Lionel Messi and Argentina entered the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup as one of the teams to beat. And even though their undefeated streak came to an end in their debut, they managed to bounce back and prove that they're not going down without a fight.

The Argentineans are coming off a hard-fought game vs. Louis van Gaal and the Netherlands. They saw a 2-0 lead slip right through their fingers but held their ground to get the win after a penalty shootout.

Now, they'll face their toughest task yet. They'll have to go through Luka Modric and Croatia, the reigning runner-ups and the team that left both Japan and Brazil on the way after 120+ minutes of play.

Qatar 2022: What Happens If Argentina Loses To Croatia?

We already know that Croatia can go the distance and reach the ultimate stage. We also know they can beat the Albiceleste, as they humiliated them with a 0-3 win the last time they faced off.

So, what happens if Argentina loses to Croatia again? Simply put, they'd be eliminated from the FIFA World Cup and would be forced to play in the game no one wants to take part of: The match for the bronze medal.

Croatia, on the other hand, would then advance to the final for the second consecutive edition. In that stage, they'd face the winner of the second semifinal played between Morocco and France.