Argentina starting eleven for semi final of the World Cup

By
Roy Nemer
-
234

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has his eleven players which will start the match vs. Croatia in the semi finals of the World Cup.

Scaloni has made a few changes to the team which won the penalty shootout. Nicolás Tagliafico starts in place of the suspended Marcos Acuña.

Leandro Paredes also starts with Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister. Up front, it’s Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez with Ángel Di María on the bench. Here is the starting eleven:

Emiliano Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Taglafico; De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Paredes, Mac Allister; Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez

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234 Comments

  1. I have immense respect for kidulthood based on his previous post to accept that he was wrong about Scaloni.
    From 352 to 442, he has shown the world that he is a very capable coach tactically.

  2. There was Menotista meaning Argentina coaches who model their coaching style from him. His disciples include: Bielsa, Passarella, Pochettino, Ricardo Gareca, Basile, Sampaoli.

    There was Bilardista meaning Argentina coaches who model their coaching style from him. His disciples include: Sabella, Simeone.

    Soon there will be Scaloneta. I hope all Argentina new coaches will model their game from him. Masche our U20 coach said that he model his coaching style after Pep/Luis Enrique. He is wrong. He should copy Scaloni. The guy does not always play pretty but his team is quite impossible to beat. I am sure if Man City would meet Argentina, Argentina would win against them. That’s for sure.

    Look at today. Even if any of us were the goalie, I am sure that the score would still have been 3-0. I mean Croatia did not have any golden chance at all against us!

    Scaloni just set a standard how to be a perfect World Cup coach. If I compare him to an UFC fighter it would be Jon Jones. Perfect in defending, very efficient when attacking, almost impossible to beat.

  3. Vamos Vamos Argentina.
    Celebration week till Sunday Bros. 😍😍😍

    Good Bye Modric. What an amazing player and a nice human being.. 👏

  9. ESTAMOS EN LA FINAL DEL MUNDO CARAJO. SI LEO, ESTAMOS AHI. VAMOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LEONES, GUERREROS, BESTIAS, QUE SELECCION DE LOCOS!!!!

  10. Scaloni is a tactical coach…he knew we will struggle in midfield. So he use 4 midfielders. Otherwise, the results would have been different.
    We nullified their game from starting. They were forced to be on the back foot. From Alvarez, Messi to all participated in the pressing.

  12. Scaloni got everything right today!
    Thanks Tagliafico for this awesome performance.

    It looks like the Albeceleste turned the game up in the right time of the tournament!

    • On Sunday you better make the biggest asado. Promise me. Tira de asado, choripanes, entraña, morcillas, mollejas, costilla, provoleta, riñones, chinchulines, bifes, pan, ensalada, picada, matambre a la pizza, what am I forgetting?

      • I did pizza and costilla today 😘. Tonight we fry manolezza!
        I don’t know what’s on the menu for Sunday. I probably will get to cook more because of the time I will have in the morning.
        Congratulations.
        Muchaaaaachooooos!!!!!
        Ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar!!!
        Ya El-Dieeeegooooo!!!!

  17. More of a tactical victory for Scaloni. Packing the midfield with 4 versatile midfielders with reasonable defensive and offensive ability against Croatia’s formidable 3 man midfield. The reason why the first half was all about defense and counter attack from the Argentine standpoint.

  19. Tagliafico woke up in the second half and played a magnificent game. But all kudos to the Messi and Alvarez grit and magic. Fantastic game from Enzo and MacAllister. Not to mention Romero and Otamendi. De Paul looked off color at times. But it’s ok. If all XI played well on a day the scoreline can be bigger but still it would be 1 win. The cameos from Dybala and Palacios deserve some praise too. They helped keep the ball in the Croatian half.

  22. This is how you play the World Cup.
    1. Not always “Mike Tyson” style (Brazil)
    2. getting stronger and stronger each round until we reach the peak in the final.
    3. Every single player pretty much performs well

    And we still have the secret weapon Di Maria on the bench.

