It usually takes a lot of searching to find incentives for a match for third and fourth place in a soccer World Cup. It tends to be a duel that disturbs, because there is usually little to determine which of the two losers in the semifinals ends up above the other. It is one of these customs that continues over the four years without knowing very well why, beyond selling one more game in the package to televisions around the world.
In this case, however, everything seems different. In large part, because the two teams competing, Croatia and Morocco, were not expected to reach such a high level in this World Cup in Qatar. As much as they have been left out of the final, reserved for two giants like Argentina and France, in a way this Saturday’s encounter (4.00 pm) at the Khalifa Stadium is a kind of extra prize for both, a tribute to the fantastic tournament held.
It is of course for Morocco, already the best African team in the history of the World Cup, which is looking to raise the bar a little more. “I will not deceive anyone, this is not the game we would have liked to play. I thought we could win the World Cup and now we have to clear our heads for this match, but it is important for Morocco to bring a bronze medal that would set the bar even higher”, said their coach, Walid Regragui, yesterday. Captain Saïss will be out and Aguerd, Mazraoui and En-Nesyri will be doubtful until the last minute.
The possibility that it will be Luka Modric’s last match with the Croatian national team is another attraction of the duel. The Real Madrid midfielder is already 37 years old and has yet to announce a decision, but is likely to end his international career today. Of course, it will be his last match at a World Cup, a tournament in which he was runner-up in 2018, pushing him to win this year’s Ballon d’Or.
