The Croats are preparing for the big match in their history

20:58
Today
Telegraph

football.ua

Sports news: 15 July in the final of the 2018 world Cup France and Croatia will play their 6th match in history.

In my not so long history as an independent team, the national team of Croatia five times had to meet with France.

And, interestingly, for the first time the teams met in the world Cup. In 1998, France hosted the world Cup. July 8, at Stade de France, the hosts of the tournament in the semifinals, met with Croatia, which was then the Golden generation led by Simic, Bilic, Boban, prosinecki and Suker. In 2018, the French will meet in the final with Croatia, whose Golden generation led by Modric, Rakitic, Perisic and Mandzukic.

Then, in 1998, the Croats opened the scoring thanks to a goal by Davor? Uker in the opening stages of the second half . But a minute later right-back Lilian Thuram began demanding another free kick from Boban, the captain of the Croats was wrong and Djorkaeff immediately brought Tuesday by the coach on a date with the goalkeeper – 1:1. After a little more than half of the second half, Thuram again picked up the ball near the opposition penalty area and proboca left foot put it into the far corner.

So the French first came to the main match of the world Championships, and the Croats lost the first match of the playoffs of the world Cup in its history.

A year later the teams met again in a friendly match. Then France scored a smashing victory 3:0 at home, and six months later won in Zagreb for Maximize with the score 2:0.

In 2004, the teams met again at an official tournament, this time at Euro 2004. In the group stage Croatia and France were in group B and played in the second round. For the first time, the Croats managed not to lose the French (2:2). Igor Tudor opened the scoring to his own goal, Milan Rapaic with a penalty, equalized, dado pršo was soon brought Croatia forward. On 64 minutes, David Trezeguet equalized.

The last match between these rivals took place in 2011. In a friendly match at the Parc des Franz with 55 thousand fans of the team failed to score a single goal.