Messi currently gets one final opportunity to win the piece of flatware that has escaped him in his prize loaded vocation, yet Manchester City's 22-year-old striker Julian Alvarez likewise sparkled as Argentina guaranteed they will return here on Sunday to confront either France or Morocco.

Messi seemed to be battling with a hamstring issue right off the bat yet Argentina's little virtuoso recuperated to the point of breaking the gridlock from the punishment spot following 34 minutes following Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic's foul on the ravaging Alvarez.

Alvarez multiplied Argentina's lead five minutes some other time when he took Messi's header right inside Croatian domain and left on a slaloming run, supported by lucky bobs off Josip Juranovic and Borna Sosa, prior to beating Livakovic.