- 3rd Place Play-Off: Croatia vs Morocco
Even though this is a battle of losers, the country's pride is still at stake. My prediction is that Morocco, being the world cup sensation, won't be able to compete once they lose their "mojo," proven with both of their center-backs injured and set to miss this match. However, by no means this is an easy match for Croatia, but they will certainly be in much better shape, mentally, and with more experience. So I think 3-1 or 2-1 for Croatia should be ideal.
- Final: Argentina vs France
On paper, France has a more balanced team, with star players from back to front. However, I think this year's story should be "farewell Messi" as this is his last world cup, and the ideal story should be Argentina winning the world cup. Even though I predict that Argentina will be the winner and Messi is the crucial part of it, I don't agree that they are the favorite in the betting market. So yeah, betting on Argentina might not be a good thing considering the odds.