Croatia vs France Nations League quarter-final first leg preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, prediction, form guide
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
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When is it? How can you watch it? All you need to know about the UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg between Croatia and France.
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Croatia and France meet in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final on Thursday 20 March.
Match at a glance
When: Thursday 20 March (20:45 CET kick-off)
Where: Stadion Poljud, Split
What: UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg
How to follow: Build-up and live coverage here
Where to watch Croatia vs France on TV
Fans can find their local UEFA Nations League broadcast partner(s) here.
Predicted team line-ups
Croatia: Livaković; Stanišić, Šutalo, Pongračić, Gvardiol; Kovačić, Modrić, Pašalić; Kramarić, Budimir, Perišić
France: Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Théo Hernandez; Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Rabiot; Dembélé, Mbappé, Olise
Form guide
Croatia (most recent match first): DLDWWL
France (most recent match first): WDWWWL
Expert prediction
Elvir Islamovic, match reporter: Croatia once saw France as unbeatable, following painful defeats like the one in the 2018 World Cup final, but Zlatko Dalić changed that narrative with a historic 1-0 win in Paris during 2022 Nations League qualifying. Now, he is aiming for another big result, after Croatia were runners-up in the last Nations League. Even without the injured Marcus Thuram, France boast a mighty forward line, but if Les Bleus are the logical favourites, a passionate crowd at Stadion Poljud could help to even up the odds. Expect a thriller.
What the coaches say
Zlatko Dalić, Croatia coach: "We have two games against one of the best national teams in the world, it won't be easy at all, but we are looking to advance to the Final Four. France are in great form. [Kylian] Mbappé, [Ousmane] Dembélé, [Bradley] Barcola – these are players who are fast, vertical and can cause problems for anyone. If we give them time and space, they will be very dangerous."
Didier Deschamps, France coach: "We'll do everything to qualify for the Final Four and everyone will play their part. I called up Désiré [Doué] and it wasn't just to say hello to him and make him happy. Like the others, I hope he is ready to play."
How do the Nations League quarter-finals work?
The group winners and runners-up from League A have reached the quarter-final stage of the Nations League.
Ties will take place across two legs, each side playing home and away, with the winners progressing to the Final Four in June 2025.
The semi-finals will be played on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 June 2025 to decide who contests the final and the third-place match on Sunday 8.
