BBC Pidgin of Monday, 12 December 2022

Source: BBC

Morocco history makers, Messi get chance to become GOAT, di semi final highlights

Messi get chance to become GOAT Messi get chance to become GOAT

Na four teams remain now for Qatar 2022 World Cup , Argentina, Croatia, Morocco and France with each team hoping say na dem go lift di trophy in six days time.

But di semi-final wey dey start on Tuesday na one only few pipo fit predict and all di remaining kontris get storylines wey fit wetin dem dey try achieve.

Dis fit be Messi moment?

Di most obvious one wey many pipo dey tok about na whether Argentine super star Lionel Messi fit win di World Cup for di very first time.

Messi career na one wey stand out for football after winning 10 La Liga titles, four UEFA champions league crowns, di 2021 Copa America and a record seven Ballon D’ors wey make am best player for di world for many years.

But unlike oda greats such as Pele of Brazil and im fellow kontriman Diego Maradona, Messi still dey find am hard to help im kontri win World Cup.
Dis year make am 36 years since Argentina win dia last world cup for 1986 for Mexico.

If Messi fit help Argentina secure world cup dis time e go surely secure im legacy as di best of all time for football.

More cheer for Morocco?

Anyhow e be Morocco don already make history as far as World Cup dey concern.
Na dem be not only di first African team to reach semi final but di first Arab kontri as well with a muslim majority to reach dis stage.

Despite say dem get experienced players like Hakim Ziyech wey dey play for Chelsea and Ashraf Hakimi wey dey play for Paris Saint Germain, Morocco still surprise pipo as dem reach dis stage.

Dem first top group wey contain big football kontris like Belgium and Croatia before dem eliminate Spain and Portugal to reach dis stage and go like go one step further.

Dia success dey due to dia very tough defence and amazing work rate.

Dem also get amazing and passionate support from across many regions.

Organisers bin tok say dis world cup no be for only Qatar but na for Middle East and Muslims around di world, so Morocco go fit cheer again on Tuesday?

France fit achieve back to back?

Di kontri wey go stand in Morocco way of reaching final na current world cup holders and one of di best teams for Europe, France.

Les Blues as fans dey call dem dey try achieve wetin no oda kontri fit do since Brazil do am 60 years ago, dat is to win world cup back to back.

In fact in recent years, current holders dey perform poorly for next tournament, na wetin happun to Germany, Spain and Italy be dat although France don change dat behaviour.

Dia Saturday win over England make France di first winners wey reach semi final for next tournament since Brazil for 1998.

Manager Didier Deschamps say im dey concentrate on Morocco for now.“Make we no get ahead of ourselves.” E tok after dem ask about qualifying for anoda final again.

Croatia fit qualify for anoda final again?

We fit get repeat of di 2018 final if Croatia manage to defeat Argentina and France beat Morocco.

Di Croatians don make di last four again after dem show serious efforts to achieve am.

Dem beat Denmark and Russia on penalties on dia way to di final four years ago and dem repeat di same thing dis time with wins over Japan and Brazil.

Last time wey dem win a knockout match for world cup na for 1998 when dem beat Germany 3-0 for Quarter finals.

One thing wey dey surprise many about Croatia na say dia most influential player Luka Modric na 37 years old.

But di Real Madrid player still dey make things happun for di field of play.

Argentina lose 3-0 to Croatia for group stage of di last world cup and dem go know say na wrong thing to underestimate dem.