Croatia vs. France | Nations League | Quarter-Finals | 1st Leg | Pre Match
Croatia vs. France
A highly anticipated rematch of the 2018 World Cup final is set to captivate football fans as Croatia welcome France to Stadion Poljud in Split for the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final tie on Thursday night. This clash brings together two nations with a storied history of competitive encounters, each eager to assert their dominance and secure a place in the semi-finals against either the Netherlands or Spain come June. For Croatia, this fixture represents an opportunity to rediscover their spark after a mixed run of form, while France arrive as one of the world’s elite teams, buoyed by their strong performance in the group stage and a legacy of success under manager Didier Deschamps. The atmosphere in Split is expected to be electric, with the home crowd desperate to see their team overcome a French side that has often had the upper hand in recent years. Both managers—Zlatko Dalic for Croatia and Deschamps for France—face tactical challenges as injuries force adjustments, but the stakes couldn’t be higher in this two-legged affair, where every goal, every decision, and every moment could prove decisive in determining who advances to the next stage of the competition.
Croatia’s path to this quarter-final has been far from smooth, and their performance in the Nations League group stage reflects a team struggling to find consistency. After a disheartening group-stage exit at Euro 2024 last summer, the Checkered Ones managed to scrape together eight points from their six matches (W2 D2 L2) in League A Group 1 during the second half of 2024, finishing second behind group winners Portugal. Their campaign was marked by a frustrating inability to close out the group strongly, as they failed to win any of their final three matches—a 1-0 loss to Scotland sandwiched between draws against Poland (3-3) and Portugal (1-1). Despite this underwhelming finish, their earlier results were just enough to see them limp into the knockout rounds, a testament to their resilience if not their flair. Ranked 13th in the world by FIFA, Croatia have a history of punching above their weight in international tournaments, and they came agonizingly close to Nations League glory in 2023, only to lose 5-4 on penalties to Spain in the final after a grueling 120-minute stalemate. That near-miss remains a sore point for Dalic and his players, who will be determined to use their home advantage on Thursday to lay the foundation for a deep run this time around. Stadion Poljud has been a fortress for Croatia of late—they’ve lost just one of their last seven home games across all competitions, keeping five clean sheets and conceding a mere two goals in that span—and they’ll need that defensive solidity to contain a French attack brimming with talent and confidence.
Historically, however, Croatia have found France to be a tough nut to crack, and their record against Les Bleus paints a challenging picture as they prepare for this latest encounter. In their last 10 meetings, Croatia have managed just one victory—a 1-0 away win in the Nations League in March 2022—while France have largely dominated the fixture, including a memorable 4-2 triumph in the 2018 World Cup final in Russia. That defeat still lingers in the memory of Croatian fans, as does France’s double over them in the 2020 Nations League, which included a 2-1 victory in Zagreb. Despite that rare win in 2022, Dalic’s side will need to summon something special to upset the odds against a French team that has consistently had their number. Injuries haven’t helped their cause, with midfielders Luka Sucic and Lovro Majer sidelined, alongside attacker Igor Matanovic, while striker Bruno Petkovic, recently recovered from a long-term hip injury, has been left out of the squad. At 39, the ageless Luka Modric remains the heartbeat of this team and is in line to earn his 185th cap, potentially anchoring the midfield alongside Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic and Dinamo Zagreb’s Petar Sucic, who returns after serving a suspension. Defensively, Josko Gvardiol and Josip Sutalo are expected to form a robust partnership, while Ivan Perisic—Croatia’s leading active scorer with 33 international goals—could spearhead the attack with Andrej Kramaric and Martin Baturina, offering a blend of experience and youthful energy as they look to exploit any French vulnerabilities.
France, by contrast, arrive in Split as a juggernaut of international football, their credentials underscored by their status as the highest-ranked European nation and the second-highest globally, trailing only 2022 World Cup champions Argentina. While Spain hold the Nations League and European Championship titles, it’s France—semi-finalists at Euro 2024—who sit atop the European pecking order in the FIFA rankings, a reflection of their consistency and depth. Didier Deschamps, now in his 13th year as manager, has steered Les Bleus to 105 victories in 165 matches, a remarkable 63.64% win rate, though the 56-year-old has confirmed he’ll step down after the 2026 World Cup, adding extra motivation to claim more silverware before his tenure ends. After a disappointing group-stage exit in the 2023 Nations League, France roared back in 2024, collecting 13 points from six games (W4 D1 L1) in League A Group 2 to finish top ahead of Italy, thanks to a superior head-to-head record. This resurgence has put them in contention for a second Nations League title under Deschamps, following their triumph in the 2020-21 edition, and they head to Croatia on a high, having won their last three away matches by an aggregate score of 9-3, with victories over Belgium and Italy highlighting their attacking prowess. That form, combined with their historical edge over Croatia, makes them the favorites on paper, though Deschamps will be wary of the Checkered Ones’ capacity to spring a surprise, as they did in that 2022 Nations League encounter.
Deschamps’ squad has been hit by the withdrawal of Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram due to an ankle injury, but the manager has opted not to call up a replacement, a sign of his confidence in the depth at his disposal. The headline news is the return of Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe, who was controversially omitted from the past two international breaks but is now back to lead the line. He could form a devastating front four alongside Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, PSG’s Randal Kolo Muani, and the in-form Ousmane Dembele, who has been lighting up Ligue 1 with his pace and trickery. In midfield, Adrien Rabiot is set to start after a standout performance in France’s 3-1 win over Italy in November, where he scored twice and provided an assist on his 50th cap, while Deschamps faces a selection dilemma at left-back between Theo Hernandez and Lucas Digne. This embarrassment of riches gives France a clear edge in terms of individual quality, but their inability to beat Croatia in the group stage of the previous Nations League (D1 L1) serves as a reminder that past success doesn’t guarantee victory against a resilient and tactically astute opponent like Dalic’s side. Deschamps will demand focus and discipline to ensure his team takes a positive result back to France for the second leg.
In essence, this first leg at Stadion Poljud promises to be a gripping contest between two teams with contrasting trajectories but equal determination to progress. Croatia, buoyed by their strong home record and desperate to exact revenge for that 2018 World Cup final defeat, will lean on the experience of Modric and the passion of their supporters to unsettle a French side that has rarely faltered on the big stage. France, meanwhile, bring a blend of world-class talent, recent form, and a manager with a proven track record of delivering trophies, making them a formidable proposition even on the road. Injuries have forced both Dalic and Deschamps to adapt, but the tactical battle between the two will be as crucial as the performances on the pitch. With the semi-finals against either the Netherlands or Spain looming, neither side can afford a misstep in Split, setting the stage for a fiercely contested encounter that could hinge on fine margins. As the echoes of 2018 reverberate, Thursday night will offer a fresh chapter in this compelling rivalry, with everything still to play for in the return leg.
