Croatia's journey to successive World Cup semi-finals is beyond head coach Zlatko Dalic's wildest dreams.
Dalic was appointed in October 2017 when Croatia were in danger of missing out on the 2018 World Cup, his debut win over Ukraine in the final qualification group game securing second place.
Initially, Dalic said he would not remain in charge if Croatia failed to reach Russia 2018, but a 4-1 aggregate play-off defeat of Greece sealed their spot in the draw.
Dalic ultimately led the Valtreni to their first World Cup final – a 4-2 defeat to France denied them a famous maiden title, but their achievement remained significant.
Expectations of Croatia from neutrals ahead of Qatar 2022 were nowhere near as lofty, yet successive penalty shoot-out defeats of Japan and Brazil have taken them to within one match of becoming the first European nation since 1990 (Germany) to reach consecutive World Cup finals.
Argentina await at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday, and Monday's pre-match press conference provided Dalic the opportunity to reflect on his own journey since 2017.
"The situation is quite different to back then," he told reporters. "Honestly, I couldn't imagine I would come so far, be head coach of Croatia in two World Cups, that I would be leading Croatia in the final and semi-finals.
"I thought that these games were reserved for other protagonists, but thank God I managed to do it, I got the chance and took it. I'm so grateful for that chance.
"Whatever happens [on Tuesday], I'm still proud of what I've done for the Croatian national team. I'm proud of my Croatia and of my players.
"No one expected Croatia in four years would be among the four best teams, so my pride has no limits. It's sky-high.
"I'm a happy person now. All of us has dreams, mine was to be the head coach of Croatia. I never dreamt of this, so thanks to God for this."
Dalic was very eager to take the pressure off his team, though at the same time he is fully aware of the gravity of a potential win, which he believes would be the greatest result in Croatia's history.
"For me, the semi-final against England [in 2018] was the greatest match of all time [for Croatia] and the Brazil one [2022 quarter-final] is second.
"Tomorrow's will be third. It's one of the most significant for us. After only four years to repeat such an achievement [reaching a World Cup semi-final] on the international stage with a new national team is a great success.
"If we manage to win, that will make it the greatest match in history for Croatia."
Argentina also needed penalties to reach this stage, despite finding themselves 2-0 up against the Netherlands with less than 10 minutes of regulation time to go.
Dalic predicts Lionel Scaloni's men will be better than they were against the Oranje, though he is also adamant all the pressure is on the Albiceleste as their bid to finally win Lionel Messi a World Cup reaches its penultimate step.
"We analysed that match [against the Netherlands] and we saw what Argentina does best," Dalic added.
"Messi's in great shape again, he's very good at setting the stage for assists and is very connected with the other players.
"They're assertive, feisty; an extraordinary team. They're well-balanced, they have their own qualities and really want to get a result.
"They did not expect the Netherlands to come back. I even expect them to be better against us, to be more compact and have greater strength.
"This match is very important for them too. They are under greater pressure than us, they'll have a lot of fans, which is a handicap for us, but we won't succumb to that, we won't complain.
"We're into the semis, so let's play one of the best teams in the world and let's enjoy it."
Lionel Scaloni dismissed the assertion his Argentina team were rightly criticised for their antics against the Netherlands.
Argentina face Croatia in the first World Cup semi-final on Tuesday, after overcoming the Netherlands on penalties.
The Copa America champions led 2-0 at Lusail Stadium yet were pegged back to a 2-2 draw by Wout Weghorst's double.
But Emiliano Martinez's saves paved the way for Lautaro Martinez to score the winning penalty in the shoot-out and send Argentina through to the last four.
The match was not without its controversy. Some of Argentina's players celebrated wildly in front of the Netherlands squad, while there were tussles on the touchline and Lionel Messi seemed to confront Oranje coach Louis van Gaal.
Scaloni, however, does not believe his team behaved poorly.
"The game was played the way we have to play, both teams did that," he said in a press conference.
"Some games, things can happen, arguments, challenging times. That's why there's a referee to ensure there's justice.
"We need to put an end to this idea that this is Argentina. We lost to Saudi Arabia and didn't do anything.
"We won the Copa America in Brazil and experienced the most sporting behaviour with Messi, [Leandro] Paredes and Neymar, all sat together in the tunnel.
"I'm not convinced of this idea of unsporting behaviour. We play with pride, the way we have to play and then the referee is in charge of decisions. We respect all the teams, the Netherlands, Croatia and all the opponents. That's one of our main characteristics of our personality.
