Argentina vs. Croatia: the 3-0 win in Russia 2018, Abiceleste’s worst defeat in 60 games

On June 21, 2018, at the Nizhny Novgorod stadium, in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, on the second day of group D, Argentina suffered their worst defeat in their last 60 games, a 0-3 against Croatiawith whom he meets again four years later, between the revenge and the warning that this marker implies in the semifinals of Qatar 2022in addition to the status of current runner-up of the planet of the Balkan team.

It is the last precedent between both teams. And a notice that alerts Argentina, although it was other times, Lionel Scaloni had not yet started his adventure as head coach of the salbiceleste election (Then was directed by Jorge Sampaoli, now the Sevilla coach) or although it was not as decisive as now (both made it out of the group, Croatia as first and Argentina as second, eliminated in the round of 16 by champion France).

Yes they suffered such a defeat Lionel MessiNicolás Otamendi, Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Tagliafico, in the starting eleven, and Franco Armani, Paulo Dybala and Ángel Di María, on the bench (all present in Qatar 2022).

And yes, Zlatko Dalic was already leading Croatia, alongside players who still persist in the present World Cup: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic, Dejan Lovren, Marcelo Brozovic, Dominik Livakovic, Andrej Kramaric and Domagoj Vida.

Against Rebic he scored 0-1 in the 53rd minute, Luka Modric scored in the 80th minute with the 0-2 score and Ivan Rakitic increased the difference in added time to put Argentina against the ropes for the last day of the group stage. because they only added one point (the 1-1 against Iceland in the first meeting), but then they solved the pass because they beat Nigeria 1-2, with goals from Lionel Messi and Marcos Rojo. In the round of 16, France eliminated it 4-3.

They are two of the seven defeats suffered by Argentina in their last 60 games, none with such a difference on the scoreboard as Croatia.

Apart from the 0-3 in Russia 2018 and the 4-3 in France, the Albiceleste has lost in the four-year run from then to now on two occasions against Brazil (1-0 and 2-0), on another against Venezuela (1-3), on another against Colombia (2-0) and in this World Cup against Saudi Arabia (1-2), on the first day.

The last of them is the only one who has suffered Argentina in their most recent 41 games, of which they have won 28 (eight of the last ten) and drawn 12, before receiving Croatia in Lusail, with whom they have faced four other occasions throughout their history: two wins (2-1 on November 12, 2014 and 1-0 on June 26, 1998 in the World Cup in France, with a goal by Pineda), a draw (0-0 on June 4, 1994) and two defeats , the 3-2 of March 1, 2006, in addition to the 0-3 of Russia 2018 that puts him on alert for this Tuesday.