France focus on World Cup glory, spurred on by 2016 Euro pain

France defender Samuel Umtiti celebrates scoring against Belgium in their World Cup semi-final. (Photo: AFP/Chrristophe Simon)

Didier Deschamps' team are firm favourites to win Sunday's showpiece in Moscow and become world champions for the second time - 20 years after their first triumph in 1998.

But they will come up against a hungry Croatia side boasting one of the players of the tournament in Real Madrid star Luka Modric, who is desperate to win the trophy for the nation of just over four million people.

Croatia's Luka Modric has been one of the stars of the World Cup in Russia. (Photo: AFP/Franck Fife)

France made a slow start to their World Cup bid but they have gone up through the gears during the knockout rounds and look a formidable blend of youthful vitality and experience.

They will approach the match at Moscow's 80,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium full of confidence and with the pain of losing the final of Euro 2016 on home soil to Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal spurring them on.

"The tears have dried from Euro 2016 but it's still there in a little corner of people's minds," midfielder Blaise Matuidi said on Friday.

"It will be useful for us on Sunday, even if I don't like to keep bringing up the past. It will serve as a lesson to us and it means we know what it is to play in a final.

"We'll approach it differently and hope that we play really well and win it. It's up to us to put everything into place to achieve our dream of lifting the World Cup."

Deschamps' team are packed with attacking stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann but it is their defence that has shone in the past two rounds, not conceding a single goal.

Croatia - the smallest nation to make it to the final since Uruguay in 1950 - have battled through three periods of extra-time to reach the final. That means they have played the equivalent of a whole extra match more than France.

But coach Zlatko Dalic said there would be no excuses despite their exertions.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said she could not wait until the game.

"I feel extremely excited, I don't know how I will wait until Sunday," said Grabar-Kitarovic, who is going to attend the game. "Regardless of Sunday's result, which I believe will be a victory, we are winners."

'BEST WORLD CUP EVER'

As the tournament moves towards its end, FIFA president Gianni Infantino declared it the best ever.

"I was saying this would be the best World Cup ever. Today I can say it with more conviction ... it is the best World Cup," Infantino said in Moscow.

More than one million foreign fans have visited Russia during the World Cup, according to FIFA figures.

"A lot of pre-conceived ideas have changed thanks to this World Cup," said Infantino.

"Everyone has discovered a beautiful country, a welcoming country, full of people keen to show to the world what maybe sometimes is said is not what happens here."

FIFA president Gianni Infantino says the Russian World Cup is the best ever. (Photo: AFP/Jewel Samad)

He also said the use of the VAR (video assistant referee) had been a success and praised the quality of the football, with just a single 0-0 draw in 62 games so far.

SECURITY OPERATION

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pour onto the streets of Paris at the weekend, 20 years on from the 1998 win, when Deschamps was captain of the side.

A security operation swung into full gear, with plans for 110,000 law enforcement officers to be deployed across France as the country celebrates the national Bastille Day holiday and the World Cup final.

"Everything is being done so the French can live these festive moments with peace of mind, despite the terrorist threat which remains at a high level," said Interior Minister Gerard Collomb.

Before the final, England will play Belgium in a low-key battle for third place in Saint Petersburg on Saturday.

Gareth Southgate's squad are still trying to come to terms with their missed opportunity.

"None of us knows if that's as good as it gets," he said, after England were beaten 2-1 by Croatia in extra-time on Wednesday.

"We were 20 minutes from a World Cup final and then in extra-time about 10 minutes from penalties to get into the final."

FIFA said Friday it had asked TV producers to reduce the number of close-up shots of fans to avoid any "suggestions of sexual connotations".

"We prefer that the coverage avoids exaggerated or extended duration close-ups that could lead to suggestions of sexual connotations or gender bias," a FIFA spokesman said.