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France defeated Croatia 4-2 in an exciting 2018 World Cup Final. Croatia looked like the better team throughout the game, but France was able to score effectively and end Croatia’s miracle tournament run. This marks their second World Cup victory and establishes them as the best in the world.

Croatia got on the ball early and was looking quite fluid. They couldn’t get the final pass through, but their build-up play put France on their heels several times. A weak foul and questionable dive from Antoine Griezmann gave France a free kick in a good position. Croatia’s striker Mario Mandzukic rose up in trying to clear the ball but instead put it past his own keeper. This was the first own goal in World Cup Final history, which would’ve been a lucrative prop bet for anyone who made the wager.

Despite France’s luck, Croatia continued to push the ball on kept knocking on the door. Their equalizing goal finally came through Ivan Perisic, arguably their greatest player of the game. Perisic took down a pass and used a clever touch to give him enough space to unleash a strong low shot with his left foot. Minutes later, Perisic found himself in the spotlight again but this time for the wrong reason. His hand was in a vulnerable position that deflected the ball away on a corner kick. The referee used VAR technology to grant France a penalty, which Griezmann easily converted.

France started to come alive in the second half and put themselves up by another goal via link-up play between Griezmann and Paul Pogba. Pogba first shot was blocked but he tracked the rebound as it rolled into no man’s land and scored with his left foot. Croatia’s keeper Subasic was frozen after planting his feet the wrong way. A few minutes later, 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe had the ball and moved into a small bit of space to let out a low shot that rolled past Subasic. At 4-1, Croatia looked devastated.

Mario Mandzukic made up for his early error minutes after the Mbappe goal after chasing down France’s keeper Hugo Lloris. Lloris attempted to dribble around the incoming Mandzukic, but the Croatian stuck a foot out and poked the ball into the net. Croatia got some hope with the new goal and looked ready to mount an incredible comeback. They had 20+ minutes to score 2 more goals. Croatia had multiple chances, including a clear sight on goal through substitute Marko Pjaca, but they were never able to convert. France almost scored a couple more times themselves. Pogba had an open look in front of goal and completely whiffed the cross. Perhaps the thought of winning threw them off their game.

5 minutes of extra time were added on, but it wasn’t enough for Croatia. The whistle blew and France began their celebrations. All in all, it was a fantastic game. Croatia had way more shots and possession, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t do anything with those chances. The first goal was unfortunate due to Griezmann’s dive, but the penalty and the other 2 were deserved. Kylian Mbappe won the Silver Ball award for the best young player and Croatia won the Golden Ball award for best player in the tournament. France will be a strong team for years to come since most of them are young. Croatia should also fare well in the upcoming Euro 2020.

The 2018 World Cup Final has Croatia up against France. The match is set for 11 a.m. EST on Sunday, July 15. Oddsmakers are picking France as the favorite by 1.5 goals according to the 2018 World Cup betting odds. Croatia has shown they are not a team to count out. It will be an interesting feature given the stakes, players on the pitch and based on the performances of each time by far.

Both teams have something to prove. France has an incredible roster of young talented players, yet they haven’t won anything on the international scale despite being heralded as one of the greatest teams in the country’s history. They almost won the Euro 2016 but lost to Portugal on penalties. This gives them a chance to redeem themselves. Croatia is the second-smallest country to ever make it this far in the World Cup. Their last time here was in 1998 and against France, interestingly enough. Croatia’s “golden generation” of players wants to write a new legacy separate from their late 90s counterparts. Hopefully, one that includes winning soccer’s biggest tournament.

France’s midfield contains Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, and Blaise Matuidi. The trio has been quite effective in the tournament so far, especially behind the scenes. Kante is the midfield general with Pogba and Matuidi supplying additional offensive flanking options. Pogba has played more defensively in this competition, providing some helpful hold-up play when needed. France’s biggest aces are Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann. Mbappe’s success continues to climb as the 19-year-old bagged several goals for the French team in the time so far. His pace is a nightmare for opponents to deal with and he has the creativity to pull off some incredible passes and dribbles.

Griezmann is the team’s talisman and their best goal scorer. He too can push the ball forward at his will and has a strong shot that makes him a threat even outside the box. Forward Olivier Giroud has yet to get on the scoresheet, so perhaps he’s saved his best for last. The striker has contributed in other ways, like assists, passing and marking on set pieces. Keeper Hugo Lloris has been strong, which is important given Croatia’s offensive capabilities. Their backline is also complete with Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez. On paper, France is a solid team and their cohesion has set in. This will make it difficult for Croatia.

