FIFA World Cup 2022: Lionel Messi fans gear up for Argentina vs Croatia semi-final
Contesting a record-equaling fifth World Cup, Messi will be looking to reach the second final of his career in the competition, when Argentina takes on Croatia in the last-four stage on December 14.
The euphoria surrounding this year's FIFA World Cup has been "unprecedented" in football-mad Kolkata, with nearly 9,000 fans having already travelled to Qatar to witness the showpiece event and many more slated to arrive in the next few days, officials said. People are still making queries regarding ticket and accommodation availability and travel packages for Qatar, days ahead of the semi-finals and the final next week, they said. (Image: AP)
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"What are you looking at, fool? Get lost!" Lionel Messi's World Cup taunt of Dutch player Wout Weghorst has delighted Argentina, where the phrase has made its way onto mugs, shirts and other products. (Image: AFP)
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Contesting a record-equaling fifth World Cup, Messi will be looking to reach the second final of his career in the competition when Argentina take on Croatia in the last-four stage on December 14. The 35-year-old Messi is very likely making his final World Cup appearance and with the likes of Brazil, Portugal, Germany and Spain all knocked out in Qatar, the Argentines look primed to clinch football's most prestigious title for the first time since 1986. (Image: AFP)
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Argentina football fan Shib Shankar Patra adjusts a statue of Lionel Messi installed beside his tea stall painted in the team’s colours, in Ichhapur around 35 km north of Kolkata, India. (Image: AFP)
Suvam Patra, son of Argentina football fan Shib Shankar Patra, holds a portrait of Lionel Messi inside his house painted in the team’s colours, in Ichhapur around 35 km north of Kolkata, India. (Image: AFP) (With inputs from agencies)
![The euphoria surrounding this year's FIFA World Cup has been "unprecedented" in football-mad Kolkata, with nearly 9,000 fans having already travelled to Qatar to witness the showpiece event and many more slated to arrive in the next few days, officials said. People are still making queries regarding ticket and accommodation availability and travel packages for Qatar, days ahead of the semi-finals and the final next week, they said. (Image: AP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2022/12/1-messi-fans-gear-up-for-semi-final.jpg "The euphoria surrounding this year's FIFA World Cup has been "unprecedented" in football-mad Kolkata, with nearly 9,000 fans having already travelled to Qatar to witness the showpiece event and many more slated to arrive in the next few days, officials said. People are still making queries regarding ticket and accommodation availability and travel packages for Qatar, days ahead of the semi-finals and the final next week, they said. (Image: AP)")
!["What are you looking at, fool? Get lost!" Lionel Messi's World Cup taunt of Dutch player Wout Weghorst has delighted Argentina, where the phrase has made its way onto mugs, shirts and other products. (Image: AFP)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2022/12/4-messi-fans-gear-up-for-semi-final.jpg ""What are you looking at, fool? Get lost!" Lionel Messi's World Cup taunt of Dutch player Wout Weghorst has delighted Argentina, where the phrase has made its way onto mugs, shirts and other products. (Image: AFP)")
