The captain of the Argentina team, Lionel Messi, admits that he was preparing in case he would be the executor of the most severe penalty against Croatia, as well as that he studied the goalkeeper Livakovic.
The Argentina national team, with its victory over Croatia in the semi-finals, qualified for the World Cup finals in Qatar. The first goal for the “gauchos” was scored by Lionel Messi, from the penalty spot.
How good goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was at the World Cup is shown by the fact that, according to many, Messi, who is still the best player in the world, was thinking about him and his penalty saves right before the semi-final clash.
“Before the game, together with the goalkeepers Martinez and Rulli, I was preparing the possible penalty kick. With their help, I analyzed Livakovic’s positioning and his ‘reading’ of the perpetrator of the harshest punishment,’ explains Messi.
“After some time, we realized that he always waits for the player until the end, that with his body language, look and position he simply shows him which way he will shoot. I knew that, if there was a penalty kick, I should not wait, but start at the ball from a full run. Well, there was a penalty, he hit the side, but luckily he didn’t manage to save it,’ said Lionel Messi.
Argentina will play the World Cup final at the Lusail stadium on Sunday from 16:00, against the defending champions, France.