"We need to end this idea of not being good winners or losers, that's very far from what we are as a team and a squad, and the way we represent this nation."
Messi, usually so composed, even seemed caught up in the emotion against the Netherlands, though with this likely to be his final World Cup, the 35-year-old's desire to end his wait for the trophy seems truly fierce.
Scaloni said: "Messi, I know him so well, he's always been like that, always been a winner, he's so eager and willing to keep playing football."
Asked how it felt to coach Messi at his last World Cup, Scaloni added: "We will see whether he continues playing or not, we will keep enjoying him, that's all we can do – for us and the world of football.
"If things turn out well, everything will be good for us, we have our whole country supporting us."
Lionel Messi gives Argentina a "special advantage", says Nicolas Tagliafico, as La Albiceleste prepare for their World Cup semi-final with Croatia.
Lionel Scaloni's side are two wins away from Qatar 2022 glory, having shrugged off a shock opening loss against Saudi Arabia to battle their way to the last four.
Captain Messi has won virtually all major honours possible save for the World Cup, and in likely his final World Cup with his country, is out to complete his collection.
Tagliafico credits the veteran forward as the driving factor both for and behind their run to within 90 minutes of the final, stating he fires his team-mates on to greater heights.
"He's always been like this," he stated. "For us, he is our captain, our leader, the one who pushes us and motivates us. He's the one who has that special advantage.
"When we are on the pitch, we know we have Messi. We are so happy to have him as our captain. That's the most beautiful thing, to do this with Messi by our side.
"This World Cup, we have enough experience to reach this stage. We know in the knockouts, there'll be a few moments where we will struggle.
"We have the experience. We need to have enough character to go through all that and overcome it. That motivates you even further."
Penalties were required to see Argentina through their quarter-final clash with the Netherlands, in what devolved into a bad-tempered affair from both sets of players.
Scaloni's men were accused of being poor winners after their victory, but Tagliafico has defended his actions and those of his team-mates, suggesting they will behave the same again.
"Those situations happen in the world of football," he added. "We are not machines. The emotions were running high. It has happened in previous matches.
"It will likely happen again. This was a World Cup quarter-final, with two teams fighting it out. We tried to live it as such."
Harry Kane's penalty miss in England's World Cup defeat to France may have been influenced by the long VAR check, according to Jurgen Klinsmann, who feels there is "more to come" from the Three Lions.
England suffered an agonising quarter-final defeat to the reigning champions on Saturday, as Kane blazed an 84th-minute spot-kick over the crossbar after scoring an earlier penalty.
Referee Wilton Sampaio – who was criticised by some England players after the game – was initially unmoved by Theo Hernandez's push on Mason Mount, only awarding England's second penalty after a long VAR review.
Speaking in his role as part of FIFA's Technical Study Group on Monday, former Tottenham forward Klinsmann blamed that wait for Kane's costly error.
"From the time that he whistles for the penalty until the time he gets a chance to actually execute the penalty, there's far, far too much time passing by, and it works into your brain," Klinsmann said.
"I'm obviously a big Harry Kane fan and if Harry had the chance to just put the ball down and shoot, no big deal.
"But the whole VAR situation, double-checking whether it was a penalty… time goes by and by and by.
"Then you obviously start thinking and you get to a point where you don't execute the penalty the way you would have done it right after the whistle."
Kane's miss ensured England suffered a record seventh World Cup quarter-final exit, but Klinsmann believes they remain on the right path despite several near misses under Gareth Southgate.
"I think, overall, it was a very positive presentation from the English side in this entire tournament," the 1990 World Cup winner said.
"This game, France v England, came just too early. It should have been a semi-final or the final.
"But one team had to go home and unfortunately it was England, from an English perspective. But I think overall they played a very good tournament.
"It's still a team in growth. I think this team is still able to get better over the next few years. They are, age-wise, not on the limit now by any means.
"They have a lot of talent coming through, getting better, getting more experienced. They have now had three very positive tournaments with the one in Russia [in 2018], obviously the Euros where they went to the final.
"Now I think this was a very positive tournament, even if it ended in the quarter-finals. There's more to come from this England side, in my opinion."
England were not the only team to suffer penalty heartache in Qatar, with pre-tournament favourites Brazil bowing out at the same stage courtesy of a shoot-out defeat against Croatia.
Brazil planned for star forward Neymar to take their fifth and final penalty, which never arrived after Rodrygo and Marquinhos failed to convert, and Klinsmann believes that was a mistake.
