Croatia vs France: 5 areas where Croatia lost the World Cup Final to France

#3 Psychological damage of going a goal down early

France v Croatia - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Final — Croatia seemed to be running away with the game up until the goal

When you go a goal down so early in the game, it affects your nerves. When you go down by an own goal from your striker, it tends to break you and gives the opposition the upper hand.

Croatia seemed to be running away with the game up until the goal. And then, in a flash, everything changed.

France immediately played on the counter, sitting deep, and hitting long balls to their speedy attackers. Croatia managed to equalise but was undone by a controversial penalty.

It meant that they had to chase the game again and in the end got caught out again and again on the break.

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Edited by Alan John