World Cup History: Croatia vs France

As Yugoslavia

#2 1954 World Cup, Switzerland: France 0-1 Yugoslavia

WORLD CUP-1954-FRANCE-YUGOSLAVIA

The first-ever meeting between both the teams took place on 16th June 1954 in the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise stadium in Lausanne, after both the teams were drawn into the same group.

The French came into the 1954 World Cup after failing to qualify for the previous World Cup in Brazil in 1950, while Yugoslavia came into the World Cup after a first-round exit in the previous World Cup.

In a match of very few details, Milos Milutinovic scored in the 15th minute to give Yugoslavia the lead which eventually was the winner as France lost 0-1 Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia went onto to lose their next match against the eventual World Cup winners, West Germany, while France went out of the World Cup after failing to qualify the group stages.

#3 1958 World Cup, Sweden: France 2-3 Yugoslavia

1958 World Cup Finals. Vasteras, Sweden. 11th June 1958. Yugoslavia 3 v France 2 Yugoslavian goalkeeper Beara can only watch as France's Just Fontaine scores his side's first goal.

The second meeting took place in the next World Cup, the 1958 World Cup, as once again both were drawn against each other in the same group. On 11th June 1958, both the nations played against each other for the second time in successive World Cups.

It was the French who took the lead after Fontaine scored in the 4th minute to open the scoring. Aleksandar Petakovic scored in the 16th minute to level things up for Yugoslavia, while a 63rd-minute goal from Toza Veselinovic gave Yugoslavia the lead for the first time in the match. Just Fontaine once again scored in the 85th-minute to level things up, only to be denied a point as Veselinovic scored another in the 88th-minute to give Yugoslavia their second victory over France in the World Cup.

Yugoslavia went on lose to West Germany in the quarterfinals, while France went onto to lose against Pele inspired Brazil in the semi-finals.