Position-by-position breakdown of Men's World Cup Final teams

The French No. 1 is the first name on the team sheet for Didier Deschamps. Hugo Lloris committed a handful of noteworthy miscues with Tottenham Hotspur during the 2017-18 campaign, but he's performed as well as any goalkeeper in the tournament. His sprawling denial of a Martin Caceres  header in France's win over Uruguay may be the best save of this World Cup.

Heroic for his country throughout the knockout stages, Danijel Subasic reacted slowly to the free-kick goal scored by Kieran Trippier in the semifinal. Perhaps the hamstring issue that slowed the goalkeeper versus Russia is still nagging him. He's expected to start. 

Right back Benjamin Pavard became a household name following his rocket strike versus Argentina, but don't think for a second Pavard is a one-hit wonder. He's defensively sound, and he could notch the Final-winning goal or assist pushing forward. Look for him to attract interest from big clubs later this month. 

Sime Vrsaljko cemented himself as a hero by returning from a knee injury and repeatedly creating havoc down the right flank versus England. He's a pinpoint passer capable of playing the perfect ball at the exact moment for those advancing forward in the middle. Best of all for Croatia, Vrsaljko moved up and down the pitch throughout the contest. He should be good to go on Sunday. 

Part of the best defensive pairing of the World Cup, Raphael Varane deserved Man of the Match votes for his performance versus Belgium. He may still have Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku in his pocket days after the semifinal. Don't be surprised if the Real Madrid man is the best player on the pitch Sunday. 

As Dominic Fif`ield of the Guardian explained, Dejan Lovren referred to himself as one of the world's best defenders after Wednesday's game. In reality, he's the biggest liability of the four starting at the position on Sunday. The Liverpool man was lucky to not earn a pair of yellow cards during the first half of the semifinal. 

Varane deservedly earns the majority of the plaudits in post-match recaps, but Samuel Umtiti is quietly reliable as part of the final line of defense in front of Lloris. Umtiti could test the goalkeeper on a set-piece situation in the Final five days after heading home the winner against Belgium. He's grown in confidence playing alongside Varane this World Cup. 

The stronger of the two Croatian central defenders, Domagoj Vida is solid in the air, and he did well to limit mistakes during the final 60 minutes against England. Vida struggled keeping up with England's quicker attackers in the first half of the semifinal, though, and France should look to exploit this part of his game, especially once fatigue sets in. 

Lucas Hernandez is probably the weak link in the France defense, if only because somebody has to be. Hernandez won't be afraid to push forward in attacks under the bright lights of a final. As Martin Rogers of USA Today wrote, the 22-year-old is also willing to throw himself to the floor in attempts to win calls. 

Whether or not Ivan Strinic can cover space in defense against a high-powered and lightning-quick French attack may determine the outcome of the Final. As much as Croatia will look for Strinic to push forward and play dangerous crosses, he needs to produce his best defensive showing on Sunday. 

We're running out of ways to praise the 2016-17 Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year. France's most consistent starter, N'golo Kante is performing as expected this World Cup. Kante's interventions in the midfield and ability to spark promising counterattacks are invaluable. He should have his pick of clubs, if he desires a big-money move, later this summer. 

Assuming manager Zlatko Dalic won't make drastic changes to his system, Marcelo Brozovic should feature as a security blanket for the back four and be tasked with intercepting passes in the middle and locating Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, both of whom can push ahead knowing Brozovic is covering behind them. Brozovic will probably be Croatia's rock if Sunday's affair is low-scoring. 

Those familiar with Paul Pogba's on-the-ball skills and highlight reels know what he can offer in the attacking third. His selfless defensive tracking and marking fly under the radar, but he's been key for France throughout the knockout stages. The Manchester United star has quieted critics who dared to suggest he was "lazy" off the ball earlier this year. 

As Tommy Doleman of Goal.com wrote, the world learned Ivan Rakitic played against England with a fever. Perhaps that would explain why he didn't look his best. The box-to-box midfielder who complements Modric well may need to complete a marathon while connecting on long passes. 

In a different sport or maybe a different time for football, Blaise Matuidi wouldn't be available for selection following the scary head injury he suffered in the win over Belgium. The world's most popular game remains years behind on this matter, so it's likely the ever-active attacking option praised for being a warrior will pester opposing defenders during the Final. 

Overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi no longer this summer, Luka Modric is not only the heart and soul of the Croatia lineup — he possesses an engine that doesn't quit. He can stifle an attack with a clutch tackle at one end of the pitch seconds before racing back and playing an assist. The Real Madrid star and Ballon d'Or candidate is only human, however, and he appeared exhausted at the end of the semifinal. 

As the 2013 Confederations Cup was a breakout moment for Neymar, Kylian Mbappe has introduced himself to audiences not familiar with the Paris Saint-Germain wunderkind. He's gotten stronger and more self-assured since the group stage, and the skillful 19-year-old may have more left in the tank than anybody on the pitch in the closing minutes of the Final. 

Ante Rebic may not always be clinical in front of goal, but he's aggressive and embraces doing the dirty work in attacks. Testing France on the wing and chasing after the ball won't be enough, especially if Croatia require more than a pair of goals to force a shootout. Rebic must be on his best behavior, as he is another player who could have been sent off had Wednesday's game not been a semifinal. 

Speaking of growing into the competition, Antoine Griezmann looked as comfortable versus Belgium as one would expect to see from the Atletico Madrid man in the second half of a January fixture versus Celta Vigo. Griezmann's lethal link-up play and seemingly endless work rate must delight Deschamps, and his defensive contributions cannot be ignored. He'll be all over the pitch Sunday. 

Another physical option, Ivan Perisic just doesn't stop going. He's good in the air, he can create and bury his own chances, and he offers service for a striker up top. A hot and cold player, Perisic is deadly once he locates a second gear. He nearly beat England in regulation on his own. 

Much has been made of Olivier Giroud's struggles in front of goal, but he's not meant to be a one-trick pony for France. He's active in defensive efforts, and he's a calming influence happy to let others take the limelight. Deschamps shouldn't fix what isn't broken. 

Like Giroud, Mario Mandzukic acts as a first line in his side's defense, but that's not why he is on the team. The 32-year-old consistently presses defenders and serves as a fox in the box. No game or moment is too big for Mandzukic. 

... because midnight comes for Cinderella before the story ends. Croatia aren't better than France anywhere on the pitch. The midfield battle is a push, at best. Iceland, Denmark, Russia and England all hit the back of the net versus Croatia. A side figuratively dragging itself to a Final isn't keeping France off the scoreboard.

... because their midfield is the perfect unit to break France down, and as cliche as it is to say, they refuse to lose. France fell short in the 2016 Euro Final on home soil. Overall, this Croatia team is better than the Portugal side that lost Ronaldo to injury in the first half of that match but still managed to win. 

Per ESPN's Julien Laurens, Pogba praised Croatia and claimed he and his teammates "don't think we are the favorites" when speaking with reporters on Thursday. It's the right mentality even if logic tells everyone otherwise. Croatia are playing with house money. 

Unfortunately, they're also out of gas. 

France win 3-1