"We're an intelligent squad, we know how to read the game, we know how to suffer when necessary, when to press. Every detail counts in every match," Lionel Messi said after hurdling Croatia in the World Cup semifinal in Qatar.

Two-time champions Argentina have shown their intelligence at the World Cup, which they entered with a 35-game winning streak which was sensationally ended by Saudi Arabia in their opening match.

There is another Lionel who has helped to enhance this team's intelligence, Lionel Scaloni, the coach that has brought out consistent performances from La Albiceleste and played according to the merit of the opponents. Thus, they are just one win away from a third star.

 "Argentina were a Messi-based team but the under Lionel Scaloni, they have become a more disciplined side with the perfect tactics being followed in each match. There is nothing beyond the team tactic. Now, Messi plays his own role and sometimes also comes back to defend. Before the teammates waited for Messi's actions but now they individually are putting their own roles, and even scoring goals without Messi," said AFC A license Bangladesh's coach Masud Parvez Kaisar.

"Scaloni has the great contribution to make it an Argentina team instead of the Messi-based Argentina as he has picked up the suitable players who have been implementing his game plan brilliantly. Scaloni is exploiting Messi's positives. When Messi is on the field, two or three players focus on Messi and Scaloni prepares his plan to attack through those holes and he is getting results," opined Kaisar, also a former assistant coach of Bangladesh.

It was seen that Scaloni, who played with Messi during the 2006 World Cup, adopted different formations and personnel against each of his opponents.

"Scaloni adopted a 3-4-3 formation to thwart Dutch's 3-4-1-2 formation which saw three Dutch forwards roaming around the opponents defending area, so the Argentina coach gave a shield to his three-man backline with two defensive midfielders and it worked well," Kaisar explained. "To deactivate Croatia's three-man midfield, Scaloni chose a formation of 4-4-2 because Scaloni's plan was to not control the midfield, instead he used the midfield to defuse opponents' build-up play and initiate their own attacks in transition. He succeeded."

Kaisar mentioned that Scaloni was using different players in each match to keep his opposite number in the dark about the playing eleven,

"The good thing about Argentina is that Scaloni doesn't depend on a certain group of 11 or 12 players. He made five changes after their defeat against Saudi Arabia. It continued to the third match where he made four changes despite winning the second match. He also did the same in the round of 16 despite winning the previous match. So, all players are playing and staying fit as well as mentally prepared for every match.

"Argentina used to play attacking and high-pressing football but they chose traditional counter-attack strategy. Argentina invited Croatia to come on the attack and they hit the first two goals from successful counter attacks," Kaisar said.

Lionel Messi told the media on Tuesday: "In the previous match (against the Netherlands), extra time wasn't easy. Today we were tired, but we pulled ourselves up to earn this victory. We played very well, we prepared to play this way because we knew we wouldn't have the ball and would need to run in this match. So we prepared for this match in a very good way. As we always do."

"Personally I'm very happy, I'm happy that I'm able to help my squad make things happen," Messi said, "I am enjoying this a lot. I am feeling really good, strong enough to face every match."

Argentina will face either holders France or surprise-package Morocco, but their supporters will be hoping for another tactical and on-field performance from Scaloni and Messi respectively to make a dream run like 1986 World Cup.

Messi in fitting company

• Messi equalled the record for most World Cup appearances –25 matches--with Germany's Lothar Matthaus. The Argentine superstar is set to break the record as the Albiceleste have qualified for the grand finale which would take his tally to 26. The 35-year-old also became Argentina's record appearance maker at the World Cup as he left behind Diego Maradona who played 21 matches.
• With the first-half spot-kick scored against Croatia, Messi became Argentina's top scorer at the World Cup with 11 goals as he broke Gabriel Batistuta's record of 10.
• The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner produced a moment of sheer brilliance when he swept past Josko Gvardiol to assist Julian Alvarez for Argentina's third goal. The assist, his eighth overall in World Cups, saw him equal Maradona for Argentina's record provider in the mega event.
• Six of his eight assists came in the knockout stages, which saw him equal three-time World Cup winner Pele for the most assists in the knockout phases.
• A goal and assist in the semifinal against Croatia made Messi the only player to score and provide in four World Cup games.