Croatia shocked the world by storming into the FIFA World Cup final match after crushing England 2-1 in the semi-finals. Millions of people from across the globe will be glued to the TV screen to watch the France vs Croatia game this Sunday. If you are going to be away from your TV, you can watch live stream of the big match right on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
☀️ Good morning!
? No, you were not dreaming.
? #Croatia is in the #WorldCupFinal!#FlamingPride #WorldCup #Vatreni? pic.twitter.com/68lJGaYK8Z— HNS (@HNS_CFF) July 12, 2018
France has been a favorite right from the beginning of the tournament while Croatia has proved to be a dark horse. Fans will not want to miss even a moment of the action. France had defeated Belgium in the semi-finals. Croatia left the English team to lick their wounds. England will take on Belgium in the playoffs, where the winning team will settle for the third spot.
If you want to find out more about the matchups of these two teams then it’s definitely worth checking out FootyAccumulators. They will be offering football tips ahead of the game as well as a head to head comparison between both teams to help you decide who you want to back.
When and where will the France vs Croatia match take place?
The FIFA World Cup final is set to take place on Sunday, July 15th. It will be held at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000 people. The France vs Croatia match will begin at 6 PM local time. That’s 11 AM ET on Sunday or 11 PM Hong Kong Time or 8:30 PM India Time.
So far, Croatia has proved almost every doubter wrong. They advanced in three consecutive extra-time matches in the knockout stage and snatched victory from the opponent. The FIFA World Cup final match will be the biggest game the tiny country has ever played. Yes, it’s the first time Croatia has entered the World Cup finals.
Les Bleus received yet another rapturous welcome when they arrived back at their base camp in Istra!#Fiersdetrebleus #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/iBJnAVXwPM
— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) July 11, 2018
Before Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final match, France and Croatia have come face to face five times. And the French have never lost a match against the Croats. The two teams first battled in the semi-finals of 1998 World Cup, when the hosts crushed the Croats 2-1. A draw in 2004 in the Uefa European Championship group stage was the best Croatia has done against France.
The historical stats might not favor the Croats. But Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic told his team after defeating England that the 2018 FIFA World Cup final match was their chance to avenge the 1998 World Cup semi-final defeat. After defeating Croatia in 1998 semi-finals, France had gone on to claim the title. Zlatko Dalic said, “Maybe this game has a historic significance. The chance to settle a score.” He believes the team “with character who execute on the pitch” will win the tournament.
Where to watch live stream?
There are tons of options to watch live stream of the big match on Sunday. Fox and Telemundo TV Network are the official broadcasters of the FIFA World Cup final match in the United States. But they are not the only ones live streaming the game.
If you want to watch the France vs Croatia match on TV, go to the FS1 TV channel at 11 AM ET on Sunday. Fox will also air the game on their local stations, which are often free with a digital antenna. To live stream it on your Android or iOS device, download the Fox Sports Go app and log into it with a legitimate pay TV account.
Alternatively, you can watch live stream on fuboTV, which fortunately offers a free trial. FuboTV gives you the freedom to watch the France vs Croatia game on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast, Android phones, laptop, Amazon Fire TV, and other devices.
People who prefer Spanish commentary can download the Telemundo app to watch live stream. Another much-liked Spanish streaming service is Univision Deportes, which will deliver some of the most in-depth coverage of the FIFA World Cup final match. The coolest thing about Univision Deportes is that it doesn’t require a cable subscription.
You can also install the WatchESPN app on your mobile to watch live stream of the final game. WatchESPN requires a paid subscription, but it will be worth the price given the amount and quality of coverage it offers. If you don’t want to install any of them, you can take advantage of other streaming services such as DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, and Hulu TV. They offer a free trial, so if you haven’t signed up for them already, sign up for the free trial to watch the FIFA World Cup final match and then cancel the subscription to avoid the monthly fee.
Which team will win the FIFA World Cup final match?
We have come across multiple predictions in the last few weeks. David Beckham predicted England would lift the World Cup this time. Baidu’s algorithm predicted Germany would be the winner. Most others thought Argentina or Portugal would win. But it’s France and Croatia who have reached the finals. And Croatia is the lowest ranked team in the history of FIFA World Cup to make it the finals.
France is the favorite of the betting market in the World Cup final. The fact that France has never lost a game against Croatia gives bettors further confidence, but there is always the possibility of Croatia shocking the world once again.
According to Australian Gambling, only $1.91 is on the offer if France lifts the World Cup. The draw is at $3.25 while a Croatian victory is at $4.50.
Which French player could be the biggest threat to Croatia?
The French team has many incredible players, but one name that stands out from the rest is Kylian Mbappe. The 19-year-old has scored three goals in the FIFA World Cup 2018 so far. He is effective, energetic, and unstoppable. Mbappe could prove a tough nut to crack for the Croatian team.
We saw the Croats struggle in the first half against England. They could barely manage to deal with the pace of England’s Raheem Sterling. Kylian Mbappe is faster and more powerful than Sterling, so he could be the biggest headache for his opponents in Sunday’s France vs Croatia finals.
Who is Croatia’s top performer so far?
The Croats were the underdog. Most football fans were expecting teams like Germany, Argentina or Brazil to enter the finals. But here we are waiting for the big France vs Croatia final. The primary reason Croatia reached the finals is the hard work and dedication of the entire team. Danijel Subasic, Sime Vrsaljko, Ivan Perisic, and Mario Mandzukic have all done well for their team in the FIFA 2018 World Cup.
One player who could turn the finals in Croatia’s favor is the midfielder Luka Modric. He has been terrific in every single match he has played in the World Cup, scoring a couple of goals. He is calm and consistent, which makes him the player to watch out for in the finals when tension on both sides will be at peak.
Modric not only focuses on scoring goals but also on creating goal opportunities for his teammates. Interestingly, Luka Modric has run the longest – 63km to be precise – in this World Cup. It’s not like the entire Croatian team is dependent on one player. But if the French figure out a way to stop Luka Modric, they will gain an instant edge in the World Cup finals on Sunday.
The Golden Ball and Golden Boot
At the beginning of the tournament, legends like Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo were seen as the biggest contestants for the Golden Ball and Golden Boot. The Golden Boot award goes to the top goal scorer while Golden Ball is presented to the best player. Messi and Ronaldo’s teams failed to make it to the finals, opening up the opportunity for other players.
Multiple players have given terrific individual performances so far. But at this point, no one is guaranteed for the Golden Ball prize. The FIFA committee will determine the best player only after the France vs Croatia match. It’s worth pointing out that the Golden Ball winner has not come from the champions since 1994. Only time will tell whether Luka Modric or Kylian Mbappe will be able to change that.
As for the Golden Boot award, England’s Harry Kane is the highest goal scorer so far with six goals. Saturday’s England vs Belgium playoffs will give Kane an opportunity to further improve his tally. Belgian star Romelu Lukaku is also in the race with four goals before the playoffs against England. Kylian Mbappe lags behind with three goals. Russia’s Artem Dzyuba and Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani have also scored three goals.
