Famous theatrics part of France-Croatia history
MOSCOW — One of the most notorious dives in soccer history took pace the last time France played Croatia in the World Cup.
Les Bleus led Croatia by a goal in their 1998 semifinal at Stade de France when French defender Laurent Blanc gave Slaven Bilic a slight shove on the chest in jostling during a free kick. Bilic shouted and slammed the palm of his hand into his face, as if he had been struck on the head. Spanish referee Jose Manuel Garcia bought the act in the pre-video review age, and Blanc was ejected for the first time in his career.
Despite seeing the replay afterward, FIFA refused to retract the penalty. Blanc missed the final, when France beat Brazil 3-0 for its only World Cup title.
Croatia advanced to its first World Cup final with a 2-1 extra-time win over England on Wednesday night, a day after Les Bleus beat Belgium 1-0. The match two decades ago remains on the mind of current Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic.
“Maybe the dear Lord is giving us an opportunity to settle a score,” he said.
A victory in the final for the nation known for its red-and-white checkered jerseys would be the nation’s greatest sporting moment since breaking from Yugoslavia to become an independent state in 1991 – a year after its national soccer team started playing.
France is a European soccer power, its team able draw from a population of about 65 million.
“They have upped their game over the past several games,” Ivan Perisic said.
Croatia has just over four million Croatia fans near the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, celebrate their team’s semifinal victory over England at the World Cup on Thursday. Croatia will face France in Sunday’s final. people, the fourth-smallest of the champs lifted the World Cup as It has played France five times, 32 World Cup teams ahead of captain on July 12, 1998 – five losing three games and drawing Panama, Uruguay and Iceland. It months, eight days before star two. The only other meeting at a has a chance to be the least-popustriker Kylian Mbappe was born. tournament was in the group stage lous nation to win since Uruguay They lost the 2016 Euro final 1-0 of the 2004 European Champitook the title in 1950, when it was to Portugal at Stade de France onship, when a controversial refera nation of just over two million. with a roster that included nine ee’s call went against the Croats.
“We’re a small country with so holdovers on this year’s team. Goalkeeper Tomislav Butina’s many successful sports people,” “Two years ago it was tough,” clearance was blocked at the top defender Dejan Lovren said said one of the returnees, goalof the penalty area by the hand of through a translator. “Over the keeper Hugo Lloris. “We don’t David Trezeguet, who kicked the last couple of days people have want it to happen again. We want ball into the net for an equalizer recognized that.” it to end in the best way.” in the 64th minute of a 2-2 draw.
Les Blues won the European Croatia was under French Danish referee Kim Milton Nielson Championship at home in 1984 control from 1809-14, part of the allowed the goal to stand. Milton and in the Netherlands in 2000. Illyrian Provinces, an autonomous Nielson had called a questionable But there have been no trophies area of Napoleon’s First French foul for a free kick that led to Zinsince current coach Didier Des- Empire. edine Zidane scoring the opening goal in the 48th minute.
Croatia went ahead in the 1998 semifinal 26 seconds into the second half when Aljosa Asanovic split the defence with a pass, and Davor Suker scored his fifth goal of the tournament. Lilian Thuram tied the score a minute later after stealing the ball from Zvonimir Boban near the Croat penalty area and exchanging passes with Youri Djorkaeff. Thuram scored the go-ahead goal with a curling shot in the 70th minute, and France won 2-1.
Now Suker is the much-criticized president of the Croatian Football Federation. The national team was forced to play a European Championship qualifier against Italy in an empty stadium in Split in June 2015 because Croat fans had thrown flares on the field during a match against the Azzurri at Milan. A swastika became visible on the field of the closed-doors match, caused by a chemical agent put in the grass at Poljud Stadium. That led European soccer’s governing body to deduct a point from Croatia, ordered to play two additional games without fans and fined 100,000 euros (then $117,000).