Well-known journalist Roberto Morales told what he expects from the matches for third place in the 2022 World Cup, in which Croatia and Morocco will play today.
“Everyone remembered the first African team that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. However, there are several explanations for this phenomenon, and one of them, in my opinion, is the “non-African essence” of the Lions of the Atlas. Most of these football players were born in Europe, and went through football education in the cool schools of this game. They play in cool championships and, accordingly, every week they act against big stars.
The Balkans had enough strength for a new breakthrough. Their final was a big revelation in 2018, even more so this semi-final without Rakitic and Mandzukic. But the fairy tale couldn't go on forever. Two World Cups before this, the team never played just two halves in the playoffs, but entered either extra time or even a penalty shootout.
The decisive factor in such a match will not be the skill of individual players or the experience of the team. I think that the factor of fatigue, including psychological fatigue, will play a significant role. The Africans will play in two days for the third, and the Croats in three for the fourth. Any coach will tell you how serious the difference is, especially at the finish of a grueling tournament. Three days later, on the fourth and four days later, on the fifth day, there is no longer such a significant difference, and this will be the situation in the final.
Let's also remember that in the semi-finals the Croats resigned themselves to losing long before the final whistle, so not only physically, but also mentally, they were not tense to the end. The Moroccans fought even after the second conceded goal and had a perfect chance to score at least once at the end of the game. And such moments take away too many emotions.
Croatia has the advantage here. But if we consider the motivation factor, will the Europeans have it? Agree, for the Moroccan national team the final would be a landmark event, but the match for third place is not an ordinary one either. But the Croats could (consciously or unconsciously) dull the sense of the importance of such a game. After all, psychologically, the "checkered" ones were ready and tuned in to the final. However, experience and the ability to concentrate should play a role here, even where it is quite difficult to do this, ”said Morales.