MOSCOW – Croatia takes on France on Sunday attempting to win their first World Cup while Didier Deschamps‘ side are aiming to land their second title two decades on from their triumph on home soil.

France are clear favourites to triumph in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium and will be spurred on by the bitter disappointment of losing the Euro 2016 final to Portugal in Paris.

Croatia have brought joy to their Balkan nation of just four million people by defying the odds to progress to the final while reigning champions Germany, then Argentina and Brazil all fell by the wayside in Russia.

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They have been inspired by mercurial midfielder Luka Modric while coach Zlatko Dalic, who only took over last year with the squad in chaos, has coaxed remarkable performances from his team.

Deschamps, who captained France when they lifted the World Cup in 1998, would become only the third man to win the trophy as both a player and a manager after Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo.

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AFP