Monday morning’s (AEST) final will be the second time the teams have met at a World Cup with France knocking Croatia out in the 1998 semi-finals.  

This match saw a legendary performance by French defender Lilian Thuram with two goals securing his team’s place in the final.

While it may have been 20 years ago, the Croatia team is still haunted by the memory of watching their one-goal lead, equalised and then overcome by Thuram’s efforts.  

Two days out from the game they thought it would be best to double check that the defender wouldn’t be making a surprise return.

 


 

The French were happy to come to the negotiation table promising to sideline Thuram if Davor Šuker, current president of the Croatian Football Federation and 1998’s Golden boot winner, would also stay off the field.  However they couldn’t resist a reminder of the talent in this year’s team.

 


 

The accounts finished off the exchange with the most wholesome of endings.

 


 

 


 

We have a feeling things won’t be quite as friendly on the pitch.