Croatia is not without weapons of their own. Midfielders Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic have been the most effective players. Perisic was the sparkplug in the semifinal against England and will be looking for more ways into the box this time around. Ivan Rakitic and Andre Rebic are other strong midfielders that add a dynamic element to Croatia’s midfield. Up top, Mario Mandzukic has been up to his usual goal-poaching style. He’s also provided some assists here and there.

The backline of Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Sime Vrsaljko and Ivan Strinic create an interesting pairing of solid central defenders and wingbacks that can push up the field when needed. When Croatia turns on the gas, they are a nightmare to deal with. Perhaps their best player has been their goalie, Danijel Subasic. He has seen them through 2 penalty shootouts and 3 extra time games. If the game does go to penalties, his confidence will be high.

This game will come down to which team controls the midfield tempo. Possession leads to chances, so whichever team has more of the ball should have more shots on the goal barring the other team’s defense. Croatia has come back from behind in most of their games. If France scores first, the lead is not safe by any means. If Mbappe and Griezmann get off to an early start, Croatia may be in trouble. On the other hand, if Croatia gets physical early on and stops France in their tracks, the French side will be hard pressed to maintain possession.

Croatia’s sense of urgency is something to behold, and there is a belief shared amongst the players that this could be their year. France has finally come into their own as a team and know their respective roles quite well. Both teams have fought hard to reach this point, so now they get the chance to fight for the ultimate reward. France won the 1998 game 2-1, but Croatia may have something else to say in this year’s installment.

It may seem bittersweet, but the 2 teams that lost in the 2018 World Cup semifinals always get to play another match for third place the day before the Final. This time around, Belgium and England will square off for the consolation prize. It’s unclear whether each team will field their best teams, but we would imagine so.

Belgium almost won against France. After France went up 1-0 thanks to a Samuel Umtiti they reverted to a more defensive playstyle and did their best to keep the ball. Belgium had some chances, but France maintained possession and wasted some time towards the end to win out the game.

Heading into this tournament, Belgium had an incredibly strong team. Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Dries Mertens rounded out a squad full of talented players. They quickly revealed how lethal they were winning all 4 of their group stage matches. They also defeated Brazil and came back from 0-2 down to beat Japan. Belgium looked to be on their way to the Final, but France ended up punching their ticket. Now, they get a chance at redemption over England.

Belgium will likely play some of their B-team to get them some experience, but their B-team already beat England in the last game of the Group Stage. Hazard, De Bruyne, and other starters will be in the lineup. We expect them to run England over and then some. Belgium’s backline is stacked with talent. Best of all, their 2 centerbacks play on the same club team as England’s striker, meaning they know how he likes to play. Belgium’s goalie Thiabut Cortois is also a tough opponent and will be hard to beat.

For England, it will be difficult to bounce back after having their hopes crushed by Croatia. England looks to have lost their defender and #1 set piece taker in Kieran Trippier. They may also choose to start some of their substitute players, but the majority of starters should be present for the final game. England’s success is through set pieces. If they can draw Belgium into fouling them they can force a possible set piece opportunity and score.

Harry Kane will be the go-to scoring option. Jamie Vardy will likely make an appearance. Raheem Sterling, Jesse Lingard, and Marcus Rashford make solid midfield options that bring a lot of pace. The thing is, Belgium already beat Brazil, a team full of pace and flair. England may find themselves hard-pressed to get around Belgium’s midfield and defense.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup betting odds have Belgium as the favorite at a 1.5 point spread. With nothing left to fight for, it’s unclear how hard both teams will go. Now it is more a matter of pride than anything else. Belgium is the more deserving team to win. It will be a small reward compared to what they achieved in this tournament, but something nonetheless. England should also push for victory so they can say they walked away from this tournament with something.

You may not have expected the 2018 World Cup semifinal consisting of Belgium, France, Croatia, and England, but it is what you are getting. This all European-lineup has a lot of talent built in and a bit of luck. Official betting odds on the World Cup predict Belgium and England going through, however, it would be foolish to count out France and Croatia.

England is a hard team to discuss. On paper, they are solid. However, history says it’ll all blow up in their face at some point. Despite their talent, they seem to always fail to play as a team. This time around looks a little different. There’s a belief in the squad that could push them past Croatia. They finally won a penalty shootout after a harsh game against Colombia. They got back on the scoring sheet with a 2-0 win over Sweden. It’s clear their strength is in set pieces. England has a solid attack with Harry Kane leading the charge, but more of their success seems to come through penalties and corners.

