Mateo Kovacic says he and Hakim Ziyech were teased by their Chelsea teammates who thought Croatia and Morocco to be among the first teams to be knocked out of the World Cup.
Kovacic came against his Blues teammate in the third place play-off at the World Cup on Saturday afternoon. Croatia performed beyond many peoples’ expectations by reaching the semi-finals, four years after they finished as runners-up to France in Russia.
Morocco, meanwhile, have been the shock of the tournament, becoming the first African side in history to make it to the final four at a World Cup. The Atlas Lions knocked out Spain and Portugal before being beaten 2-0 by France in the semi-finals. Their performances have gone against the predictions of Chelsea's teammates.
“I am very glad Morocco made it this far, they are a great team,” Kovacic told reporters. “I have been in touch with Ziyech before and during this World Cup.
“All of the others joked that Ziyech and me would come home first... and here we are almost at the end of the World Cup. Both of us are very proud of what our national teams have achieved.”
He added: “Hakim Ziyech is a really great player along with the many others who have stood out at this World Cup.”
Chelsea had plenty of players at the World Cup, but they will not have a winner among their squad, with finalists Argentina and France containing none of Graham Potter’s squad. England trio Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling and Conor Gallagher have returned home following the Three Lions’ 2-1 defeat by France, while Thiago Silva’s Brazil were also eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
Kai Havertz endured a miserable tournament with Germany, who were knocked out in the group stages, while Spain’s Cesar Azpilicueta, Switzerland’s Denis Zakaria, the USA’s Christian Pulisic did not have much more success, all falling in the last-16, alongside Senegal duo Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy.
Kovacic and Ziyech will have a new international teammate in the summer, with Christopher Nkunku joining Chelsea from RB Leipzig. Mirror Football understands Nkunku, 25, will join the Blues from July, allowing him to finish the season in Germany.
He has been in fine form this season, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists for Leipzig, but missed the World Cup due to injury. Chelsea have beaten off competition for his signature by agreeing to pay the German club £53million for his signature.
The signing will coincide with the appointment of Leipzig chief Christopher Vivell as their new sporting director. Chelsea have almost finalised the paperwork for Vivell, who left his role as Leipzig’s technical director in October.
