Messi, Argentina Advance To World Cup Final

Lionel Messi's last World Cup will conclude with an appearance in the tournament's final round.

Argentina clinched its sixth World Cup final appearance with a 3-0 win against Croatia at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Tuesday (December 13).

Messi, 35, provided the game's first and decisive goal in the 34th minute on a penalty kick, which was his fifth of the ongoing tournament and secured his place as his home country's all-time leading scorer with 11 goals in World Cup play.

"Throughout the World Cup it has been incredible what we have experienced. We are going to play the final which is what we wanted," Messi said after the match via ESPN. "I don't know if it's my best World Cup, it's been a long time I've been enjoying. This team is crazy. We are going to play one more final, we are going to enjoy all of this."

Julian Alvarez -- who drew the penalty kick after being brought down by Dominik Livakovic -- added two more goals in the 39th and 69th minutes, the latter of which was assisted by Messi.

Messi had previously announced that this year's World Cup would be his last ahead of the tournament.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is now one match away from securing the one prize that's eluded him throughout his legendary career with Argentina set to face the winner of the match between defending champion France and Morocco on Wednesday (December 14).

Argentina has won the FIFA World Cup twice, with its first championship taking place when it served as the tournament's host country in 1978 and again in 1986, having been led by the legendary late Diego Maradona, who later served as Messi's longtime mentor and the Argentinian national team's former coach from 2008-10.