Asked for his thoughts on where the Selecao went wrong, Klinsmann said: "Put your best shooter first. Set the tone with your best penalty-taker."
Luka Modric says Croatia must play the "best match of our lives" to overcome Lionel Messi's Argentina in Tuesday's World Cup semi-final.
The 2018 runners-up Croatia have reached the World Cup's last four in remarkable fashion once again, beating Japan and pre-tournament favourites Brazil in dramatic penalty shoot-outs.
Croatia could become just the second team to win knockout ties against both Brazil and Argentina at a single World Cup next time out, after Germany did so in 2014.
Their hopes of reaching the final may depend on their ability to contain Albiceleste great Messi, who has recorded six goal contributions at the tournament – a tally only bettered by Kylian Mbappe (seven).
While Modric knows stopping Messi will be crucial, he warned Zlatko Dalic's men against focusing all their energies on one player.
"I have the desire to play, but not only to play against one player," Modric said in an interview with RTVE.
"Of course, Messi is an excellent player, we will have big problems to stop him, but we are ready and we will do our best.
"Argentina is a big team. We will try to play the best match of the tournament, the best match of our lives. I hope that it will be enough to enter the final."
Few expected Croatia to repeat their 2018 heroics in Qatar, and while Modric thinks that has suited Dalic's side, he revealed he warned his Real Madrid team-mates of their quality ahead of time.
"It's normal that everyone is looking at the big countries," Modric said. "Given that we are small, no one counted on us.
"But we don't mind that others are favourites and we are in the shadows. We can only do our best, try hard, and that is exactly our strength.
"Before I left for the World Cup, we talked a lot in the [Madrid] dressing room, during which I told them: 'Watch out for Croatia'."
If, as expected, Modric starts Tuesday's game, he will become just the fourth player to start six matches at a single World Cup when aged 37 or above, after Brazil's Nilton Santos in 1962, Italy's Dino Zoff in 1982 and England's Peter Shilton in 1990.
While several veterans of the 2018 tournament remain key for Dalic's side, Modric has been delighted by the impact of Croatia's younger players – including goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
"I saw maturity in our national team with young players who brought new quality and energy," he added.
"It's incredible what our national team is doing. I believed that we could do something. It is a big thing that after four years we are in the semi-finals again. We showed great mental strength.
"In those moments, someone always jumps out, like our goalkeeper, especially in the last two games. I am happy for him, he showed that he is a great goalkeeper."
England manager Gareth Southgate is "conflicted" as he weighs up his future in the role following the side's World Cup quarter-final exit to France.
Southgate made it clear after Saturday's 2-1 loss to Les Bleus that he will not rush into a decision on his future, while the Football Association have left that call in his hands.
The England boss, who led the side to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and Euro 2020 final, has been in charge since 2016 and is contracted until December 2024.
The 52-year-old had made it known he wanted to enjoy the 2022 World Cup, having a "difficult" period after England's penalty shoot-out loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final, which erupted after losing 4-0 to Hungary in Wolverhampton during June's UEFA Nations League fixtures.
"I've found large parts of the last 18 months difficult," Southgate said. "For everything that I've loved about the last few weeks, I still have… how things have been for 18 months.
"What's been said and what's been written. The night at Wolves. There's lots of things in my head that’s really conflicted at the moment.
"What I want to make sure, if it's the right thing to stay, is that I've definitely got the energy to do that. I don’t want to be four or five months down the line thinking: 'I've made the wrong call'. It's too important for everybody to get that wrong."
Southgate has transformed England since their disappointing Euro 2016 last-16 exit to Iceland, becoming a genuine title contender with a new wave of exciting talent.
The ex-England defender had no timeframe on when he would make a decision on his future, stating he was eager to overcome the emotion of the defeat before making a call.
"When I’ve been through the past few tournaments, my emotions have been difficult to really think through properly in those following few weeks," he said. "It took so much energy out of you and you have so much going through your mind.
"I want to make the right decision either way because it has to be the right one to go again, or the right one not to go again, and I don't think now is the time to make a decision like that. Neither are the next few days, really."
Southgate added that he was not sure when he was ever going to get over England's latest World Cup exit, but spoke with a sense of pride about their performance.
"I don't think I have got over the last one [Euro 2020] but this feels a little bit different because when we reflect on what we’ve done, I’m not sure what more we could have done or given," he said.
