Group F at the start of the World Cup looks interesting. Here, each of the two European teams could well be the favourites, while the potential underdogs could surprise. Croatia and Morocco are not too far apart in the FIFA rankings, but the draw has placed them in different baskets, allowing them to cross paths as early as the group stage. The value of their line-ups, meanwhile, does not suggest that the World vice-champions enjoy an overwhelming lead: Croatia €377m, Morocco €241.1.

Croatia have not had the most straightforward qualifying journey to Qatar. Only in the last round of the group stage did the team defeat Russia, beating their rivals by one point. In that game, Russian player Fedor Kudryashov scored an own goal in the 81st minute to seal a place in the Mundial. After difficult qualifying, the Croats are now in a good frame of mind as they head into the A-League of Nations. In their group, Modric and company beat France, Denmark and Austria to become deserving participants in the Final Four. The Croats have a five-match winning streak ahead of the tournament, stretching back to June 10 this year.

Morocco entered World Cup qualifying at the second leg of the African qualifying process, where they won all their group matches against Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sudan in dominant style, with a combined score of 20-1. In the playoffs, the Moroccans scored the most convincing victory over their opponents of all the participants, eliminating DR Congo. The first encounter with the Congolese ended 1-1, while in the second Morocco left their rivals 4-1. The African side also has a positive winning streak, coming into the opening game of the 2022 World Cup with seven unbeaten games, only two of which have seen the team concede goals.

The Moroccan side are dangerously underestimated. Their squad is packed to the brim with players from Europe's top leagues. The defence of the African national team includes players from Bayern, PSG and West Ham, while the attacking midfield includes Chelsea and Sevilla. The Croats are probably rightly regarded as favourites, but it is hard to believe that they will be active and win against such an opponent in the heat of the day.