Rangers star Borna Barisic was an unused substitute as a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina thrash Croatia to book a place in the World Cup Final.
PSG attacker Messi might be 35-years-old but the attacker has been on inspired form all tournament long and opened the scoring in Qatar from the penalty spot after Croatia keeper Dominik Livaković clattered Julian Alvarez.
And it was the Man City striker who’d be the other hero for Argentina as a wonderful solo goal was supplemented by a stunning assist from Lionel Messi with Alvarez netting a double in a 3-0 win over Croatia.
It means Argentina have booked their place in the World Cup Final at the weekend with the South American nation set to play either current holders France or Morocco to be crowned World Champions.
Borna Barisic watches on as Argentina beat Croatia
The result also means that Rangers no longer have a representative at the tournament with Borna Barisic making a solitary appearance for Croatia in their quarter final victory over Japan.
The Rangers star largely played second fiddle to Borna Sosa at the tournament but as the Croatians fall to Argentina, the country continues to punch above its weight at World Cup level.
The beaten Finalists in Russia, the country will now compete in the third place playoff on Saturday evening against which ever team is unsuccessful in the clash between France and Morocco.
As for Argentina, the football obsessed nation hasn’t won the World Cup since Diego Maradona led them to the tournament in Mexico 1986, with the country also winning in 1978 on home soil.
As an interesting aside, it was a Scotsman named Alexander Watson Hutton who brought football to Argentina, with the Glaswegian widely regarded as “the father of Argentine football”.
Meanwhile, one European club’s manager has namedropped a Rangers player in his January transfer plans.
