It’s been four long years since we have gotten to enjoy the adrenaline of the FIFA World Cup.
With the Cup being only a few days away, it’s best we start talking about what we can expect from the 2018 finalists – both of whom qualified for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Defending champion France and runner-up Croatia will be competing in Groups D and F, respectively, once the quadrennial tournament kicks off.
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But before we get to it, let’s take a look back at how the 2018 World Cup went down, as well as a bit of history on the two opposing nations who battled for the title:
Who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup?
France captured its second World Cup title after defeating Croatia 4-2 in the 2018 final at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Despite Croatia outplaying France in the first half, an own goal gave France the advantage early on. Mario Mandžukić had headed the ball into the goal, making it the first own goal in a World Cup final.
Croatia came back immediately to tie the score at 1-1. France answered on a penalty kick following an unfortunate handball by Ivan Perišić before halftime. This call was criticized by many and the video assistant referee was used for the first time in a World Cup.
France scored twice more, giving Les Bleus a three-goal cushion by the time Croatia pulled through for one last goal. In the end, the scene was set after the own goal from Croatia, ultimately leading to its 2018 demise.
How many times has France won the FIFA World Cup?
France has won two FIFA World Cup titles, 20 years apart. They were crowned victors for the 1998 and 2018 tournaments.
The defending champions have qualified for 15 World Cups in total, tying the sixth most for any country with Spain and England.
How many times has Croatia won the FIFA World Cup?
Croatia has never won a FIFA World Cup, however they have qualified for the tournament on five occasions, including 1998, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018. They were 2018 finalists alongside the French who were crowned victorious.
Is France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
France will be competing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Group D, which also includes Denmark, Tunisia and Australia. It beat Kazakhstan 8-0 during the World Cup qualifier in November 2021.
Is Croatia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
Croatia will be competing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Group F, alongside Belgium, Canada and Morocco. The team secured its place after a 1-0 victory over Russia back in November.
When is the 2022 FIFA World Cup and how can I watch it?
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is slated to take place in Qatar from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18, 2022. This is the first World Cup to ever be held in the Middle East.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will air on Fox, FS1, Telemundo and Universo. It will be available to stream on the Fox Sports App and Peacock Premium.