The Morocco coach couldn't quite hide his frustration with the game. A journalist wanted to know from Walid Regragui that it must be difficult for him, this match for third place. It's not an important game, is it?
"Correct," replied the coach directing Morocco's wondrous journey through this World Cup in Qatar. "To be perfectly honest," Regragui finally said. "We wanted to play the final on Sunday, not tomorrow's game." So not the game against Croatia on Saturday (4 p.m. / MagentaTV), where it's all about the best place behind the two finalists.
The 47-year-old at least made an effort not to devalue the game in advance. It's not the end of the world and you want to bring "a medal" home, he said more than once. So the Moroccans don't care about this match at all. The Croatians seem to be even more motivated at the moment. At least if you follow the words of Hoffenheim striker Andrej Kramaric. "We have to be clear that this is a historic game for Croatia. Because nobody can say when we'll achieve something like this again. We have to take advantage of this opportunity on Saturday," said the 31-year-old.
Kramaric's memories of 1998
Kramaric recalled watching the match for third place at the 1998 World Cup as a kid. Back then, the Croatians won 2-1 against the Netherlands. "In 1998, as a kid, I used to jump around the streets with my friends and my parents. And now we have the opportunity to make people happy again," said the striker. In addition, it will be perhaps the last opportunity for his team-mate Luka Modric to make his compatriots happy at a World Cup. At the next tournament in 2026, the superstar would be 40 years old. Whether he will continue his career in the national jersey after the World Cup in Qatar is an open question.
"I don't know if it will be Modric's last game at a World Cup. But I know him as a player. He's a fighter and he'll give everything to end this game with a win," said Morocco coach Regragui. His team is already playing the most successful World Cup by an African team. But his players want more against Modric and his teammates, he assured.
Regragui doesn't even know who he can field at the moment. "We have some injured players but they all still want to play this game," he said. Already in the semi-final defeat against France (0:2) he had to change several times due to injury. Now captain Romain Saïss is sure to be out. In addition, a use of Bayern professional Noussair Mazraoui, among others, is questionable. The full-back took a light hit against France.
