We predict France to win 2-1 against Croatia.
Croatia haven’t been in great form recently, having not won any of their last three matches. A surprising defeat to Scotland in November was followed by disappointing Nations League draws with Poland and Portugal. For those looking to bet on whether Croatia can turn things around, check out the latest odds and promotions with the 1xBet Promo Code.
Heading into this tie, they have won only two of their nine matches.
France, meanwhile, have been in good form. An impressive 3-1 win in Milan last time out puts them in a strong position, and this time they are also welcoming Kylian Mbappe back. Unbeaten in their last five matches since September 2024, they boast one of the most in-form attackers on the planet in Ousmane Dembele.
Croatia Expected Lineup: Livakovic, Stanisic, Sutalo, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol, Modric, Kovacic, L. Sucic, Kramaric, Baturina, Ivanovic
France Expected Lineup: Maignan, Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Hernandez, Tchouameni, Zaire-Emery, Camavinga, Dembele, Mbappe, Barcola
Football may not be decided on paper, but looking at France’s squad – especially in attack – they have a wealth of talent. Dembele is in superb form, Mbappe is one of the best in the world, and plenty others can score too. Even if Croatia can beat them, you’d still expect the French to get more.
Didier Deschamps’ men scored nine in four games in the October/November camps, and that was without their main man. With the Real Madrid star back in the mix, they’ll be even more dangerous.
Punters can check online betting sites for odds on France’s win.
Choosing a starting XI must be a tough task for Les Bleus’ boss, given the incredible talent at his disposal.
It’s worth noting that the Croatians came out on top the last time out, winning 1-0 in 2022. However, nearly three years down the line, with added experience, Zlatko Dalić’s side aren’t the same force.
Despite Croatia’s current run of form being far from ideal, one constant over the last year is their ability to score goals. Since the start of 2024, they have only failed to find the back of the net three times, even in defeat. They have scored six in their last four matches.
They are difficult to beat at home. Only one team has managed to beat them on home soil since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, and they are unbeaten in seven. The French are the favourites, but they won’t have it easy in Split.
Given the aforementioned, France are at 2.80 to keep a clean sheet, while the hosts can be found at 3.60 to do so. With both teams’ form and history in mind, goals seem likely in this one.
Both teams have scored in seven of Croatia’s last 10 matches, and the same can be said for France’s last six. Both sides have the ability to score, which is why BTTS alone is at 1.72 for this outing – they can be dangerous in attack.
On top of that, 33 goals have been scored in French games over the last 12 months, compared to 37 scored in Croatian matches. Consider the goalscoring form of some of those involved, and you can see why even just over 2.5 is also at 1.90. Our Croatia vs France predictions indicate you can find better value by grouping them together.