France vs Croatia: What to know about the 2018 World Cup Final in Russia

You are not what one could call a football fan. This is fine. Even though it's the most popular sport in the world, it's not such a mbadive entity in the United States, especially this year with the United States . miss the World Cup . Yet for a month, you've heard a lot about the World Cup, and your interest has been stung. Now, with the final at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow between France and Croatia a few days away, you have decided to watch the match, but you do not want to go blind.

Consider me as your guide. I can not speak to you fluently about The Beautiful Game, but I can give you enough information so that you know what to look for and maybe even surprise someone with your knowledge.

Let's start with the basics:

What : World Cup Final
When : Sunday, July 15, 11 pm ET, broadcast on fuboTV (Free Trial)
Who : France vs . Croatia
Where : Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia

How did France come here?

France's run to the World Cup final was not a surprise, as he was considered one of the favorites before the tournament started. He landed in Group C with Denmark, Peru and Australia, and was a favorite to win the group, which he did. After two wins against Australia and Peru to start in group, the French have already won a place in the round of 16, and a draw with Denmark has given them the first place in the group. He then met Argentina in the first round of the knockout phase (think of it as the equivalent of the NCAA Tournament World Cup: win or go home) and won in an exciting match 4-3. The next round brought Uruguay, another strong team, but without a key player, since striker Edinson Cavani missed the match with a wounded calf. France won this match 2-0 before moving to the semi-finals where they released another strong team in Belgium, winning 1-0.

How did Croatia come here?

The path of Croatia was not quite what someone saw happen. In Group D with Argentina, Nigeria and Iceland, many expected Croatia to move to the knockout phases, but few ripped to win the group. against Argentina. That's precisely what he did, however, thanks in large part to a 3-0 win over Lionel Messi's Argentina in his second game of the tournament. Maybe then everyone should have realized the quality of this team. Croatia won all three group matches with a combined score of 7-1. Things have become more difficult in the knockout stage as Croatia pbad Denmark on penalties. The score was equal to 1-1 after 90 minutes, and after an additional 30 minutes of overtime (overtime), the score remained 1-1. The quarter-final of Croatia against the local team, Russia, followed the same scenario. He was 1-1 after 90 minutes, but both sides managed to score a goal in overtime to finish 2-2. Croatia would win again on penalties (4-3) despite goalkeeper Danijel Subasic who was suffering from a hamstring that he suffered late in the game. Then, in one way or another, despite its many minutes of play, Croatia overcame a 1-0 deficit in the semifinal to crush England 's dreams and reach its first World Cup final in history.

Who will win?

Well, I do not see the future, but France is the favorite. By the time I write, France's chances are -106, while Croatia is an outsider of +387. The odds of a draw are +233. Now, I know what you think, and no, the World Cup can not end in equality. A draw means that the match was tied after 90 minutes before 30 minutes of overtime and possible penalty shots. Regarding the chances of winning the match, whether in regulation, overtime or penalty, France is -220 and Croatia at +180.

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So Croatia is like a Cinderella?

Yes, if you want to use another badogy of the NCAA tournament, you can certainly say it. Although they are not quite up to what we saw with Loyola at this year's Final Four, they are always a surprise. It's a team that has not yet lost one in this World Cup. And while Croatia has some big names known to football fans like Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic, these guys are not familiar names for the most part.

Which team is the most fun to watch?

Well, different shots for different people and all that, but I would bet that France is the most entertaining side for the casual football fan. If any of these teams will score three to four goals in a match, France is the most likely option. The team has such offensive strike power with players like Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe (mmm-bap-eh) on the front, and N & # 39; Golo Kante and Paul Pogba in the middle ground. It's a terrific mix of youth, experience, speed and strength.

Who is the only French player I should keep my eyes on?

There are many, but at this moment the most popular name is French Kylian Mbappe. He is only 19 years old, but he has scored three goals in the World Cup (Antoine Griezmann also scored three goals for France). It can essentially serve as a quick break from a person for the French. Think of him as a little Russell Westbrook of the NBA. He is very dangerous in transition because he can fly fast on the ground.

And the best player of Croatia?

That would be Luka Modric. Although he is more than capable of scoring goals (he has two in the tournament), this is not his ultimate goal. He's not a goal scorer as much as goal scorer. It's the guy who has the ball at his feet most of the time when Croatia is looking to create a scoring chance because it's best to create space for his teammates to operate in. dribbling the ball in dangerous areas. If Kylian Mbappe is Russell Westbrook, Luka Modric is Chris Paul.

Which NFL teams would you compare them as well?

If I compare France to anyone right now, I will go with the Philadelphia Eagles. Unlike the Eagles, France had already won a World Cup before this year, in 1998. But the comparison is that the Eagles have never been a leading franchise of the NFL, but they have not never had a protracted period of struggles C is a team that has always been good, but rarely brilliant. That being said, the Eagles have just won a Super Bowl with a team that had a good mix of young, talented and experienced, and they might be able to become a real powerhouse in the NFL over the next few years. years. Well, some wonder if this World Cup final is only the beginning of a dominant race of France on the international football scene over the next decade.

As for Croatia, I would compare it to Jacksonville Jaguars. Croatia became an independent country only in 1991 and competed in its first World Cup that in 1998. Jacksonville has become an NFL franchise that has grown to ## 147 ##. 39, in 1995. Similarly, like Croatia, Jacksonville has won three division titles since then, it's never won the AFC or reached the Super Bowl before. So it's an unexplored territory right now, and like Jacksonville, Croatia has a strong enough defense to stay in the match with France. The only question is whether she will be able to score enough to win.