Lionel Messi offered up a masterclass on Tuesday night as Argentina swept past Croatia 3-0 to reach the World Cup final.
The Paris Saint-Germain star thrashed home from the penalty spot at the Lusail Stadium to give his side the lead just after the half hour mark.
Julian Alvarez doubled the lead in the 39th minute following a solo run that foxed the Croatian defence.
Mid way through the second-half, Messi created the third. The 35-year-old rolled back the years with a jinking run down the right in which he flummoxed Josko Gvardiol - hitherto one of the most sturdy defenders - before feeding Alvarez who stabbed past the Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
The semi-final had been billed as a showdown between the two number 10s, Messi for Argentina and Luka Modric for Croatia.
Messi emerged supreme with a performance that eclipsed 37-year-old Modric and sent Argentina into their fifth World Cup final.
They will play defending champions France or Morocco in the final on Sunday at the Lusail Stadium
