Between pride and prejudice: Croatia won the game for third place | CHRONICLE

Apparently all those ultras ran out of megabytes. Because what Croatia and Morocco offered at the Kalifa stadium has been an example of how the match for third place should be assumed, an event that has existed since 1934, when the Germans and Austrians resolved their differences shortly before a man with a mustache named It occurred to Hitler to sow terror between both nations.

If one reviews history, only three times has one of these games ended 1-0, the others have been an act of generosity with the public: a waste of goals. It is understood: without the pressure of the final, the game is looser. But it is also true that many coaches have used this meeting to give opportunities to those who have spent time on the substitute bench.

That did not happen today. And it is not necessary to talk to Dalic or Regragui. Neither with Hakimi nor with Modric. It is enough to have seen the complete game. How the goals were celebrated. How Kramaric left crying from a tear. How the Moroccans went to complain to the referee at the end of the game. They all ran blood. It was not a decorative match, it was not one more check on the agenda. Both played, with intensity, for a bronze medal and for third place on a podium. And also for a ton of millions, let’s not be naive: 27 million dollars for the third and 25 million for the fourth.

History indicates that for the powers to win this game is a facelift. If not Germany, who played it five times, would not have worked hard to win it four times. The effect for the host countries is very similar: they have won three times out of five possible. Who lost? South Korea, in 2002, without knowing how it had gotten this far. Or maybe yes: thanks to the Bolivian referee René Ortubé. The other was Brazil, in 2014. A Brazil beaten 7-1 against Germany in the semifinals that was simply a soul.

But for the teams that were the revelation in their World Cups, those that made us stop from our seats, the seventh game is the consecration. Poland in Spain 82, Sweden in the United States 94, Turkey in Korea-Japan 2002 and, of course, Davor Suker’s Croatia in France 98. Perhaps that is why Luka Modric and his team took this duel so seriously. They wanted to match that other golden generation.

As for the goals, they were of great bill. Gvardiol’s popcorn at 7 minutes was the consequence of a set play, and Orsi’s right hand (42′) was genius: kiss the post and goal. Morocco’s goal lacked that stroke of talent, but Dari’s celebration, eyes closed, waiting for the embrace of his comrades on the grass, was significant. He showed how much it cost the Moroccans to get there. If not let their mothers say so, whom they have honored in each game.

In theory, playing for third place means you didn’t deserve to be in the final. But let’s talk to the Croatians and Moroccans about merits. It was one more match to enjoy the legendary Modric, but also names that we will never forget: Ziyech, Amrabat, Bono, and many more. Nothing consoling. They went for the glory. Thanks for getting us out of bed.