France in third-ever World Cup final

Les Bleus hoping to win second WC title

No injury concerns for either team

Croatia in first-ever World Cup final

France and Croatia square off in the 2018 World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday as the curtain will come down on a hugely entertaining tournament.

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Les Bleus are the favorites to prevail at Luzhniki Stadium but Croatia’s gutsy run to their first-ever final will leave Didier Deschamps and Co. wary of being upset in a final again, while Croatia look to avenge their World Cup semifinal defeat to France in 1998.

[ MORE: Key battles in WC final ]

Led by the raw power and pace of Kylian Mbappe, the destructive genius of N'Golo Kante and a suprisingly solid defensive unit, France have knocked out Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium en-route to the final.

This team isn’t considered to be as talented as their famous 1998 World Cup winning side but Deschamps has built a cohesive, robust unit which emerged from the stacked side of the knockout bracket. France haven’t set the world alight but this team is one win away from securing the title and exorcising their demons of losing to Portugal in the EURO 2016 final on home soil.

[ MORE: Latest 2018 World Cup news ]

As for Croatia, well, they just keep on fighting back and churning out results as the silky play of Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic have led them to this point. Three-straight victories in extra time is quite remarkable as they knocked off Denmark and Russia on penalty kicks without impressing, then beat England in extra time as they dragged themselves back into the game.

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Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic are their chief goal threats and will no doubt provide plenty of problems for France’s defense as Modric and Rakitic battle with Paul Pogba and Kante for midfield supremacy.

In team news neither Croatia or France have serious injury concerns, as Mandzukic and Ivan Strinic are set to recover for Croatia and Blaise Matuidi fit for France after knocks in the semifinals.

Both sets of players know they are 90 minutes away from immortality in their homeland.

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2018 World Cup final – Sunday, July 15

France v Croatia, Moscow (Luzhniki) — 11 a.m. ET – LIVE COVERAGE

What they’re saying

Didier Deschamps on how World Cup win would compare to him captaining 1998 side to glory: “You have to live in your own times: I never, never, never mention my own history. Some of them were not born but saw pictures. It belongs to a lot of French people that lived through it but not the young generation. I’m here to write a new page in history, the most beautiful page. I’m not saying I’m not proud of what we did 20 years ago. Nobody will be able to erase it. But we can’t look back and see what is in the rear-view mirror.”

Zlatko Dalic on Croatia respecting France:

“There is no weakness in a team that is in the final. They are a top-drawer team with fantastic players. We’re taking it step by step. We’ve entered the final. We’re going to celebrate, to rest and then we will prepare for France. We’re facing another daunting task, but it’s going to be a fantastic match. We are ready for it. I am sure everybody will enjoy watching that match. I have huge respect for France.”

Prediction

I am certainly not underestimating Croatia but their incredible run to the final will catch up with them after three-straight periods of extra time. I expect Mbappe and Griezmann to pull their defense apart and Kante will be able to halt Modric and Rakitic. France to win 3-1.

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