Goal
The Juventus striker, Mandzukic has shaken off a knock to play in the final, while the France striker is the third youngest player to play in the final.
Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic have both been cleared to start the World Cup final and will feature in Zlatko Dalic’s Croatia starting XI against France.
Both players picked up knocks in the 2-1 semi-final victory over England but have shaken off these problems to play in the Moscow showpiece.
Croatia have been taken to extra-time in all of their three previous knock-out fixtures, leading to concern over the energy levels of star men such as Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic.
However, both have been named in the starting XI to tackle Les Bleus as Dalic looks to steer his country to their first ever world title.
France have named a consistent starting XI throughout this campaign and it is no surprise that they have kept the same panel that defeated Belgium 1-0 in the semi-final.
Didier Deschamps has kept faith with Olivier Giroud, who has yet to find the net in this tournament, while he will be supported by a superstar cast, including Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba.
Mbappe will be the third youngest player ever to feature in a World Cup final, older only than Brazil’s Pele in 1958 and Italy’s Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982.
France starting XI: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Kante, Pogba; Mbappe, Griezmann, Matuidi; Giroud
Croatia starting XI: Subasic; Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Pivaric; Brozovic, Rakitic, Modric, Perisic, Rebic; Mandzukic.
