Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said his team would enjoy muted celebrations after reaching the World Cup final with a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday. Julian Alvarez scored a brace and Lionel Messi converted a penalty as Argentina won their fifth consecutive match at this tournament after starting with a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia. "We'll celebrate because we know it's exciting to advance to the final," Scaloni said after the semifinal. "But we still have one step ahead of us. It's a historic moment that we need to enjoy but that's it. We need to focus on the upcoming match." Read: Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final Scaloni heaped praise on Messi, who now has five goals and three assists at this tournament. His strike here saw him surpass Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's all-time leading World Cup scorer with 11 goals. "Of course we say that Messi is [the best player ever] and maybe we are narrow-minded because as an Argentine, it's enjoyable. But I have no doubt that he is the best," he said. "I have been saying it for a long time. I'm honored to see him train and play. It's exciting because every time you see him play it's a huge source of motivation for Argentinians. It's a privilege to have him in our squad." Read: Argentina erupts in joy after team reaches World Cup final Scaloni also thanked the tens of thousands of Argentinian fans present at Lusail stadium, many of whom began singing hours before the 10pm kick-off and finished well beyond midnight. "I have the dream job of all Argentines," he said. "Our people were supporting us throughout and you could feel it. It was unforgettable. We're all pushing in the same direction and we're grateful for to them."

Argentina football team’s coach Lionel Scaloni has urged fans to remain calm following Lionel Messi’s opening goal in a crucial 2-0 win over Mexico on Saturday that kept their 2022 Qatar World Cup hope alive. If Argentina had lost with a Group C match remaining, they would have had to say goodbye to their World Cup dreams. Despite this triumph against Mexico, capped by a great Enzo Fernández strike, they must still beat Poland on Wednesday to assure a spot in the last 16, reports Buenos Aires Times. When asked about photos of his assistant Pablo Aimar on the verge of tears during the Argentina vs Mexico match, coach Scaloni asked for some perspective. Read more: Saudi Arabia coach Hervé Renard sorry to disappoint mothe “You have to have some common sense, it’s just a football match,” he said. “I received a message from my brother saying he was crying and it can’t be like that. It’s as if it were more than a football match. “…The players must understand it’s a football match. If not, it will be like this in every match. It’s hard to make people understand that the sun will rise tomorrow, win or lose. What matters is how you do things.” Scaloni stated that he would not be celebrating yet because the Argentina squad is still not out of the water. Even if they draw with Poland, the two-time champion might still get eliminated. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Messi leads Argentina to 2-0 win over Mexico “People will think I’m crazy but fine, we won, we’re celebrating, it happens,” Buenos Aires Times quoted him as saying. “…The joy doesn’t last long, you have to maintain balance,” Scaloni said. Coach Lionel Scaloni is obviously not overjoyed following his team's much-needed 2-0 victory over Mexico on Saturday. Instead, he prefers to remain calm, at least until the next match against Poland, which is virtually a do-or-die contest for Argentina in its quest for a Round of 16 berth at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.