  27. Everything was great. great performance one game remain the most important one we should keep the same attitude the same focus and especially the same grinta vamos Argentina

  28. Absolute Masterpiece of Scaloni. Great work from the whole team. Even Tagliafico played pretty good. Messi was outstanding so was Julian.
    Great few Mins from Dybala nice work rate and some nice passes…

  29. Tagliafico was absolutely stellar this whole match, nobody got passed him. Don’t know who should start between him or Acuna in the final. What a wonderful problem to have

  30. Good to see Gio on the pitch celebrating. after the birth of his daughter and injury stresses im sure this is exactly what he wanted to see🇦🇷

  33. Vamos, Vamos Argentina,
    Vamos, Vamos a ganar,
    Que esta barra quilombera,
    No te deja,
    No te deja de alentar 🇦🇷

    WE WILL ONCE AGAIN PLAY IN A WORLD CUP FINAL VAMOS

  35. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Dimaria, acuna got rest. Match finished in 90 mins. Extra days rest than other finalist. Wat else we need! Vamos Argentina! 🇳🇵🇦🇷🇳🇵🇦🇷

  36. Argentina fans and players are greatest in celeberating wins. The stadium looks like Argentina home ground. Now France awaits. Let see what we can do against them. Sorry Morocco. Their luck will be over mostly tommarrow.

  40. Very Good bye Modric the fluke Ballon D Or winner. He got his last kick straight back at his face. Karma, Remember from same distance in 2018 he scored a goal which pierced billions of argentine fans.Take your president with you too. She thought of pulling off a 2018 fluke run till final. Is int the Croatian coach who said Croatia are the best 4 team in the world. Yupp Best 4 is correct.

    Finally Angel Correa, Foyth, Dybala all are there fianlly they deserve some minutes. Thankx Scaloni.All played great today. No complaints. 10 out of 10 performance.Tagliafico, Otamendi, Paredes all proved their critics wrong.

    Lets keep on dreaming guys, 5 more days. We are Argentina.

      • There was better players than him who had even won the WC. Remember Xavi or Iniesta? Didnt they deserve the Ballon D Or.
        By Modric criteria they could have won it.I dont think Modric is and will be greater than those 2.Ever, and i dont think he is that great.My opinion may be wrong but its okey. Some chooose Xavi, Some Iniesta, for me its Riquelme and Aimar along with legendary Ariel Ortega who are the best midfielders.

        • Xavier n Iniesta do deserve more in 2010 but less than the GOAT. it’s depends on performance on that certain year. come on guys let’s not take it away from Modric, he a great player n he deserved it. vamos Argentina one match to go n let’s win it. God bless

  41. Tagliafico was great today . Very happy to see dybala, Correa and foyth getting a chance today . Vamos Argentina. Bring the cup amigos

  45. Messi is giving a once in a lifetime of performance at the pinacle of the world cup.The semi final of a World cup. Whipping clear the ground of the so called best defender of this World cup. Oooffff what a strength man.

    Paulo Dybala the jewel is now haveing his Worldcup dream finally..

  66. We cannot defend for 35 mins comon… still loosing midfield battle. Need to calm down. 2 nil up but m still nervous… our players looking tired!

  71. The tactic actually was not working in the first 30 minutes, but we won it. It is better to be ugly and won than to be pretty like Brazil but lost.

    i expect to see Licha and Di Maria in the second half. With Licha in 3-5-2, they will NOT score against us.

  73. We need to have possession in second half, Croatians will attack now… hold in mid and we will have to counter. We need to win midfield battle!

  75. Most attacks, free kicks, combinations of Croatia happening from Tagliafico’s side. Other than a through pass he is again the weak link which Croatia is trying to exploit. Licha should replace him.

  76. 45 minutes, Scaloni, 45 minutes to the final, please hold on to this lead, don’t give Croatia a glimmer of hope, we need to win in regulation. Play smart, nobody gets hurt.

  77. They will come strong second half our defence is well but one false move and a penalty will be given.

    We need to take the next few chances to bury this game

  81. Back then We were crying for so long that one of our midfielder and striker needs to play for same club didnt happen but now the time alverez and fenrnadaz spent at liver the chemistry they built is showing in this worldcup
    Wow we have a great combo for next 10 years

  83. Modric is dropping back a lot..we need fresh legs in attack..Parades out Dimaria in… time to go 4-3-3 now..not in 70 min…

    Croatia gets better and somehow more wuick as the game goes on

      • I didn’t see that..but it is natural for a team playing Croatia to get their midfield tired first….

