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Football fans have taken to social media to heap praise on Josko Gvardiol after he impressed in Croatia's 2-1 win over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff.
Croatia were one of the biggest surprises of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, making their way into the final. They repeated the trick again in Qatar this year, earning a place among the last four of the tournament.
While Kockasti's World Cup dream ended after they lost to Argentina in the semi-finals, they finished the competition on a high. They notably beat Morocco 2-1 in their third-place playoff match on Saturday (December 17).
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Starring in the match for Zlatko Dalic's side was Gvardiol, who was one of Croatia's best players throughout the tournament. The RB Leipzig defender opened the scoring for his side and also impressed at the back. Awed by the youngster, one fan wrote on Twitter:
"Josko Gvardiol was unreal this World Cup, Football Manager got it spot on once again."
Here are some more reactions to Gvardiol's impressive performance against Morocco in the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff match:
Gvardiol did not miss a single minute of action for Dalic's side during the FIFA World Cup. He found the back of the net once for the team and also helped them keep two clean sheets in seven matches.
Croatia's FIFA World Cup star Gvardiol is a wanted man
Gvardiol is widely regarded as one of the best up-and-coming defenders across Europe. The 20-year-old's performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup have only seen his stock go up.
Chelsea were notably credited with an interest in signing him from Leipzig last summer. It appears more clubs are now entering the race to acquire his services next year.
According to reports, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United have made offers for Gvardiol. The Premier League giants are seemingly prepared to fork out a sum in excess of €90 million for him.
While Chelsea and Manchester United have offered €90 million and €95 million respectively, Manchester City are willing to go beyond that. They are ready to pay Leipzig a sum in excess of €100 million, including add-ons, for Gvardiol.
The centre-back, though, could still attract more transfer interest in the coming months. It thus remains to be seen what his future holds, but Leipzig are nevertheless in line to earn a significant amount of money.
