After 63 games of intense and scintillating football action, the curtain on the 2018 global tournament comes down when France and Croatia take on each other at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.
Le Bleus will be making their first appearance at the final since 1998 when they won the tournament on home soil. In Russia however, they’ve had to battle Australia, Peru, Denmark, Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium to make it this far.
That’s really no mean feat and a good reason why they are favourites to lift their second title.
The Blazers have already made history making it into the final as it’s their first time. The Croatians have definitely been the most impressive team at the mundial, claiming maximum points in all group stage games while showing grit and determination to edge past Denmark, hosts Russia and England in the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals respectively.
Though they needed extra-time and ultimately penalties to get through, they’ll be the real deal if they can sort things out within 90 minutes.
Stalemates have been the order for Zlatko Dalic’s men in the knockout phase and it won’t be much of a surprise if such surfaces again at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.
