knockouts, Argentina edged Australia 2-1 and wanted penalties to knock out Holland after conceding twice late on. So, whereas they’ve nonetheless not but hit prime type, they’ve executed what the perfect groups do – discovered a method to recover from the road.
Argentina, recent of their penalties win over Holland, have been a combined bag this match
CROATIA – 7/10
Croatia appeared a shadow of the facet that made the 2018 remaining once they began their marketing campaign with a goalless draw with Morocco after which conceded early on in opposition to Canada. They hit again to win that one 4-1, however have been lucky to flee with a stalemate in opposition to Belgium and undergo as runners-up of Group F.
Attracts have been the order of the day once more within the knockouts, with Zlatko Dalic’s cussed facet going by way of in opposition to each Japan and Brazil on penalties. Nobody would name them the staff of the match, however they’re the masters of punching above their weight and might by no means be written off.
FRANCE – 8/10
In contrast to the opposite semi-finalists, France’s World Cup marketing campaign obtained off to a flyer with a 4-1 win over Australia. They adopted that up with a Kylian Mbappe-inspired 2-1 victory over Denmark, which secured their place within the subsequent spherical and allowed them to relaxation gamers in opposition to Tunisia, which they went on to lose 1-0.
That shock loss did little to halt their momentum, although, they usually turned on the model in a 3-1 win over a poor Poland within the final 16, earlier than edging previous England 2-1 with one other spectacular efficiency. By way of type, they’re undoubtedly the staff to beat.
MOROCCO – 9/10
The North African nation are the shock bundle in Qatar however few have been speaking about them after their forgettable opening draw with Croatia. That each one modified, although, once they shocked Belgium 2-0 of their second group recreation they usually then sealed qualification for the final 16 with a 2-1 victory over Canada.
Morocco’s momentum has since carried by way of to the knockouts, once they shocked much-fancied Spain on penalties after which beat Portugal due to Youssef En-Nesyri’s first-half header. The best way issues are falling for them, you’ll not be shocked if the giantkillers made it to the ultimate.
Moroccan followers have turned out in drive to help their facet on the large stage
INJURIES AND SUSPENSIONS
ARGENTINA – 8/10
Lionel Scaloni shall be with out proper again Gonzalo Montiel and left again Marcos Acuna after they each picked up their respective second bookings of the match within the heated battle with Holland.
Acuna has began each Argentina recreation since lacking out in opposition to Saudi Arabia however will now probably get replaced by Nicolas Tagliafico. Montiel’s absence is much less of a problem given Nahuel Molina is the primary selection in his place.
Argentina don’t have any new harm issues, however striker Papu Gomez stays a doubt with the ankle downside which stored him out of the quarter-finals.
CROATIA – 10/10
Zlatko Dalic has a full squad to select from after Croatia managed to keep away from selecting up any accidents or suspensions of their quarter-final win over Brazil.
Zlatko Dalic has a completely match squad to select from with no suspensions hampering them
FRANCE – 9/10
Didier Deschamps has no recent worries forward of France’s conflict with Morocco after his gamers got here by way of in opposition to England unscathed.
That shall be an enormous aid to the Les Bleus boss, who misplaced left-back Lucas Hernandez to an ACL harm within the first match in Qatar, having seen Presnel Kimpembe, Christopher Nkunku and Karim Benzema all withdraw from his authentic World Cup squad. Deschamps was additionally unable to name upon the injured Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante heading into the match.
MOROCCO – 5/10
Morocco striker Walid Cheddira is out of the semi-final after being despatched off for a second yellow card in harm time in opposition to Portugal.
Their captain Romain Saiss can also be in a race to be match having been carried off on a stretcher in tears within the second half of Saturday’s quarter-final with a hamstring downside.
Defenders Nayef Aguerd (hip) and Noussair Mazraoui (groin) each missed the Portugal conflict and are main doubts to face France. Morocco will at the least hope Chelsea playmaker Hakim Ziyech is match after receiving a few kicks within the final spherical.
Roman Saiss is unlikely to be match having come off injured in opposition to Portugal
EXPERIENCE
ARGENTINA – 9/10
Historical past is definitely on Argentina’s facet. They’ve received all 5 of their earlier World Cup semi-finals and gone on to carry the trophy twice – in 1978 and 1986. Argentina have additionally loved latest success in main tournaments after profitable final 12 months’s Copa America.
Their captain Messi is that includes in his fifth World Cup and this semi-final shall be his twenty fifth recreation. That can put him equal with German Lothar Matthaus for the participant with essentially the most World Cup appearances.
Lionel Messi is vastly skilled and Argentina have been at this stage earlier than
CROATIA – 7/10
Croatia’s run in Russia 4 years in the past was the primary time they’d reached the ultimate. The one different time they made the final 4 was in 1998, once they misplaced to eventual winners France.
There are few gamers as skilled at this stage as their skipper Luka Modric. He’s set to develop into solely the fourth participant to begin six matches at a World Cup aged 37 or over. This may also be the midfielder’s thirty first match at a significant match and 18th at a World Cup – essentially the most by any Croatian.
FRANCE – 9/10
The French will be capable to draw on their expertise of 2018 once they received their second World Cup. They’ve received all of their final three semi-finals, having misplaced every of their first three, and will develop into the primary defending champions to succeed in the ultimate since Brazil in 1998.
In Deschamps, they’ve a boss who has received 13 of his 17 World Cup video games in cost. Victory over Morocco would see him draw stage with Luize Felipe Scolari and behind solely Helmut Schon because the supervisor with essentially the most wins within the match’s historical past.
Didier Deschamps and the French are aiming to develop into back-to-back champions
MOROCCO – 3/10
The Atlas Lions are the primary African staff to ever attain the semi-final. It’s only the second time Morocco have gotten out of the group stage after 1986, once they misplaced to West Germany within the final 16.
