We've had 30 minutes and it is so finely balanced.

These are two very, very good teams.

Rob Green
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Modric needed to get back because it was a poor free kick that led to the counter-attack. He realised his error and tracked back.

Luka Modric chips in the free-kick for Croatia, but an Argentina head is first to it.

It immediately sets Argetina off on a counter that ends with an angled pass to the left for Nicolas Tagliafico. It doesn't reach him because of a header from... Modric.

Great work to track the length of the field after the free-kick.

Rob Green
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Livaković saw that late. He scrambled across and it wasn't a comfortable save, it just skipped across the surface.

What saved him was that the bounce was far enough away from him so he could read it. Another yard closer to him on that bounce and he could have been struggling.

Free-kick to Croatia in the Argentina half. It all came from Mateo Kovacic pressing and robbing Messi and then driving brilliantly forward. An absolute tank in motion.

Rob Green
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's almost like Messi has watched the game for the first 20 minutes and now he's had enough of it and started to get involved.

Image source, Getty Images

Argentina having a moment now.

Nicolas Tagliafico gets in down the left to slide and dig out a cross but there is no team-mate in the middle to capitalise.

Soon after, Julian Alvarez fires a shot from range that Dominik Livakovic needs a couple of touches to gather.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport at Lusail Stadium

Journalists keep stretching over to see where Lionel Messi is and what he is doing.

Thankfully, he looks OK at the moment.

Keep an eye on him though.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

For the last two or three minutes, we have seen Messi run quickly with those little feet of his and try to find that one two off off Alvarez and he did that. Nothing came of it this time but just the signs that it may be opening up a little bit.

Image source, Getty Images

It's amazing just how much a lightning rod Messi is for the crowd. They feed entirely off the mere possibility of what he might do.

His first touch is like the Stones or Beatles playing the first recognisable note of one of their big hits.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I'm just looking at Messi there and sometimes you can look at a player and think he's not moving too well but he does walk around and try and ghost into the game and then all of a sudden he's got that little spring in his step.

He's moving better now.

He gathers to ball and tries to find Nicolas Tagliafico in the box but his pass is cut out.

Messi came to life then and with it the crowd.

Image source, Getty Images

One thing you do know for sure, Messi will be left on there until he absolutely cannot possibly continue.

Messi has definitely been more of an observer than an active participant in this so far.

That potential little limp is something to keep a very close eye on.

Croatia continue to dominate possession.

Image source, Getty Images

Jermaine Jenas
Former England midfielder on BBC TV

Lionel Messi is just stretching his hamstring.

Rob Green
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Messi is stretching his hamstring, he's struggling.

Is... is Lionel Messi limping?

This would be a plot twist.

Image source, Getty Images

Rob Green
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Looking at Croatia, we are not surprised at how good they are on the ball but it is surprising how comfortable they have been in the game and how much possession they have been allowed in the Argentinean half without being overly threatening but they have still kept the ball and kept passing it and kept probing.