The final kicks off at 4pm
France take on Croatia in thr 2018 World Cup final today at 4pm. France are strong favourites to lift thr trophy, but it will by no means be an easy game. Croatia have shown the quality and resilience to come through three knockout rounds, two on penalties and one in extra time.
France boss Dider Deschamps has stuck with the same XI that beat Belgium in the previous round:
Hugo Lloris, Benjamin Pavard, Raphaël Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernandez; N’Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi; Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappé.
Matuidi will play on the left of the midfield, tracking back while Griezmann stays forward, in a system that can fluently switch between 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, with Mbappé on the right wing.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić has also selected the same team that beat England in the semi-final.
The underdogs line up with the following XI:
Danijel Subašić; Šime Vrsaljko, Dejan Lovren, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinić; Marcelo Brozović, Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić; Ivan Perešić, Ante Rebić, Mario Mandžukić.
The team news is in…
Here are your Starting XIs, #FRA and #CRO fans! #FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/f5v1NuaCtJ
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
Croatia will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, as opposed to the variations of 4-2-3-1 that Dalić used earlier on in the tournament, with Brozović providing the defensive security that will allow Modrić and Rakitić to get forward.
