World Cup: Build-up to third-place play-off & final countdown

1. Build-up to Croatia v Morocco in third-place play-off at 15:00 GMT
2. Watch the game live on BBC One & BBC iPlayer
3. Latest news ahead of Sunday's final between Argentina v France
4. Get Involved: #bbcfootball, text 81111 (UK only – texts will be charged at your standard message rate), or text your comments via WhatsApp on 03301231826

Goodbye

PA Media

Right, it's time to make way for some serious build-up to the third place play-off between Croatia and Morocco.

Kick-off is under 90 minutes away and you can watch and follow the match by clicking here.

We're back bright and early on Sunday for the countdown to the BIG one.

We're all over Argentina-France on Sunday with build-up starting at 08:00 GMT.

See you then.

Get Involved

Sam: Best goal - Richarlison volley v Serbia; Standout player - Messi; Unlikely hero - Alvarez/Griezmann/Morocco; Biggest shock - Morocco reaching semis; Best celebration - Brazil coach v South Korea.

'We have the best fans in the world'

Argentina

World Cup finalists

Finally from Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni on his emotions during the World Cup: "The emotions, this is part of our culture, of everything that we live in Argentina, everything that is around us, the excitement from our people.

"You get the images from social media and you get emotional. How can you not get emotional? In the end football is a sport and in Argentina, although it is hard to understand, it is more than a sport for us and people are happy.

"Being able to make them happy is something wonderful and amazing.

"The greatest excitement is to see your fans, your people getting excited. This is really emotional and of course we feel this as human beings because we are on that side. It is completely normal to feel this way."

'There's something about France'

Karen Bardsley

Former England and Manchester City goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

There’s something about France that makes you feel like they’ll find a way regardless of whether they play well or poorly. They have this belief. Having done it before, they know what it feels like and have tasted that success.

An unbiased supporter probably wants Lionel Messi to win though. It's such a fantastic narrative in his last World Cup to go out on a high with that elusive trophy to round out his career. He is used to managing these big moments on a club level.

'Most important thing is to enjoy Messi'

Argentina

World Cup finalists

PA Media

Scaloni on Lionel Messi's last World Cup match: “We hope he can lift this trophy. It would be something wonderful but the most important thing is to enjoy Messi and this is the best scenario possible because this is a World Cup final."

'Marciniak did a very good job'

Argentina

World Cup finalists

Scaloni on the Polish referee Szymon Marciniak taking charge of the World Cup final: “He was in the match against Australia and he did a very good job. Now with the VAR, we have many cameras available so I would say that this won’t be detrimental to us and we should let them do their own work.”

'This match is beyond Messi and Mbappe'

Argentina

World Cup finalists

Rex Features

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni on the match being between Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi:

"The upcoming match will be Argentina against France, beyond Messi and Mbappe. Beyond those two players.

"We have our weapons, our strengths and the match will be defined by our players, by every player. Not only with those two players.

"Messi is doing very well and we hope that we can win the upcoming match but this will be a match between Argentina and France and there are many players that can define this match.”

Argentina news conference

Argentina

World Cup finalists

Argentina's manager Lionel Scaloni, once on West Ham's books, has also also been answering questions from the media. a

'I am always left a bit bored by France'

Chris Sutton

Former Premier League winner

France are quite a baffling side in that I watch them with high expectations but am always left a bit bored, and thinking there must be more to come.

The holders are efficient, rather than exciting, and at the moment they remind me of a Citroen cruising along an old autoroute. They've got a couple of gears left to find, but they might well get all the way to their destination without using them.

I think the French public would prefer them to play like Manchester City or Spain - well, maybe Spain in terms of possession but also taking some shots at goal - and dominate games, winning with flair and doing it in style.

But their manager Didier Deschamps is pragmatic and is not bothered what people think. They were labelled bland four years ago too, but they ended up world champions.

It has worked so far, so they are hardly going to change now, are they?

Read more about Chris Sutton's thoughts on the final.

'France are exceptional national team'

Argentina

World Cup finalists

Reuters

More from Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez:

“We have been analysing France. It is an opponent that we could have played against in the last-16 and we had analysed them very well.

"They were the champions in the last World Cup and we are not only talking about one player. They have their own resources, they are very dangerous.

"They have great defenders, top level players, they have a wonderful goalkeeper as well so they are an excellent national team.”

'Messi is full of joy'

Argentina

World Cup finalists

Getty Images

Emi Martinez on what will be Lionel Messi's last World Cup match:

"I see Lionel Messi very happy. He is very well on the pitch. I saw a great Messi in Copa America, he was an exceptional player, one of the best in Copa America.

"He is playing very well and this gives so much energy to the whole squad because we have the greatest player. He is excited, he is full of joy and this helps us very much.”

'It feels like we are playing in Argentina'

Argentina

World Cup finalists

Getty Images

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez on his team's fans:

"We feel our fans very closely in every match in every stadium, it’s like we are playing a local match. We feel that before the match, during the match, we feel their support. It feels like we are playing in Argentina, in our country which is a huge advantage."

Argentina news conference

Argentina

2014 runners-up

Argentina have sent out their keeper Emiliano Martinez to face the media before the World Cup final.

Quotes coming up.

Watch: Croatia's route to third place play-off

Goals, moments & player - vote for your award winners

Getty Images

As the World Cup prepares to crown its champion, it is time for the awards.

We've picked out six categories, which you can see below, and numerous options for each.

• Best goal
• Standout player
• Unlikely hero
• Biggest disappointment
• Moment of the tournament
• Best celebration

Head over here to cast your vote.

Watch: Morocco's route to third place play-off

Watch: The best goals so far

Every World Cup has special goals.

Here are the best from the 2022 competition so far...

Regragui 'wary' of Modric

Morocco

Getty Images

Morocco and Croatia met in the opening game of Group E, a lifeless 0-0 draw, and Walid Regragui is predicting a much better encounter in the rematch.

"There was a lot of hesitation for the first game," said the Morocco boss. "Both teams will want to win.

"A lot of people said Croatia were approaching the end of their cycle and they got stick for not beating 'underdogs' Morocco, but both teams reached the semi-finals."

He also praised the longevity of Croatia midfielder Luka Modric.

"Hats off to him - what he's doing at 37 is monumental," Regragui said.

"He's a competitive warrior and will want to finish his World Cup in style. We should be wary."

'Priceless'

Morocco

Morocco boss Walid Regragui is extremely proud of the historic achievements of his players in becoming the first African country to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.

"I told my players this is our seventh World Cup game and if you had told any Morocco fan we would be playing our seventh game on 17 December, they would have been proud," he said.

"Morocco played six World Cup games in 20-odd years and now we've played six games in a month - this is priceless.

"It's as if we played two World Cups or even more, that's beautiful from an experience point of view."

'We have shown we belong'

Croatia

Getty Images

Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic admits the team are really disappointed to only be playing in the third place play-off match at the World Cup, but will give everything to try and beat Morocco.

"We are of course sad, as when we reached the semi-finals, we wanted to go to the finals as well," he said. "We have shown we belong among the top four teams in the world which is major.

"Our focus now is on the next match and we'll try to bring the bronze medal home."