Croatia v Belgium, 01 December 2022

Kick-off: 6.00pm local (3.00pm GMT) . FIFA world ranking: Croatia 12, Belgium 2 . With Morocco winning their final group game against already-eliminated Canada, Belgium had to win this game. Otherwise, Croatia would be the other nation to qualify for the Round of 16. . Both Croatia and Belgium reached the Semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia. This was their first meeting at the World Cup finals. . Croatia had now won four and drawn two of their last six group games at the World Cup finals. . Croatia had now lost one of their last 19 games (won 12) since June 2021. . Croatia had now lost two of their 11 meetings with European nations at World Cups finals (won six). . Belgium failed to progress to the group stage for the first time at the last six major tournaments they had qualified for (also UEFA European Championships). . Belgium’s loss to Morocco in the preceding group game ended their run of being unbeaten in 13 games in the group stage of World Cup finals (won eight). . Belgium avoided losing consecutive group games at the World Cup finals for the first time since 1986. . This was only the second time that Belgium had failed to score more than one goal at the group stage of a World Cup finals; also 1930. . Thibaut Courtois became the seventh player (and first goalkeeper) to make 100 appearances for Belgium. He had now also kept 50 clean sheets for the Red Devils. . Belgium had won the last two meetings with Croatia; 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Zagreb in October 2013 and 1-0 in a friendly in Brussels in June 2021. .