That is solely their fifth World Cup and earlier than Qatar, they’d received simply two of 16 video games within the match.
STAR QUALITY
ARGENTINA – 8/10
Argentina have the most important star of all of them in Messi, who many followers around the globe are determined to see declare the one trophy lacking from his cupboard. Angel di Maria, as soon as of Manchester United and now with Juventus, is one other all-time nice of his nation.
Of the youthful technology, Julian Alvarez of Manchester Metropolis and Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez appear like they may develop into actual stars of the longer term.
Loads of neutrals shall be keen Messi to win the trophy in his final World Cup
CROATIA – 7/10
Even on the age of 37, you can’t look previous Modric when discussing Croatia’s prime expertise. A mainstay with Actual Madrid since 2012, he has lifted the Champions League 5 instances and scooped the Ballon d’Or in 2018 – the primary time in 11 years that it was not received by Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Alongside Modric in a formidable midfield are Marcelo Brozovic of Inter Milan and Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic, whereas Tottenham’s Ivan Perisic is one other of Croatia’s large names.
FRANCE – 9/10
Even with a few of their greatest names lacking from Qatar, this France squad remains to be brimming with star high quality, none extra so than Kylian Mbappe. The Paris Saint-Germain icon is the match’s prime scorer with 5 objectives – another than his French team-mate Olivier Giroud, now with AC Milan.
Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann full a stellar ahead line, whereas behind them is Actual Madrid teenager Aurelien Tchouameni, who scored the gorgeous opener in opposition to England.
Mbappe has lit up the match and with out him, France can be utterly completely different
MOROCCO – 5/10
PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi is the brand new star of Moroccan soccer, whereas winger Ziyech has put his struggles at Chelsea to at least one facet to star in Qatar.
Striker En-Nesyri, who scored the winner in opposition to Portugal, performs for Sevilla in La Liga, whereas Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat’s spectacular performances have seen him linked with Liverpool.
MANAGER
ARGENTINA – 8/10
Scaloni’s fame was already excessive having received the Copa America, however he has enhanced it even additional in Qatar. The previous West Ham defender performed with Messi on the 2006 World Cup and has managed to get the perfect out of his talisman.
Scaloni, who was on Jorge Sampaoli’s backroom staff on the 2018 match, deserves credit score for the way he has picked Argentina up after their shock defeat to the Saudis.
Lionel Scaloni has been key in Argentina’s revival and will get the perfect out of Lionel Messi
CROATIA – 8/10
Dalic had not managed a membership of any actual reputation earlier than taking cost of Croatia in 2017, however he has now extremely led them to back-to-back World Cup semi-finals.
His pragmatic taking part in model isn’t essentially the most entertaining to look at, however he has obtained essentially the most out of Modric and he has made Croatia laborious to beat. Who wants objectives when you may simply win on penalties?
FRANCE – 9/10
The longest-serving coach in Qatar, Deschamps has loved unprecedented success with a staff that had a behavior of self-destructing earlier than he took cost 10 years in the past. After turning into simply the third man to win the World Cup as a participant and supervisor in 2018, he’s now getting ready to emulating Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo as the one different supervisor to efficiently defend the trophy.
The Little Basic’s expertise on the large stage shall be important within the strain moments this week.
France have been fragile earlier than Deschamps took over and reworked Les Bleus
MOROCCO – 8/10
Walid Regragui solely took cost of Morocco in August after the sacking of Vahid Halilhodzic, a lot to the dismay of supporters who mocked him as ‘avocado head’. It’s honest to say these followers shall be joyful along with his appointment now.
For all England boss Gareth Southgate’s struggles in opposition to the large groups at main tournaments, Regragui has already masterminded wins over Belgium, Spain and Portgual to develop into the primary African and first Arab boss to succeed in the World Cup semi-finals.
His squad contains 14 gamers who have been born abroad however he has moulded them collectively to make a formidable drive, conceding simply as soon as at this World Cup – and even that was an personal purpose.
FAN SUPPORT IN QATAR
ARGENTINA – 10/10
Doha has been was a mini Buenos Aires, with Argentina supporters travelling of their hundreds regardless of a 20-hour flight.
La Albiceleste should really feel like they’re taking part in at residence given the environment contained in the stadiums, with the roar once they rating not like the rest.
On prime of that, many Qatari neutrals have additionally adopted Argentina due to their love for Messi.
Argentina followers are among the many most passionate on this planet have have travelled in drive
CROATIA – 6/10
In Instagram mannequin Ivana Knoll and her eye-catching outfits, Croatia definitely have one of many followers who has attracted essentially the most consideration.
Their supporters additionally sparked a FIFA investigation by abusing Canada keeper Milan Borjan, whose household have Serbian ties, throughout their group recreation.
Mannequin and Croatia fan Ivana Knoll and her eye-catching outfits have been waves in Qatar
FRANCE – 5/10
England supporters outnumbered their French counterparts in Saturday’s quarter-final, though one fan went viral when he celebrated the win by consuming a complete baguette.
France can count on their match with Morocco to really feel like an away fixture, and it will likely be the identical within the remaining ought to they get by way of and face Argentina.
MOROCCO – 10/10
As an Arab staff taking part in within the first Arab World Cup, Morocco have loved robust help from the beginning. However since they reached the knockouts, there was an enormous rush of Moroccans flying into Qatar from everywhere in the world.
These numbers are being swelled by followers from different African or Arab international locations and their underdog standing can also be making them a favorite of the impartial in Doha.
Followers of Morocco have made unimaginable noise on the World Cup and made them really feel at residence
OVERALL
-ARGENTINA – 50
-CROATIA – 45
-FRANCE – 49
-MOROCCO – 40
