Croatia, who came second in the 2018 World Cup, has not yet lived up to its title ambitions at the World Cup in Qatar with a stuttering start.

Superstar Luka Modrić's team couldn't get past a 0-0 draw against Morocco in Al-Khour on Wednesday.

The Croatians have to improve in the next group games against Canada and co-favorite Belgium, otherwise there is a risk of losing the preliminary round for the fourth time in their sixth final round.

Outsiders Morocco can – also thanks to the many fans behind them – hope for more surprises.

It is questionable whether Bayern professional Noussair Mazraoui can play in the next few games.

The full-back apparently injured his hip in a header and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher.

The World Cup title is a reason to resign, Modrić had hinted before the World Cup kicked off.

Until then, the Croatian team still have a good deal of work to do.

Although the exceptional 37-year-old footballer tried to stimulate his team's game with his fine technique and the millimeter-precise passes, in front of 59,407 spectators the Croatians lacked penetrating power against the robust defense of the Moroccans.

Hoffenheim's Andrej Kramarić also barely appeared and was substituted in the second half.

Nikola Vlašić had the best chance in the first half just before the break, but after a pass from Stuttgart's Borna Sosa, the attacker was denied by Morocco's keeper Bono from close range (45').

In addition to Sosa and Kramarić, Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol, who played with a mask because of his broken nose, was also in the Croatian starting XI.

Two long-range shots from ex-Bayern player Ivan Perišić (16') and Modrić (45' + 2') also posed a little danger.

The distribution of roles was different in the ranks.

More than 20,000 Moroccan fans gave their team a home game.

Every attempted attack was loudly accompanied.

All too often, however, the North Africans failed to score goals.

Youssef En-Nesyri (18') narrowly missed a cross from Chelsea attacker Hakim Ziyech.

In the second round, Mazraoui appeared dangerously in front of the goal.

After his header he had to go down injured.

In addition, the former Dortmund player Achraf Hakimi (65th) tested the Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković with a powerful free kick.

In the middle of the second half, the Croatians increased the pressure and caused some tricky situations.

But the Moroccans always had one foot in between, which increasingly annoyed Modrić.