FIFA World Cup 2022: It's time for the podium places finish at the FIFA World Cup 2022. After some jaw-dropping contests between some of the World's best sides, it has come down to the top-three finish. In the bronze medal match, it will be 2018 runners-up Croatia taking on giant-killers Morocco in Al Rayyan's Khalifa International Stadium.
Croatia, who lost to France in 2018 in the final will be eyeing a back-to-back podium finish in the grandest stages of football, while the underdogs Morocco, who toppled some of the best teams in the World to secure a dream third-placed finish. However, the African nation were disappointed as they failed to overcome the defending champions France in the second semifinal of the tournament.
Speaking ahead of the match against Croatia, Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui said, "You are so disappointed, you've just lost a semifinal and then two days later you have to go back out there. It's like the booby prize (third-placed finish). I am sorry for speaking like this. I understand that it should be important, I understand that it is better to finish third than fourth, but for, me my takeaway is that we just didn't get to the final." But he acknowledged the importance of finishing on a podium and stated that it would great for their image.
Meanwhile, Croatia are looking to get another podium finish in what is expected to be the last World Cup for their skipper Luka Modric. "Eight of us from (the tournament in) Russia understand that feeling of winning a medal at the World Cup and we have a lot of players who haven't experienced that and would love to do that because it's something that will stay with you for the rest of their life," Croatian forward Andrej Kramaric said ahead of the match. Meanwhile, Croatia's coach said, "Saturday's match is not a small one for us, but a big final, a fight for third place, for a medal. We have to prepare in every sense. It's a big thing if we take the bronze medal, that would be great. The difference is being third or fourth in the world, we will do everything to do that."
Croatia and Morocco faced each other in the group stage earlier, where both teams ended the game with a goalless draw. Croatia topped group F which featured the likes of Belgium, Croatia and Canada. They defeated Belgium and Canada. The African nation faced Spain in the round of 16 and outclassed them in penalties by 3-0. They then ended Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dream with a 1-0 win over Portugal in the quarterfinals. Morocco also became the first African nation to reach the final four of a FIFA World Cup ever. Meanwhile, Croatia defeated Japan in the round of 16 in penalties by 3-1 before stunning Brazil in the quarterfinals by 4-2 in penalties.
