⚽ Messi Ready To Lift Final Weight

That elusive World Cup is no longer a burden for Lionel Messi. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Lionel Messi moved one step towards the one accomplishment missing in his career on Tuesday … The offense for the Vikings has been electric thanks to one of the league's best duos … and more! LUSAIL, Qatar — Lionel Messi smiled, a huge, beaming grin, all teeth and cheeks and joy and a complete lack of complication. As his younger teammates fell to the ground or looked to the skies, or screamed with delight or found the emotion too great to hold in the tears, there was none of that from the man they all revere. As Argentina booked its spot in what will be Messi's second World Cup final (Sunday, 10 a.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App) and his last chance to lift soccer's greatest prize, all he felt was happiness. Unfiltered, unchecked, and — finally — unburdened. It was not the smile of a man worried about whether Sunday's final will bring yet another chilling dose of pain on the grandest stage in soccer, like the one he felt in 2014. It wasn't the look of a player who still feels shackled by the expectations of his homeland so much that he can't perform effectively when on international duty. It was a portrait, candidly, of someone who knows something no one else does — or at least thinks they do. Given Messi's level of nous and intuition on the field, would it be such a shock if he somehow sensed this was coming, this spectacular run that followed the most dismal start imaginable? What did he know exactly, to exude such a peaceful satisfaction at Lusail Stadium, after Croatia was dispatched and a spot in the final was etched into the calendar? Did he know that losing to Saudi Arabia in its tournament opener would be just the jolt needed to get Argentina playing collectively instead of with technical excellence but debilitating selfishness? Does he know there is enough cohesive talent in this group to beat anyone, with only the winner of the France-Morocco semifinal Wednesday (2 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App) to come? For the rest of the story, [click here.]( [STORY IMAGE 1] [IN OTHER WORDS] - The 10-3 Vikings go as their dynamic duo goes, with Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson combining for [impressive statistical outputs]( Carmen Vitali writes. - Mike McDaniel faces his [first big test]( adapting his offense to help QB Tua Tagovailoa. And will the Bills sign Odell Beckham Jr? Henry McKenna has the latest in the AFC East. - Once again, [Messi was front and center]( of everything for Argentina in its World Cup semifinal win over Croatia. This night was about him, as it always is, Martin Rogers writes. - Jordan Shusterman breaks down the [first blockbuster trade of the winter]( that saw the Braves upgrade their catching position while sending out a slew of young players in a three-team deal. - After a college football season full of chaos, drama and fun, the FOX Sports college football writers are revealing their [All-America picks](. For the latest news and updates, [click here.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] France vs Morocco (FOX, 2 p.m. ET) Morocco looks to keep its improbable run going while France hopes to advance to the World Cup final for the second consecutive tournament. New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls (ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET) Jalen Brunson and the Knicks head to Chicago to battle DeMar DeRozan and the Bulls. No. 16 UCLA Bruins at No. 20 Maryland Terrapins (FS1, 9 p.m. ET) The UCLA Bruins travel to Maryland to take on the Terrapins with both teams looking to capture a ranked non-conference win. Minnesota Timberwolves at LA Clippers (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET) Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves make their way to Los Angeles to face Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers. For all of today's games and scores, [click here](. [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( France vs Morocco: France to score 3 or more goals (+230) From FOX Sports Betting Analyst: Jason McIntyre There have been several spectacular runs to the World Cup semifinals over the years — Senegal to the quarterfinals in 2002, Costa Rica to the quarterfinals in 2014, South Korea to the semifinals in 2002 — but Morocco has to be up there with the best of them. Zero goals conceded through five matches? And against the likes of Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Croatia? Historical stuff. Morocco is the first African nation ever to reach the World Cup semifinals. It isn’t pleasing to the eyes, but it is effective. Can it stop France’s relentless attack? Probably not, but I thought that against Portugal, too. As predicted in this space, England did an outstanding job with the world’s best player, Kylian Mbappé. He was a total non-factor in the 2-1 victory. Mbappé runs into another elite defender in this match, his teammate at PSG, Achraf Hakimi. Expect Morocco’s biggest center back, Romain Saïss (years in the EPL, now with Besiktas in Turkey) to have the assignment of trying to nullify France’s aerial star Olivier Giroud. That is, if Saïss is able to go after he left the Portugal match injured (hamstring). Giroud’s header beat England; he’s also the leading scorer in France’s storied history with 53 goals, eclipsing Thierry Henry (51). There’s a scenario where France gets one goal, finally breaking through the impenetrable Morocco defense, and then the floodgates open. France’s defense has allowed a measly nine shots on target through five games, so betting France to win with a clean sheet could have some value. After a physically and mentally draining run to the semifinals, Morocco’s defense crumbles against France’s speed on the wings. France just has too much firepower. For the latest betting odds, [click here](. [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2022 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, please [unsubscribe](. FOX Sports respects your privacy. Click [here]( to view our Privacy Policy. Fox.com Business & Legal Affairs - Manager Digital Media P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, California 90213-0900