World Cup 2018, France vs Croatia: Match Preview and Key Players
It's the D-Day!
France will fight against Croatia at Moscow to claim the ultimate title in the final of the World Cup. France had a slow start to the tournament but the graph of their performance is on a surge since knockout stages.
They defeated third-placed Belgium by 1-0 to advance into the finals whereas the dark horse, Croatia upset England with an extra-time goal to qualify for their maiden final appearance.
France team news
Blaise Matuidi was forced to go off the field in the semifinal but he will be fit to start in the final. Oliver Giroud had a poor outing against Belgium but remains a key figure for France who adds a different dimension to their attacks.
Didier Deschamps will look to field the same starting XI as Matuidi will offer more security in midfield than Tolisso.
France Key players
Kylian Mbappe - France is full of technically gifted players, but it is their 19-year-old wonder kid who has taken this tournament by storm. His galloping runs from the right-flank have been too powerful to obstruct by any opponent.
He has scored three goals in this tournament and is the most dangerous player for his nation. A hat-trick in the final will help him to snatch the Golden Boot from Harry Kane.
N'Golo Kante - Engine, The powerhouse of France! As the limelight on Mbappe and Griezmann, it's Chelsea's midfielder who has proved that he is the best player in his position.
Kante has made 48 recoveries of the ball and recorded 19 interceptions in this World Cup. Not only in the defence, he also contributed to the attack by making 347 passes with a pass completion rate of 90%.
He has given Pogba the freedom to roam from box-to-box, who himself has been astonishing in this tournament.
Croatia team news
The two nations are going to meet for the 6th time and Croatia has not defeated France for even a single time.
No one imagined that Croatia will be a finalist of the FIFA World Cup 2018 but now some are hoping for them to win as this tournament has been full of upsets.
Ivan Strinic limped off against England but will be ready to face France. Croatia's semi-final hero - Mario Mandžukić should also be starting in the final after suffering a cramp against the Three Lions.
Croatia key players
Luka Modric - After winning Uefa Champions League with Real Madrid and carrying his team to the final, many are considering him as a contender for Ballon d'Or. Winning the World Cup will make him a serious candidate for the trophy.
His performance against England was a treat where he bossed Liverpool's Jordan Henderson for the whole match but he will be facing a completely different challenge against France. N'Golo Kante is no Henderson and Modric will find it very hard to contain him.
Danijel Subašić - What a World Cup he is having! One of the main reasons why Croatia has been able to exceed the expectations of all the people and if they want to achieve the unthinkable, he has to put his body on the line several times to deny France's phenomenal attack.
He was Croatia's hero in the game against Denmark when he rescued his team from the penalty shoot-outs. His saving rate in this tournament is 75% and has two clean sheets to his name.