Russia

The 21st FIFA World Cup has reached its end with the final being played between Croatia and France this Sunday, July 15.

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Both the teams are full of surprises and have the players and capability to turn the tables at the last minute too. 

July 15 will decide which team will take the trophy home, first-timers Croatia or France, who will be crowned for the second time if they win. 

Considering their history in football, France are rightly favourites to win the cup this time. They are the complete team – solid at the back, well-balanced in midfield and able to play with real flair in attack. 

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So before the final clash, let us take a look at the complete profile of France 

History

1998 FIFA World Cup champions vaunts a storied history in world football. Thierry Henry, who ended his illustrious career in M.L.S. with the New York Red Bulls, claims the top spot on Les Bleus’ goal-scoring list with 51 to his name.

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France football.jpg

The French national team began to play in 1904, scored the first goal in FIFA World Cup history in 1930, and in 1988 its federation opened the Clairefontaine National Football Institute, a world-renowned training complex that has been credited with helping produce many of the nation’s top stars.

In their World Cup triumph on home soil, a Zinedine Zidane brace led France to glory, defeating Brazil 3-0 in the Final at the Stade de France in Paris.  Two cycles later, Les Bleus finished second to Italy in 2006.

Russia 2018

Kicking off its campaign with a 2-1 win over Australia, France continued to give fans back home reason to be optimistic. Their 1-0 win over Peru was followed by an uneventful draw with Denmark before arguably the game of the tournament against Argentina in the round of 16.

France weathered plenty of goals from the Lionel Messi-led side but always found a way to hit back. Stunning goals from Benjamin Pavard and Kylian Mbappe's spectacular secured a dramatic 4-3 win.

It was all class in its 2-0 win over Uruguay in their quarter-final and France booked its spot in the final by defeating a world-class Belgium side 1-0 in the semis.

Players Performance

Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, who was born to an Algerian mother and Cameroonian father in the Parisian suburb of Bondy, are carrying on the legacy made by the then France legends Zinedine Zidane and Patrick Viera.

Apart from these two, Hugo Lloris and in-form striker Antoine Griezmann have been sensational this season. 

Outlook

France has a very workable group and is as strong as any team from top to bottom. But there are some major injury concerns. They lost Laurent Koscielny and could be losing Dimitri Payet. Otherwise, it's a win or bust for Les Bleus this summer.