"I think we've given a really good performance against a top team. It was a significant psychological step for those players.
"I have been involved in nights where we have played top teams and been on the back foot for the majority of the game and been dominated. We wanted to be bold in the tournament and I think we went toe-to-toe with them.
"We have said we want to be competitive all the way through with England and we are, I believe, in that top table … the last three tournaments, we have restored credibility.
"The rest of the world look at us as a good side, but we are here to win, and we haven't won."
Neymar continues to struggle to come to terms with Brazil's World Cup exit, saying that he "still hurts like hell from loss".
Pre-tournament favourites Brazil were bundled out of the World Cup by Croatia 4-2 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 following extra time.
Neymar, who scored a brilliant goal in extra-time but did not take a spot kick in the 4-2 penalty shoot-out loss, wrote on Instagram on Saturday that he was "psychologically destroyed" by the loss and doubled down on that with another post on Sunday upon his return to his homeland.
"On Brazilian soil… still hurts like hell from loss, we were so close, so close," Neymar wrote. "Unfortunately or fortunately I still haven't learned to lose. Defeats make me stronger, but they hurt me too much and I'm still not used to it.
"Anyway, we have to move on... life moves us on, even if it hurts and the hurt takes time to heal, we have to move on.
"Once again I want to thank the Brazilian people for their support and affection. Hearing from you that we fought, delivered until the end comforts a little of our pain.
"Thank you Qatar for everything. The cup was beautiful and she had to be from Brazil to crown it all, but by God's destiny it wasn't."
It has been speculated that this will be 30-year-old Neymar's final World Cup, and he was reluctant to commit to playing on for his country in the immediate aftermath of the game.
He added on Instagram: "We keep going... Now it's to turn off the key, take advantage of family and friends, recharge energies because dealing with this defeat will be very difficult, it still hurts me A LOT! FAITH."
Neymar also reserved a special 'open letter' post for 61-year-old Brazil head coach Tite, who has stepped down from the role following the World Cup after six-and-a-half years in charge.
"I knew you as a coach and I already knew you were very good but as a person you are MUCH BETTER!," Neymar wrote. "I come here to openly thank you for everything, all the teachings you've given us... and there were so many.
"You will always be one of the best coaches I've ever had or will have, I will always lift you up. We had beautiful moments but we also had moments that hurt us a lot and the latter will hurt us for a long time.
"You deserved to be crowned with this cup. We all deserved it for everything we did and for everything we gave up to try to achieve our biggest dream. But God didn't want it that way, patience. God has given us EVERYTHING!"
Rio Ferdinand believes England manager Gareth Southgate "came up short" with his substitutions in the 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.
Harry Kane missed a late penalty as England tumbled out of the tournament in Qatar, with goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud sending France through to a semi-final against Morocco on Wednesday.
With England chasing Saturday's game late on, Southgate decided to bring on Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling for Jordan Henderson and Bukayo Saka with just over 10 minutes to play.
He then took off Phil Foden for Marcus Rashford in the 85th minute, while Jack Grealish came on deep into stoppage time as England desperately tried to get back in the contest.
Those attempts ultimately ended up fruitless as England suffered fresh tournament heartbreak, having lost the Euro 2020 final on penalties to Italy last year.
Former defender Ferdinand, who won 81 caps for England between 1997 and 2011, feels Southgate's reluctance to make alterations cost England a semi-final spot.
"Our [England's] substitutions is where I think Gareth Southgate let us down," Ferdinand said on his YouTube show Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE.
"I think he's been pitch-perfect, touch-perfect in almost every decision he's made up to this point, but you get into a game like yesterday where this is really where it matters now, and I think Gareth Southgate came up short in the tactical element in terms of substitutions.
"Gareth, in the moment, wasn't proactive with his substitutions, he was reactive.
"It hit 1-1 and we're sitting there going, 'Take the bull by the horns, make a substitution, get us on the front foot'. You've got Rashford, you've got Grealish who can go on, get us on the front foot and change this game.
"You're sitting there going, 'It's too late, man'. You've got to do this when we've got the chance of still winning this game and taking the game from them."
After another tough tournament exit, there are many questions over whether Southgate will continue in his role, with the manager himself unsure for now.
But Ferdinand expects Southgate will stay on, saying: "I think, if I am Gareth Southgate, I cannot leave this story.
"This story hasn't had an ending yet that works for me, if I'm Gareth Southgate."
