It is not the final many expected. Small Croatia against La Grande Nation – two unequal all-star ensemble cast, who have two things in common: Superstar, the collective and the will to title.
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Croatia: the underdog in the world Cup final
The protagonists leave no room for doubt – such as France attacker Antoine Griezmann: “I don’t care how: I want that star!” – “We’re not going to let another team take the trophy,” stressed team-mate Paul Pogba. Croatia captain Luka Modric counters: “in A final you play to win it. We will be 22 warrior.” His team-mate Ivan Rakitic says: “For all of us in Croatia, this Finale is a giant of history.”
Rakitic, Modric and all in the red-and-white-checkered jerseys are aware of the euphoria in the home. “If there were a stadium of 4.5 million people – it would be full,” Rakitic for sure. The midfielder of FC Barcelona, is completely enraptured by the messages of encouragement from all over the world: “hundreds of millions for us on Sunday.”
“It is in our lives a unique opportunity”
That the French had once, by the Croats, but in each of their three knockout games in the extension, and on top of that, one day less to rest, do not see Rakitic as a disadvantage. “In the final, you get the power, I don’t know why,” says the 30-Year-old. Will beats the body. The Croats came back in the semi-finals against England, once again, and low ranges of the “Three Lions”.
Ivan Rakitic: “In the endgame to get the power where ever”
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic is that it’s hard to have 90 more minutes in the bone. “But it looks like that the harder it is, the better we will be,” he says: “There are no excuses. It is in our lives a unique opportunity. I am sure that we will find the necessary strength and Motivation.” History have written his choice already, as the second smallest country in relation to the number of inhabitants in a world Cup final to Uruguay.
Clear distributed roles
The final has earned Dalics Team fairly as well as the French. Both teams impressed on and off the court, as a collective, as a steadfast units – and not just for marketing purposes. Outstanding single-rounders, like Griezmann, Pogba, Kylian Mbappé on the one hand, and Modric, Rakitic, and Mario Mandzukic on the other hand – were in the service of the Whole, subordinate, always disciplined, tactical concepts, the coach Dalic and Didier Deschamps requirements.
And yet the roles are clear: France is the favorite, Croatia, the Challenger. The Grande Nation is expected to be the second world title after the home triumph 20 years ago, you need the Cup, also in reparation for the disappointment in the European championship final from Paris in 2016 against Portugal. “We need to win the final, because we have not processed the defeat of two years ago still,” says Deschamps.
In the footsteps of Beckenbauer and Zagallo
The 49-year-old world champion-captain of 1998 and champion of Europe-captain of 2000 has prescribed his with offensive artists-studded Team, a pragmatic System: Eight players, including long-distance runners N’Golo edge, take care of the organization, Mbappé, Griezmann and Olivier Giroud to the front to do with their individual class the difference. Scoring chances spread, however, the Central defender Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane – in particular, in the case of Standards. It was not always beautiful, which starred the highly talented Equipe Tricolore, but tremendously effective.
France’s coach Didier Deschamps (l.) congratulates Antoine Griezmann
With the title triumph, Deschamps can pull with Franz Beckenbauer and Brazilian Mario Zagallo equal to the one who conquered as a player and coach, the world Cup trophy. To Dalic was up to the world Cup, a Nobody – as a player and a coach without a great title. However, as Deschamps has enabled him to forms of great individual players and a tight-knit Team.
Croatia on historic Mission
Now he sees himself on an historic Mission: He wants a rematch has to take for the biggest disappointment of the Croatia in world football is experiencing: in 1998, the Equipe tricolore finished – cited by Deschamps – the world Cup-the dream of a “Generation of Suker” in the semi-finals of the world Cup in France with a 2:1 victory. “Everyone remembers in Croatia in this game,” said Dalic, who experienced the world Cup in France, as a Fan, partially on-site. “Perhaps gave us the love of God, Yes the possibility of this outcome aright.”
The semi-finals in 1998: the duel between Thuram (l) and Vlaovic
The player has Dalic: Rakitic, the midfield strategist of FC Barcelona. Or the tireless and obviously completely pain-free striker Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic. And Modric – the midfield engine from Champions League winners Real Madrid, the man they call the Pony. Dalic: “After this season with Real Madrid, he sprints behind it still, after 116 minutes, the Ball. It leads the Team, he is the man of the tournament.” He leads his Team to a historic title, see this other so.
ww/asz (dpa, sid)