France and Croatia will meet in the World Cup final for the first time today.
This will be the third time the French team will be in the final, while Croatia will be in the final for the first time.
France last won the World Cup in 1998.
That was their first.
They hosted that particular World Cup.
Croatia on the other hand, made their first appearance in that World Cup after they broke away from Yugoslavia.
In France 98, they made it to the semi-final and got defeated by France.
They finished third as they defeated Netherland 3-0 in the third place match.
That was the golden generation of Croatia.
Now that they have qualified for the final, this set of players have gone farther than the 98 set.
Both teams have similar style of playing.
The French are cool calm and calculated.
That is the same thing that got the Croats to this level.
Both teams have not lost any game in this tournament.
Croatia finished with top of group D, comprising of Nigeria, Iceland and Argentina.
They finished with the nine points which is the maximum.
France finished top of their won group.
Croatia played three knock out stages game extended to extra time.
The round of 16 and quarter finals were decided by penalty shootout.
In the semi-final against England, the game ended in extra time and Croatia won 2-1.
France defeated Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium in the knock out stage to get to the final.
None of their game dragged till extra time.
France will be looking up to their key players, such as Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba of France to take them to victory.
Mbappe, who many pundits have tagged the star of this tournament, is one of the contenders for the golden ball award, which goes to the best player of the World Cup.
Croatia will be looking up to their midfielders, Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric, who is the team captain, to lead them to victory.
Modric who plies his trade for Real Madrid of Spain has been magnificent in this World Cup.
He is also a contender for player of the tournament.
Football pundits are predicting a tight game as both teams are very good in keeping possession of the ball.
However, without doubt, a winner will emerge at the end of the match and go away with the coveted World Cup.