Hugo Lloris insists France will need 'all our strength, all our energy' when they face Morocco in the World Cup semi-finals.
Les Bleus became the first reigning champions to reach the last four since Brazil in 1998 after edging out England in a tight quarter-final on Saturday, Olivier Giroud's late header settling the tie.
It was a special day for Lloris, who became France's record cap holder after surpassing Lilian Thuram (142) with his 143rd international appearance.
To mark the occasion, the captain was presented with a commemorative shirt by Didier Deschamps as attention turns to the tournament's surprise package in Morocco, who became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals after stunning Portugal.
"[I am] still proud, still honoured to wear the shirt of Les Bleus, even after 143 appearances," Lloris said in a video posted on France's official Twitter account.
"I really want to thank the team, the staff, the entire management for making this game so special. Beating England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, it will remain a special memory for me, but also for my family who were present.
"Now, we'll prepare well for this semi-final against Morocco. We'll need all our strength, all our energy knowing that there's something really special we can achieve.
"I think we're all aware of this, but we'll continue to be calm and collected. But it has to come from [the stomach]."
Antoine Griezmann was also presented with a personalised shirt, his pinpoint cross for Giroud's winner against England was his record-breaking 28th assist for Les Bleus.
The Atletico Madrid forward, who believes he will soon be surpassed by Kylian Mbappe (18), urged his team-mates not to lose sight on retaining the world title for the first time since Brazil in 1962.
"Kylian only needs 10 assists to reach 28, so I'm going to enjoy this moment!" he laughed. "There are still two games left, we can do it. Let's concentrate, be focused and enjoy."
Didier Deschamps will decide whether he remains France head coach after Qatar 2022, according to French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet.
Deschamps took over as France boss in 2012 and has since led Les Bleus to a World Cup title as well as the Euro 2016 final, having previously won 103 caps during his playing career.
His France team beat England on Saturday to reach the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, keeping alive their hopes of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the trophy.
Deschamps' contract is due to expire after the tournament, with rumours persisting that former Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane could be in line to take over the role.
However, Le Graet is hopeful Deschamps will choose to remain at the helm.
"We are lucky to have a good coach [Deschamps], good technical staff," Le Graet told L'Equipe. "The players need to be reassured, we really have a team of high quality managers around them.
"Didier Deschamps has not lost his touch. He exudes happiness, the players too, it shows.
"The question of extending is totally up to him. Finding a coach of this quality is not easy. It is he who decides, I hope he will say yes.
"But it still deserves, especially on his part, a reflection."
Stefan Effenburg has ruled himself out of the running to replace Oliver Bierhoff as Germany's technical director, insisting "I am not available".
Bierhoff left his role of 18 years with the German Football Association (DFB) following Die Nationalmannschaft's second successive World Cup group-stage exit in Qatar.
Philipp Lahm – Germany's victorious captain in 2014 – and Dietmar Hamann were among several former players calling for significant changes in German football, though head coach Hansi Flick will remain in charge.
Regarding a replacement, president Bernd Neuendorf said he will "first discuss the future structure of this area of responsibility within the DFB and then make a personnel decision."
Former midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger suggested Effenburg – Bayern Munich's Champions League-winning captain in 2001 – and Michael Ballack as potential candidates, telling ARD: "These are still guys who can really tackle".
But despite having held a similar position at KFC Uerdingen, the 54-year-old insisted he is "extremely comfortable" in his role as a brand ambassador at former club Bayern, while also serving as a columnist and television pundit.
"It is clear that many names were mentioned. The fact that mine was also there honours me," he told Sport1.
"[The ambassadorial and media work] fills me and that's what I want to continue to focus on. So I'm not going to send an application to the DFB. I am not available."
Hugo Lloris believes Tottenham team-mate Harry Kane "must have been feeling the pressure" after the striker's missed penalty helped France into the World Cup semi-finals.
Kane had already scored a penalty to equalise for England after Aurelien Tchouameni's long-range opener, but Olivier Giroud put France back ahead with just 12 minutes to play.
Kane then received a golden chance to level again from the spot after Theo Hernandez inexplicably bundled over Mason Mount in the France area.
However, the England captain blazed his penalty well over before France saw out the remaining minutes to keep alive their hopes of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain their World Cup crown.
Lloris feels his club team-mate felt the weight of the moment, causing him to balloon his spot-kick over the crossbar.
"The first one, we know each other so well that I said to myself he'll change, but he stayed with his usual," Lloris told France's Twitter account. "The second one, I went the right way.
