As two teams who are perennially mentioned as ‘dark horses’ for tournaments, neither arrive in Qatar with that reputation. For Morocco, they arrive with a bevy of issues in their squad and a real imbalance in certain areas. For all of the attacking flair, they lack balance on the left-hand side of the team. Crucially, they also have a gluttony of left-footed central defenders but precious few who could play on the right.
Croatia, meanwhile, are still trying to drain out more from an increasingly veteran core of players. This has left them coming into the tournament knowing that a group stage exit is as likely as a run to the last eight or four. They lack the same balance and clinical style they had in 2018, and will face off on opening matchday with Morocco knowing it is almost a winner-takes-all from day one.
Who will win this tie?
Score draw. Frustratingly for both teams, the deficiencies will comfortably outweigh the qualities. Neither team comes into the tournament in any kind of meaningful or vintage form. In fact, they both look a bit tired and in need of a refresh. This is likely to see a lot of players coming to the tournament who are not really in the form they should be.
While Croatia have made some bold calls, such as leaving behind the ever-aggressive Ante Rebic, Morocco have arrived with more or less the squad expected. This is a pair of teams who have been together for a long time, and now probably look in need of a reset.
That reset will only arrive after the tournament and amid a flurry of retirements. For Luka Modric, this could be his last ever tournament in the famous red and white checkers of Croatia. A score draw helps nobody, but it feels the most likely outcome for two teams suffering from a paucity of offensive quality.
VERDICT: 1-1