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France v Croatia – Dave Tindall’s World Cup Final Preview
France v Croatia
Of the thousands of stats flying around at this World Cup, a contender for the most unlikely is that in the 62 matches so far we’ve only witnessed one 0-0. It’s France v Croatia in the final and hopefully we shall not be seeing this here.
I highlight this ahead of Sunday’s showdown between France and Croatia in Moscow because the last two World Cup finals have finished goalless after 90 minutes.
If you can’t recall that, it’s probably because the games were so forgettable, our memories only jogged by the 10-second clips of both those matches being settled in extra-time.
But before Andres Iniesta fired his 116th-minute winner v Holland in Johannesburg eight years ago, the Dutch had spent most of the game kicking lumps out of Spain (card count 13 yellows and a red – Howard Webb must still have nightmares).
And in the 2014 final in Rio there was no magic from Messi or any of the ruthless football which had seen Germany smash hosts Brazil 7-1 in the semis. The Germans put us the viewing public out of their misery with a Mario Gotze goal with seven minutes of extra-time to go.
Time For A Change
So it’s time for a change. Time for a World Cup final to thrill because, without doubt, this fantastic tournament in Russia deserves a fitting climax.
It could be a concern that France were involved in the only 0-0 so far but that game v Denmark didn’t really count as it suited both teams. Motivation was very thin on the ground.
Since that Danish dud, France have matured into the most polished team in the tournament – well organised and smart in defence, disciplined and creative in midfield and capable of exciting flourishes going forward.
French teenager Kylian Mbappe is now the odds-on favourite to win the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player while Antoine Griezmann, N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba are the third, fourth and fifth favourites in that market.
However, the main contender to Mbappe is in Croatian colours. Luka Modric is just 2/1 to have his wonderful performances recognised and well done to anyone who backed him at 80/1 for the Golden Ball pre-tournament.
The Real Madrid midfielder has been simply brilliant, controlling games from the centre of the park, scoring goals, setting the tempo and knowing exactly how to pace himself through matches.
He’s had to do the latter with Croatia being taken to extra-time in their three knockout matches and it’s those heavier legs that must surely catch up with them as they play their seventh game of the tournament on Sunday.
THE BOOKIES
The betting is heavily in favour of France, who are a shade of odds-on across the board. Croatia are 4/1 while a draw after 90 minutes is 9/4.
My prediction? Twenty years on from those glorious scenes along the Champs Elysees after France had won the trophy on home soil, I expect more Gallic glee and glory in Moscow.
I’ll back the French defence to keep Croatia out, Kante to keep Modric quiet and Mbappe and Griezmann to take the glory with a goal each.
Forget those drab 0-0s in 2010 and 2014, back a 2-0 France win at 7/1 and sit back and watch this World Cup final live up to its name.