        We need to bring in ADM and let messi roam the top of the box waiting for a juicy pass..we cannot let kovacic connect with modric..and we need messi playing there with the ball coming to him…

  85. They were ready for Messi. But not prepared for Alvarez.

    Could someone ever take ball out of Messis feet. The last whistle of the first half there were 3 huge croatians trying to get him off the ball. Still they had to foul him. Messiah for a reason…

  88. Damn Messi looks extremely exhausted, He shouldn’t have played every Minute… Di Maria or Dybala could have played at his place in some games…

  92. f we win this World cup, Messi will earn the distinction of single-handedly winning this tournament for Argentina – that would have a nice ring to it. Messi doesn’t have a stellar support cast.

  95. The divine penalty..Messiah is inevitable.

    Julian Alvarez scores a Maradonaesque goal.ironically in Semifinal of a WC.Someone pushed him from heavens…

  105. This game is inevitably going to extra time if we keep playing this way. If we play counter attack, then we should go fast. If we play possession game, then don’t lose the ball.

  106. How on earth tagi get into this squad no pace no skill no height as well is he the 2nd best LB AVAILABLE FOR US🤔
    i wont even mind playing a midfielder there other than tagi

  122. Honestly other than Netherlands, where everyone predicted would meet us in the QF, this time we did not have to through such a hard route to the final. I mean it could have been
    Denmark-Netherlands-Brazil-France

    but instead we went through Australia-Netherlands-Croatia-final (?)

    That means the luck is already with us. Who would guess before the WC started that we would meet Croatia in the semis? Everyone thought we would meet Brazil or Spain or Germany in the semis.

    • Yeah, some people were saying this was going to be one of the hardest routes a team ever needed to make it to a final. Well France/Denmark and Brazil didn’t happen, so we’ve been lucky. Still, today won’t be easy the way I see it

  124. I dont see why our friends get scared

    “Messi is with you , how would you fear”

    Thats just nervy , get a good banana 30 min before the match and take enough water

    All the best guys

  125. I am very tensed. It will be very tough match. Plz win the match in regulation time. No more penalty or extra time plz. They have won 5 consecutive penalties they are very strong in penalties. Don’t concede. My prediction is a 1-0 or 2-0 or 2-1 win for Argentina

  126. If I have to bet, Croatia will come out attacking to see if they can catch the boys sleeping. If Argentina manages a successful counter in the first 10 minutes, even a shot at goal, Croatia will fall back to their typical plan of defending.

    It’s going to be a hell of a story.

  127. I think this is more like Real Madrid’s starting XI in CL final.

    Enzo will have Valverde role.

    I believe Croatia did not prepare for what they will be facing. They love to crowd their middle and we will go through their middle.

      • Yeah but he is not 100% fit and we can’t risk to have 2 players standing still when defending. It too much risk for Scaloni’s tactics. Otherwise Dybala plays in the same position for Roma and would have been tried.

  134. Between Enzo and MacAllister, who will contribute more on offense or who is more comfortable as attacking midfielder? I guess it would be MacAllister.

  136. It seems like Scaloni is playing safe to feel them out first and then bringing the heavy weapons later if we need them. Smart move, hopefully we can play an efficient game and win without all the suffering.

  138. This line up will give total freedom to Enzo Fernandez to showcase his offensive game. Let’s see if he can be like Bruno Fernandes/De Bruyne.

    I know the 4 midfielders will rotate but the best one should be like this:

    —————-Enzo
    -Mac——————-De Paul
    —————Paredes

  139. Whatever the lineup, we all will have different opinion always, its the truth. Hope Scaloni chose the best lineup & formation according to the opponent. Lets go our team! We must win & going to final inn shaa Allah!
    VAMOS!!!

  140. Scaloni is flooding our midfield to counter The strong Croatian midfield. Hope Enzo can slide in between the spaces for a more attacking role

    However I was hoping he’d add dimaria to stretch their backline a bit and create space for messi….bulldozing through the middle might be tougher..looking forward to seeing ADM.(and maybe Dybala also?) In the 2H.

  142. I just hope it won’t be as ugly as the first half vs Mexico. We wasted 45 minutes for nothing.

    Paredes and De Paul know each other well. Hope their mutual understanding is something positive for the team. Btw ppl asking if Di Maria is injured. The answer is NO.

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