France emerged victorious against Croatia in a thrilling UEFA Nations League quarterfinal match held on March 24, 2025, at the iconic Stade de France. The French team, coached by Didier Deschamps, showcased remarkable resilience, coming back from a 2-0 first-leg deficit to secure a 2-0 win in the return match, leading to a tense penalty shootout that France clinched 5-4.
The match began with both teams showcasing their skills, but it was Croatia that had the upper hand initially. However, the French squad quickly adapted their strategy, attacking intensely from the opening whistle. Just three minutes in, Manu Kone rattled the crossbar with a dangerous shot, signaling France's intent to dominate. Despite creating several chances, including missed attempts by Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni, the home side struggled to find the back of the net in the first half.
The breakthrough came in the second half when Michael Olise scored a brilliant free-kick in the 52nd minute, lifting the spirits of the French fans and making the score 1-0. Ten minutes before full-time, Ousmane Dembélé brought France equal on aggregate, slotting home another impressive goal after receiving a precise pass from Olise. With the scoreline at 2-0, the French side was forced into extra time, equally determined to avoid the agony of an early exit.
As both teams battled through extra time, Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livaković made several crucial saves, keeping his team in the game. However, the night turned dramatic as it progressed to penalties after neither team could secure the upper hand. In the penalty shootout, the hero of the hour for France was goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who saved two crucial shots from Croatia's Martin Baturina and Josip Stanišić, helping France to achieve a thrilling 5-4 victory.
Deschamps expressed his pride in the team's performance, emphasizing their belief despite a rough start. "The most important thing is that we continued to believe, despite a poor first half and an unsatisfactory scoreline. Overall, we played a very high-level game against a very good team. Of course, there are talented players in the French squad, but experience is still lacking, and certain immaturity shows. So this young team needs support in upcoming matches," he stated.
On the other side, Croatia's coach Zlatko Dalić commended the French for their impressive performance. "Congratulations to the French, they played better. My boys gave it their all. It’s not easy to return to match rhythm after three days. We didn’t want to defend; they forced us to do it," he lamented.
Croatia entered the match with a strong past against France, having won their last two encounters without conceding a goal. Yet, they found themselves unable to counter the intense French pressure this time. The match statistics reflected France's dominance, with head coach Deschamps now leading his team into the semi-finals, where they will face Spain on June 5. The winner will move on to the finals against either Germany or Portugal.
As the excitement of this hard-fought victory subsides, the French national team's journey in the UEFA Nations League continues, carrying the hopes of their fans as they aim for glory against formidable opponents ahead. The crowd left the Stade de France buzzing about the stunning turnaround and the team's fighting spirit in the face of adversity, eager to watch what comes next for this young and talented squad.
