France 4 Argentina 3 was probably the best game of the 2018 World Cup. It marked the day that Kylian Mbappe became a world star. Four years on, after winning their respective games in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, those two nations meet again, this time in the final itself. If we were to get a game anything like that quality, it would be one of the great World Cup finals of all time.
Argentina 3 Croatia 0
Luka Modric comes to the end of the line. Lionel Messi stands on the brink of what has long seemed to be his destiny. That was the outcome of the semi-final between Croatia and Argentina. it was an absorbing contest for much of the first half, a foregone conclusion for all of the second.
In the end, Croatia’s durability finally fractured. Perhaps they were worn down by consecutive bouts of extra time and penalties. Perhaps they were simply unable to withstand an increasingly confident-looking Argentina and an irrepressible Messi.
Not that he was the only weapon in the Argentine armoury. On this night, he was pretty much matched by Julián Álvarez. He created the penalty, which Messi converted with ferocious intent after 34 minutes. Álvarez then scored the two goals that sealed the victory. The second was worthy of winning any game. He created the ball from his captain inside his own half and then drove forward with absolute conviction and electrifying pace.
You might argue that he was fortunate with two ricochets from Croatian defenders that fell kindly. But that’s unfair. He made his own luck with the quality and determination of his play. He unbalanced them, forcing them into errors on which he capitalized.
Álvarez goals help Argentina reach the Final
Messi was the creator of Alvarez’s second, dashing away down the right. If he no longer has the acceleration to leave defenders in his wake, he still has the footwork to leave them looking foolish. He employed that to the full before teeing up Alvarez to slot in.
There was no denying the merit of the Argentine win. The better team by far, they looked to be coming to the boil at the right moment. That opening defeat against Saudi Arabia and the dreadful first 45 minutes against Mexico were a distant memory. They were now clicking into gear as an attacking force. However, questions remained about their defensive solidity. They were exposed by the Dutch in the previous round, though Croatia were never really able to raise a sufficient gallop to exploit any potential weakness.
It was a sad end for the glittering career of the magnificent Modric. The third-place game (see below) was all that was left for him at this exalted level. Even he could not turn the tide in his team’s favour. That tide seemed to be carrying Messi along with it, though there will be concern that he looked to be struggling with his fitness in the opening half an hour. Surely fate would not deny him that second final now?
France 2 Morocco 0
France were made to work before they could join Argentina in that final. Opponents Morocco had been the wild card of the competition. Hernandez gave the French a fifth-minute lead. The left-back produced a well-thought-out finish to open the scoring as France opened brightly. It was the first goal an opponent had scored against Morocco (they scored an own goal in the 2-1 win over Canada).
France Exploit Weakened Morocco
Giroud then proceeded to hit the post and fire wide from a central position. It looked as if France were going to batter a Moroccan side wearied by the shootout wins over Spain and Portugal and weakened by defensive injuries.
They needed to show a different side of their talents. They began to get to grips with the game after half an hour and began asking plenty of questions. Lloris made a fine save from El Yamiq as Morocco ended the first half on a real high.
They continued to have good possession in the second period. France steadied the ship to some extent, notably with the arrival of Thuram as a sub. He was more willing to track back on the left than Mbappe, who moved into the centre.
There were still a few alarms for the French. However, Morocco’s excellent approach play was not matched by the quality of the final pass or shot. Without that cutting edge, the concession of that early goal was a heavy blow indeed. While France weren’t entirely secure at the back, they had that goal in the bag. That was something the other teams had failed to achieve, and meant they were always in control.
Morocco Break Glass Ceiling For African Football
Kolo Muani sealed victory for France in the 79th minute, within a minute of coming off the bench. Mbappe was the instigator. His mesmerising feet took him away from three defenders inside half a yard of space. His shot squirted across the six-yard box to give Kolo Muani his first international goal with a tap-in from three yards.
The better side won in the end. They have set up what could be a brilliant final. But even in defeat, the night belonged to Morocco. They had crashed through one glass ceiling by going all the way to the semi-finals of the competition. A first for any African nation.
They had given the lie to all the ancient, creaking stereotypes about African football lacking discipline and organisation. They had played with real courage and belief and would be nothing but proud of their achievements. If only they had a real goalscorer.
Croatia beat Morocco to win 3rd place
The third-place play-off match at the World Cup is a pretty weird concept. On occasion, it does bring forth a decent game. This was the case with Croatia defeating Morocco 2-1. The real pressure was off. In all honesty, both sides had gone further in the competition than anybody would have expected. So they approached this game not as an anti-climax, but something to be embraced.
Croatia were deserving winners. They cemented a third-place finish, having been runners-up four years ago. That is a remarkable achievement for such a comparatively small nation, but they left Qatar wondering where the future would take them. There is little doubt that they would remain competitive. This is a country with a real gift for producing talented footballers on a regular basis.
But with Luca Modric 37, and surely never to grace the World Cup again, he left a giant hole for them to fill. No team this good is ever a one-man band, but Modric was as close to irreplaceable as it gets. There are few midfielders around who can dictate the direction of a game as he can. With his impending departure, will we see a change in style and emphasis from the Croatians? That will be one of the more intriguing stories to unfold over the next few years. Check out Euro soccer betting here.
Morocco eager to build on World Cup legacy
Meanwhile, what of Morocco, the greatest African side ever at a World Cup? They continued to impress and enchant to the very end. Football fans all across the globe would be sad that they would now disappear from our screens for a while to come. What is essential now is that they build on the success for the next time around.
That will be easier said than done for many if their players have now gone from being respected within the game to suddenly being in real demand by bigger and bigger clubs with deeper and deeper pockets. Keeping your focus amid that takes some doing. One of the greatest elements of their success had been their unity, that ‘all for one’ spirit. Retaining that is central to them repeating this success in 2026. Croatia should be their inspiration there, for time and again, they have shown it can be done.
Read all about the 2022 World Cup final here
Sir Alf Ramsey: England 1973 focuses on the final full year of Sir Alf’s reign as England boss. The nation that won the World Cup in 1966 failed to even qualify for the 1974 tournament. Ramsey was suddenly a man out of time, both on and off the pitch. The failing fortunes of the England team mirrored those of a post-Empire nation heading for its own fall.
A must read for all fans. Order your copy.
