FIFA World Cup 2022: How Lionel Scaloni tactically outclassed Zlatko Dalić with the help of Lionel Messi to cruise to the final – tactical analysis

After a resounding 3-0 defeat against Croatia in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, the alarms went off in the process of Jorge Sampaoli, which would only be the beginning of the end, before a very tough defeat against France that would eliminate them from the tournament in the Round of 16. After this, Lionel Scalonis internship was made official in Argentina, after his good participation in a sub-20 tournament, precisely with his assistants Pablo Aimar and Walter Samuel, who remain so to this day.

A shaky start began for the Argentine team, which in each game seemed like the last of Scaloni, many names appeared and none was that of the former Deportivo La Coruña player. With effort and work, he renewed the team, implemented a dynamic and modern working method and created a group with which he reached a new world final in Qatar.

The defeat of the Copa América 2019 in the semifinals by 2-0 against Brazil, would only be the beginning of a facelift and a desire to fight more, which could be seen two years later in their conquest of the Copa América, and in the reaching the final against Croatia, which once again made history together with Zlatko Dalic after being one of the best four teams in the tournament for two consecutive World Cups, with one of the smallest countries on the planet but a golden generation that was so close to touching glory.

In this tactical analysis, we dive into the tactics of both teams in form of analysis and see how Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina qualified for their sixth final in their history.

Lineups

Argentina went with a 4-4-2 joined by Emiliano Martínez in goal, Nahuel Molina, Cristián Romero, Nicolás Otamendi and Nicolás Tagliafico as the back-four, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernández, Alexis MacAllister, Rodrigo de Paul, Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez.

Croatia formed a 4-3-3 with Dominik Livakovic as the goalkeeper; Borna Sosa, Dejan Lovren, Josko Gvardiol, and Josip Juranovic on the defence; Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic on one of the best midfields of the tournament, ending with Andrej Kramaric, Ivan Perisic and Mario Pasalic on attack.

Argentinas aggressive press and numerical superiority through the middle

Lionel Scaloni raised some doubts before the game about the selection of the starting eleven to face Croatia. Faced with the midfield three of so much control and balance by Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric and Marcelo Brozovic, but the rapid rise of Borna Sosa on the left side of the pitch, the two options that were being considered for the Argentine coach was whether to congested the midfield with four players with the inclusion of Leandro Paredes, with a more defensive cut and distribution of the first pass as #6, thus freeing Enzo Fernández, or whether to attack the space liberated by Sosa, with Ángel di María.

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