"Certainly, he must have been feeling the pressure so he lifted it a bit, he forced it a bit. It was an important moment in the game."
France won Saturday's game despite England having double the amount of shots as the reigning world champions, while registering 2.41 xG (expected goals) to France's 1.01.
Laurent Blanc, who coached Les Bleus between 2010 and 2012 having won 97 caps as a player, cited France's superior experience deep into tournaments as the reason for the quarter-final victory.
"You always have to respect your opponent," Blanc told reporters. "I found a very good French team, but I honestly found a very good English team. It's been a while since I've seen an England team so good.
"We won, I think, because we have perhaps a little more experience and then the fate was more favorable to the French than to the English."
France's path to their second straight World Cup final is now only blocked by Morocco, whose fairytale run to the final four has seen them become the first African nation to get this far in the tournament's history.
Blanc says Morocco must be treated as a very capable opponent and suggested complacency cannot creep in.
"I think it will be a great game, you know the history of the two countries, they are very close," Blanc explained.
"We must respect the opponents who are surprises and Morocco, I think, in the semi-finals of the World Cup, is a surprise.
"But when you get to the semi-final of the World Cup, yes you were considered a surprise at the beginning but when you get there, you can no longer be a surprise. So it means that they have very good players, a very good coach.
"So here we are, may the best team win and we will watch it with great interest."
Milan have played a part in France's latest bid for World Cup glory after "revitalising" striker Olivier Giroud, according to the Serie A club's president Paolo Scaroni.
France remain on course to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the trophy after beating England 2-1 on Saturday to set up a semi-final showdown with Morocco.
Giroud scored the reigning champions' winner in the quarter-final against England, with that his fourth goal of Qatar 2022 – only team-mate Kylian Mbappe (five) has scored more.
The 36-year-old has also been in good form for club side Milan this campaign, having been directly involved in a team-high 14 goals (nine goals and five assists) in 19 matches.
He has scored 23 goals in 57 games in all competitions since the start of last season when joining from Chelsea, which is also more than any Milan player over that period.
As Giroud continues to show on the biggest stage that age is just a number, Scaroni says France should be grateful to Milan.
"He's doing very, very well. I think France's qualification [to the semi-finals] is due to him a lot," Rossoneri chief Scaroni told Sky Sport Italia.
"We at Milan have 'revitalised' him a bit. I don't know if I can say it, but I have the impression with us he has found new motivation that he has transferred to the national team.
"Let's say that we too have played a small role in the success achieved so far by France".
Giroud scored twice in France's opening group match against Australia and then overtook Thierry Henry as his country's record scorer with his strike in the last-16 win over Poland.
The ex-Arsenal man could set another record in France's semi-final against Morocco as he is one goal short of becoming the oldest player to score five at a single World Cup.
Giroud is not the only Milan player in France's World Cup squad, with defender Theo Hernandez – who has played in four games – also included.
Milan have played a part in France's latest bid for World Cup glory after "revitalising" striker Olivier Giroud, according to the Serie A club's president Paolo Scaroni.
France remain on course to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the trophy after beating England 2-1 on Saturday to set up a semi-final showdown with Morocco.
Giroud scored the reigning champions' winner in the quarter-final against England, with that his fourth goal of Qatar 2022 – only team-mate Kylian Mbappe (five) has scored more.
The 36-year-old has also been in good form for club side Milan this campaign, having been directly involved in a team-high 14 goals (nine goals and five assists) in 19 matches.
He has scored 23 goals in 57 games in all competitions since the start of last season when joining from Chelsea, which is also more than any Milan player over that period.
As Giroud continues to show on the biggest stage that age is just a number, Scaroni says France should be grateful to Milan.
"He's doing very, very well. I think France's qualification [to the semi-finals] is due to him a lot," Rossoneri chief Scaroni told Sky Sport Italia.
"We at Milan have 'revitalised' him a bit. I don't know if I can say it, but I have the impression with us he has found new motivation that he has transferred to the national team.
"Let's say that we too have played a small role in the success achieved so far by France".
Giroud scored twice in France's opening group match against Australia and then overtook Thierry Henry as his country's record scorer with his strike in the last-16 win over Poland.
The ex-Arsenal man could set another record in France's semi-final against Morocco as he is one goal short of becoming the oldest player to score five at a single World Cup.
Giroud is not the only Milan player in France's World Cup squad, with defender Theo Hernandez – who has played in four games – also included.
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