Morocco and Croatia meet in the only World Cup game neither team wants to play
Croatia and Morocco meet again three weeks after they played in the group stage of the World Cup. Justin Setterfield/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Your team lost in the semi-finals of the World Cup. It’s understandable that you’re heartbroken, thinking about what could have been.
After a month-long stay that ends in a disastrous loss, you can’t wait to go home to see family and friends, but instead you have to stay and play in the third-place playoff.
To many, this seems like a huge pointless exercise. Does it really matter who finishes third or fourth? However, there should be some pride.
If finishing third instead of fourth wasn’t enough motivation, the winner of the event will also receive a bronze medal. A little more money For their efforts: $27 million instead of $25 million.
Apart from two World Cups in history, the first edition in 1930 and then in 1950, the third-place tie has been held and can be seen as a great way to end your tournament on a high after a disappointing loss.
The importance of the third place match in each World Cup depends on the teams competing against them. Four years ago in Russia, England played as if they didn’t care about the game, while Uruguay, despite losing to Germany in 2010 and Croatia in 1998, were too eager to try to win.
This year, the third-place match between Morocco and Croatia will see both teams vying for the bronze medal and an additional $2 million for their respective federations.