France 0-1 Croatia: 5 talking points as Luka Modric’s penalty seals the victory | UEFA Nations League 2022-23

Croatia beat France 1-0 at the Stade de France in Round 4 of their UEFA Nations League Group 1 fixture on Tuesday, June 14.

The visiting side surprised France by starting the game on the front foot, matching the reigning world champions’ work rate and pressing. Didier Deschamps' side were punished for their slow start as Croatia won a penalty just three minutes into the game following Ibrahima Konate's foul on Ante Budimir. Luka Modric stepped up and converted from the spot to put Croatia in front.

France have scored just three goals in as many Nations League games this season and looked like a team that was bereft of creativity. For all the well-advertised weapons in their arsenal, they only fired blanks as Croatia kept them at bay in both halves. The result also sees their 23-match scoring streak, the longest in their history, come to an end.

Zlatko Dalic’s side outpassed, outfought and outplayed their illustrious opponents. Les Blues haven't won any of their four 2022-23 Nations League matches so far, losing two and drawing two. They now face the real prospect of relegation if they lose their next Nations League game against Austria on September 23.

On that note, here are five talking points from the game:

#1 History made, at the 10th time of asking

Before Tuesday, France and Croatia had met nine times. Les Blues had won six of those encounters, including the 2018 World Cup final, and lost none. In the Nations League alone, the teams met thrice in the past, with France winning two and the most recent one ending in a draw.

At the Stade de France, Croatia played like a team oblivious to these statistics. They went toe-to-toe with Didier Deschamps’ side and registered their first-ever win against them.

#2 Luka Modric keeps Croatia ticking

Luka Modric is 36 years old and has played more than 700 professional games in his career. He has had a trophy-laden career that’d envy most players in the game. Younger, faster players are now the bedrock that every manager wants to buid his/her team’s tactics. Not Croatia, though.

The skipper popped up everywhere, giving his teammates a passing option when in possession and diligently tracking back when his team was on the backfoot. His deeper role in the midfield gives him time on the ball to scan his options and pick apart defences.

He won five ground duels, won three fouls, made two clearances, two tackles and two interceptions.

And then there’s the small matter of the match-winning penalty to keep Croatia second in the table, two points behind Denmark.

3) An embarrassment of riches for France, just not at right-back

For most positions, France have multiple world-class options. They are one of the strongest nations on paper, with their second and third string sides just as good as most countries’ main team. The one position that has been hurting them, however, is right-back.

Benjamin Pavard set the stage alight as a right-back in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, he has since made it clear that his preferred position is in the middle of the defence. Bayern Munich have played him as a centre-back, and that has somehow made him a worse full-back.

Jules Kounde has deputised as a right-back many times for Sevilla, but hasn’t carried over the form to the international stage. Kingsley Coman as a wing-back in a three-man defense has also failed to convince.

It’s a pretty evident chink in their armour, and teams now know which side to target. Deschamps needs to solve this riddle if France are to defend their crown in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.

#4 Experience beats youthfulness

Matches can be won and lost in midfield, so goes the famous saying. With N'Golo Kante missing, France went with a midfield trio of Adrien Rabiot, Boubakar Kamara and Matteo Guendouzi. They a functional set of players but arguably not the most creative. For all their hassling and hurrying, they lack that spark that’s needed to break open a well-drilled defence like Croatia’s.

On the other hand, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic marshalled the midfield for Croatia brilliantly. The trio have a combined 305 caps and used every bit of their experience to be on top of the game. They kept the ball well, rotated possession and picked their passes at the right moments to launch counter-attacks.

#5 Didier Deschamps’ France in a rut

A halftime double substitution is as good as a manager admitting to getting his tactical setup completely wrong. Deschamps brought on Pavard and Aurelien Tchouameni at halftime but they failed to help them avoid defeat.

France won the 2018 World Cup based on their workrate, led by Olivier Giroud from the front. In fact, it was this off-the-ball work that saw fans and pundits shower the AC Milan forward with plaudits despite not scoring a single goal.

On Tuesday, however, France got overrun in almost every part of the pitch, with Croatia just a tad bit hungrier than the hosts to get the three points.

Everything that had made Deschamps’ team a force to reckon with in Russia has seemingly vanished over time. This Nations League campaign has been especially bad for Les Blues, who have now made it a habit of staring slow.

They have registered just eight shots on target in all their first halves this campaign, scoring zero goals. They have conceded the opening goal seven times in 13 matches this season.

With 129 games in charge of the French national team, Deschamps is one of the longest-serving international coaches in Europe. Has he overstayed his welcome though or is this form a mere blip? Only time will tell.