BBC Radio 5 Live

Pablo Zabaleta, a two-time Premier League winner with Manchester City and former Argentina defender, has been sharing his thoughts about Lionel Messi on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning.

Lionel Messi now leads the way in the World Cup Golden Boot race thanks to his goal and assist last night.

His Paris St-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe has the chance to take over top spot again tonight against Morocco.

The pair have five goals each, but Messi has three assists to Mbappe's two which is the tie-breaker.

Olivier Giroud and Julian Alvarez are only one behind.

Argentina
2014 runners-up

Lionel Messi, speaking after Argentina's win over Croatia:“I am enjoying this A LOT. I am feeling really good, I feel strong enough to face every match. The previous match was a big sacrifice. Today we were tired but we pulled out strength to earn the victory.

"We played very well, we preferred to play this way because we knew they would not have the ball. We knew we would have to run.

"We prepared in a very good way. I feel very happy in this World Cup. I am able to help the squad."

Image source, Reuters

Specialist_in_tailoring: Hats off to Argentina! The Croatians were beaten fair and square. And great to see Luka Modric congratulating them afterwards unlike a certain goat!

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Lusail Stadium

Image source, Reuters

Croatia were undone, like so many before them, by the brilliance of Lionel Messi - as well as his young partner Julian Alvarez - after making a confident and composed start to this World Cup semi-final.

Croatia, however, have had an outstanding tournament once more as the country with a population of only four million followed up their appearance in the final in Russia in 2018 with a place in the last four in Qatar.

If Argentina have Messi, then Croatia have their own master footballer in Luka Modric and he received warm applause from all parts of Lusail Stadium when he was substituted with nine minutes left.

He, like Messi, had his sights set on a World Cup triumph after experiencing the same pain of final defeat, but it was not to be.

Thousands of Argentines filled the streets of central Buenos Aires with blue-and-white banners as they watched Lionel Messi lead their team to a 3-0 win over Croatia and a place in the World Cup final.

"I'm excited because a final is the best. We cannot hope for more," fan Mauricio Gasandrea told Reuters as he celebrated in the Buenos Aires crowd.

"It's an amazing feeling as an Argentine. Just look around at this."

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Good morning and welcome if you are just joining us. It's just approaching 5am in Buenos Aires. And what a night it has been in Argentina's capital city.

Magical Messi mauls Croatia, says the Daily Mail.

Messi has scored five times - level with France's Kylian Mbappe - and provided three assists in Qatar.

Image source, .

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Lusail Stadium

When Lionel Messi stretched and clutched the top of his left hamstring 19 minutes into this World Cup semi-final, there was a fear the dream for Argentina and their iconic number 10 might have the nightmare ending.

Instead, Messi recovered after a spell at walking pace to inspire Argentina as they go in search of a third triumph in the tournament following victories in 1978 and 1986.

And what a far cry it was from when Argentina were the victims of what is still the biggest shock of this World Cup in Qatar when they lost their opening game 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, despite Messi putting one of the pre-tournament favourites in front.

It was in 1990 that Argentina were stunned in similar fashion by Cameroon in their first game and went on to reach the final, losing 1-0 to West Germany.

Now they have the chance to go one better as the World Cup reaches its climax. And Messi can finally claim the crown in his final tournament.

Rseer: Messi is (and always was by the way) better than Ronaldo. A word for Alvarez as well who was excellent.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City signed Julian Alvarez from River Plate.

After finding success at River Plate, Alvarez sought out his first coach - whose day job is as a delivery driver - to present him with a brand new van as a thank you.

As a boy he was nicknamed ‘Araña’, meaning spider - he doesn’t recall why, though some say it was because he played as if he had more than two legs.

He marked River’s league title win last year by donning a spiderman mask.

Alvarez scored 53 goals in 120 games for River Plate.

Julian Alvarez scored twice last night to take him up to four World Cup goals. Not a bad tally considering the Manchester City striker had only scored three international goals going into the tournament.

It's not all about Messi, though.

Tim Vickery
BBC Sport South American football expert

Image source, Getty Images

Diego Maradona said about Lionel Messi that he can dribble while watching TV and change the channels. But while he is playing, nobody wants to change the channel. Everyone wants to watch the spectacle that he provides.

There is only one face on the back pages of Wednesday's national newspapers.

Lionel Messi books a date with destiny, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Messi has now scored 11 goals at the World Cup, the outright most of any Argentina player in the competition’s history.

In fact, Messi has become the first Argentina player to score in five different matches in a single edition of the competition.

Image source, .

Reckless: Messi is both a playmaking genius and a prolific goalscorer. The bow and the arrow. That is why he is the greatest of all time.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Lusail Stadium

A dazzling performance from Lionel Messi led Argentina to their sixth World Cup final with victory over Croatia at Lusail Stadium.

Messi now gets one last chance to win the piece of silverware that has eluded him in his trophy-laden career, but Manchester City's 22-year-old striker Julian Alvarez also shone as Argentina ensured they will return here on Sunday to face either France or Morocco.

Messi looked to be struggling with a hamstring problem early on but Argentina's little genius recovered enough to break the deadlock from the penalty spot after 34 minutes following Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic's foul on the marauding Alvarez.

Alvarez doubled Argentina's lead five minutes later when he took Messi's header just inside Croatia territory and embarked on a slaloming run, aided by fortunate bounces off Josip Juranovic and Borna Sosa, before beating Livakovic.

There was no fortune involved in a brilliant third after the break as Messi mesmerised Croatia's excellent defender Josko Gvardiol on the byeline before playing in Alvarez for the finish.

Messi will now have the opportunity to make amends for the bitter disappointment of losing the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Rio's iconic Maracana.

It's just gone 4am in Buenos Aires and there are still people out on the streets of Argentina's capital city celebrating a famous win.

We will have all the fall out of Argentina's victory over Croatia as well as all the build-up to the second semi-final between holders France and Morocco.

Let's go...