Despite failing to win any of their final three matches (D2, L1), Croatia secured a spot in the UEFA Nations League (UNL) quarter-finals alongside Group A1 winners Portugal. While Zlatko Dalić’s side struggled in November’s international fixtures, their unbeaten home record in this competition (W3, D1) should provide confidence ahead of this first-leg clash against France.
Croatia, runners-up in the previous UNL edition, have the experience to navigate this stage of the competition. However, they face a significant psychological challenge, having won just one of their last ten head-to-head encounters with France (D3, L6). Encouragingly, that sole victory came in their most recent meeting in June 2022.
Meanwhile, France topped Group A2 with a commanding 3-1 away win over Italy in November, extending their UNL unbeaten streak to five matches (W4, D1). Didier Deschamps’ men have been particularly effective on the road, winning their last three away games—all of which featured first-half opening goals.
After failing to progress beyond the group stage in the last UNL edition, France now aims to become the first nation to win the competition twice. Their 2020/21 triumph saw them defeat Croatia home and away, securing an aggregate 6-3 victory—an encouraging precedent as they prepare for this tie.
Players to Watch:
Luka Modrić, who scored the winner in the last H2H encounter, remains a key figure for Croatia and also found the net in September’s victory over Poland. For France, Kylian Mbappé returns after missing the last international break, bringing momentum from his three goals in his last three matches for Real Madrid.
Hot Stat:
France have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight UNL matches played outside their home country.
