The FIFA World Cup reaches its conclusion this weekend with just the last two matches to be contested.
The penultimate game sees Croatia and Morocco vie for the bronze medal in the third place play-off on Saturday, before Argentina take on France in the grand finale 24 hours later.
Up until now, 163 goals have been scored at Qatar 2022. Eight more goals in the final two games would see that tally equal the most goals scored at a World Cup finals tournament, at the 2002 and 2014 events.
The 22nd edition of the world’s most popular and lucrative tournament has brought about a flurry of rising stars while also bidding farewell to some of the more experienced players.
One such individual who is about to play his final match at the World Cup, and quite possibly his very last at international level, is Croatia stalwart Luka Modrić.
The 37-year-old midfielder has been pivotal to the identity of Croatian football and he is undoubtedly the most talented, most successful, and most popular footballer to emerge from the Balkan nation.
Modrić made his international debut in March 2006, versus Argentina in a friendly, and his almost 17-year stint came full circle as Croatia battled the South Americans in the World Cup semi-finals just days ago.
(Photo: @FIFAWorldCup on Twitter)
The seasoned midfielder has been captain of the national team since 2016 and he is playing at a fourth World Cup event. Provided he features in the third place play-off, Modrić will have amassed 162 caps for Croatia – more than any other player. His sheer class, together with his sublime longevity, elevate him as a true all-time great.
Claiming a Ballon d’Or amidst an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is no easy feat, however the Croatian did just that in 2018 after inspiring his nation to the World Cup final (picking up the Golden Ball for his efforts) and he had also won the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid that year.
The unfortunate reality is that the brilliance of Modrić will only be wholly appreciated once he is no longer playing on the world’s biggest stages. One thing for certain is that his influence has been substantial, not only within Croatian football but throughout the European continent and even worldwide.
(Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Zlatko Dalić was appointed Croatia head coach less than a year before the 2018 World Cup, in which he oversaw the nation to its most fruitful return at the showpiece event.
Dalić, Modrić and Co came ever so close to reaching back-to-back World Cup finals, though Croatia should still be chuffed with its efforts on the world stage – especially considering it was the third-smallest participating nation at Qatar 2022, with a population of approximately four million people.
For Modrić, there is a slim chance international retirement could be put on hold for the time being, as Croatia have also qualified for the UEFA Nations League finals due to take place next summer.
They took an impressive 13 points from 18, winning four of their six games in a group consisting of Denmark, France, and Austria. The Croatians will meet one of Italy, Spain, or the Netherlands in the UNL semi-finals.
Where does Luka Modric rank amongst the greatest midfielders to play the game?#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/LZhG2UekI6
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) December 16, 2022
Before that, however, it is possible Croatia may not have the appetite for this bronze medal match whereas Morocco will still believe they have everything to play for. The Croatians are partaking in this fixture for a second time after ending 3rd at the 1998 World Cup.
The two teams met earlier at this World Cup, a 0-0 stalemate, in what was the opening match in Group F. Now, with a lot more at stake, we should be primed for a more captivating match-up.
Neither of these teams are strangers to penalty shootouts after both advanced from the Round of 16 via this method. Croatia also edged Brazil, on penalties, in the quarter-finals.
Kick-off is at 18H00 local time (15H00 GMT) at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan.
The bookies are in favour of Croatia, at 2.30, to come away with the bronze medal at Qatar 2022, while Morocco are priced 3.00 to become the first African nation to achieve this feat; 3.50 for the contest to end in a draw and be decided on penalties. (Bet365)
(Cover photo: David Ramos/FIFA via Getty Images)
