Statistics that make both France and Croatia laugh and cry
From strength to fitness, France is dominating Croatia. But coach Zlatko Dalic's team can also do something if we believe the statistics.
At 10:00 a.m. on July 15, France and Croatia will face off in the 2018 World Cup final. Which of the two teams will get their hands on the Golden Cup in Russia?
In terms of strength, France is better than Croatia. Coach Didier Deschamps' team is considered to have a higher squad depth. While Croatia is strong with stars in the midfield, France has equal quality in all lines.
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Furthermore, there is a statistic that is leaning towards the possibility of France winning the championship in Russia. ESPN said that the last 3 goalkeepers who lost in the World Cup final all played for Monaco.
In 2006, goalkeeper Fabian Barthez and the French team lost to Italy in a penalty shootout. In the 2010 World Cup, goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and the Netherlands lost 1-5 to Spain in the final.
At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, goalkeeper Sergio Romero witnessed Argentina's defeat to Germany. At the 2018 World Cup, Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subasic is playing for Monaco.
Will the Monaco goalkeeper's bad luck repeat itself in the World Cup final? That remains to be seen, but the French are delighted by this statistic.
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As for Croatia, before the match with France, their physical strength was worn out after three consecutive 120-minute matches. During the extra time with England in the semi-finals, many Croatian players walked away tired. However, spirit was what helped Croatia overcome a stronger opponent to advance.
Croatia will be bolstered by a statistic in their upcoming match against France. Since the 1938 World Cup, won by Italy, a new team has won the World Cup every two decades. In 1958 it was Brazil, in 1978 it was Argentina. The French won the World Cup in 1998. Based on this statistic, Les Bleus are unlikely to dream of winning the title again.
For the Croatians, it is the belief that helps them write a fairytale ending at the tournament in Russia.