Croatia has had some incredible highs this tournament. They bested Argentina 3-0 and showed some powerful offensive capabilities. From there, they should toughness against Denmark and Russia—2 games that went the full distance and into penalties. It’s a good feeling knowing your keeper is in solid form in case of a penalty shootout. Croatia also has a knack for coming back from being down, meaning no lead is safe for the opposing team. This game will likely go into extra time and could be another penalty shootout. If that happens, Croatia has the edge.

France was in the 2016 Euro Final and lost. The fact they’ve put themselves in this position in another international tournament shows the strength of the squad. If anything, this French team is better because they’ve figured out their roles. Olivier Giroud has gone from goalscorer to playmaker, Paul Pogba shapes up as a strong defensive midfielder and Kylian Mbappe shows he deserves all the praise he gets. We can’t forget about Antoine Griezmann, the prolific forward and France’s highest scorer this tournament. France’s matchup against Belgium is tough, but if any team can knock Belgium off their pedestal it looks like it could be the Frenchmen. The midfield will be a battle, but both teams have good forwards that can convert chances.

Belgium has looked like the best team in the tournament throughout. On top of their strong performances, they can say they knocked out Brazil. It was no easy feat, but Belgium has a strategy of their own worked out that makes them look unbeatable. Their size and strength is hard to deal with, especially for less physical teams. They’ve also got a reliable midfield general in Kevin De Bruyne. Romelu Lukaku is always a threat, even when he’s not scoring goals. If Belgium keeps their strong lineup, saving the faster smaller players for subs, we predict they will beat France.

A Belgium-Croatia final seems the most likely choice given how these teams have played. France will make a tough case for a spot in the final, but Belgium’s grit will be enough to see them through. England has a lot of spirit this time around, however, we don’t think they have what it takes to win another close game. If anything, it will go to penalties, where Croatia has a better chance.

The World Cup Round of 16 continued with some exciting action in today’s fixtures. Brazil took on Mexico and Belgium faced off against Japan. Both games were exciting and had their fair share of narratives to pull out.

World Cup betting odds now favor Brazil, as they are the only tournament favorites remaining, at least out of the top favorites. Germany, Argentina, Spain, and Portugal have all been knocked out. Mexico, on the other hand, was a surprise of the tournament after defeating Germany in their first match. Brazil was favorited to win this game, but their 2-0 victory did not come easy.

Mexico was pressing from the beginning. They were aggressive on the ball and Neymar, who was targeted by the media and Mexican players for overdramatizing fouls against him in the days leading up to the match. Neymar was quick to respond to his critics by having an early chance against Mexico, but he was denied by their goalkeeper. Brazil had several more chances in the first half through Gabriel Jesus and Coutinho, but nothing went through. Mexico had more possession, but Brazil made the most of their chances.

After the break, Brazil came out the aggressors and Willian sent a low cross across the face of goal for Neymar to easily tap in. Mexico tried to answer back through Vela, but the ball was tipped over by the Brazilian keeper. Neymar found some controversy again after falling to the ground after he was touched on the ankle, eating up valuable time in the process. Shortly after his injury, Neymar provided Roberto Firmino with a nice tap-in goal to seal Brazil’s place in the quarterfinals.

The Belgium-Japan game was arguably the most exciting so far. Belgium were the clear favorites, but Japan was setting an aggressive press that kept Belgium from making any plays. The action began in the second half when Japan’s Genki Haraguchi scored in the 48^th minute. Japan continued their pressing and scored another goal minutes later through Takashi Inui. Down 0-2, the Belgians looked set to be another upset in this wild World Cup.

Belgium finally made some much-needed substitutes and the tide began to switch in their favor. Jan Vertonghen scored a long-range header to bring his side back into contention and substitute Marouane Fellaini cemented the comeback with a header of his own 5 minutes later. The game looked to be headed towards the extra time when Japan attempted one last shot on goal. Keeper Thibaut Courtois collected the ball and quickly rolled it out to begin a swift counterattack. The Belgians were able to connect some nice passes to set up a low cross from the right flank. Romelu Lukaku pulled off an incredible dummy to let the ball roll to a wide open Nacer Chadli who passed the ball into the back of the net with seconds remaining in the game. It was a hard-fought game that deserved to go into extra time, but Belgium capitalized to guarantee their spot in the next round.

These games set up a Brazil-Belgium quarterfinal matchup on Friday. Brazil will enter the favorite, but this Belgium team has yet to lose a game in this tournament. It will be the toughest match for both teams so far, but will likely be an exciting fixture.