Our prediction for the June 18 Nations League final between Croatia and Spain is that this is going to be an incredible game. After all, history teaches us that duels between these two are always fun to watch. The proof is that in the last three Croatia vs. Spain matches, we witness a total of
Croatia vs. Spain Nations League Final 2023 Odds, Time, and Prediction
Our prediction for the June 18 Nations League final between Croatia and Spain is that this is going to be an incredible game. After all, history teaches us that duels between these two are always fun to watch. The proof is that in the last three Croatia vs. Spain matches, we witness a total of 19 goals, or 6.33 goals per game. Are we going to see something similar on Sunday? Let’s find out!
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Croatia | +280 |
| Draw | +260 |
| Spain | -110 |
| Goals Total | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 2.5 | -106 |
| Under 2.5 | +134 |
*Odds taken from bet365 on Friday, June 16, 2023.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Date: Sunday, June 18, 2023
- Time: 2:45 PM ET
- How to Watch: Fubo
Croatia’s Suffered Just One Loss in the Last 12 Months
Even though it’s home to under 4 million people, Croatia is a real soccer powerhouse. The winners of the third place at the World Cup in Qatar now stand a chance to win their first major trophy – the 2023 Nations League. For that to happen, however, “The Checkered Ones” need to beat Spain on June 18.
What’s giving Croatia’s fans confidence is that Zlatko Dalic’s boys have been in brilliant form. It’s not a recent form – these guys have been sensational for a long time. Actually, they’ve suffered only one loss in the last 12 months, counting all competitions and friendlies.
The loss in question happened in the semifinal of the World Cup. They lost 3-0 to Argentina, who then went on to win the trophy. It sounds like a blowout loss, but it’s Croatia that actually had the ball in its possession for most of the time. Messi & Co. were just more lethal than them.
With their captain Luka Modric having his “last dance” in the checkered jersey, we could see these guys have great ball possession on June 18. With him, as well as with Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic, and Mario Pasalic, they could put on a real fight against Spain in the center of the pitch. The trouble is that midfield is Spain’s arguably strongest point.
Nations League Odds Suggest “La Furia Roja” Will Win
Spain is a team that likes keeping the ball in its possession, creating a lot of goal chances along the way. Against Italy in the semifinal of the Nations League, we saw them create 19 goal attempts. In comparison, the Italians made only eight.
Spain’s midfield is great, but these guys are not too sharp in the offense, which explains why they made only two of their 19 chances count against Italy. Further, their defense can be leaky sometimes. The reason is simple – in 2023, “La Furia Roja” doesn’t have great defenders.
Sure, Aymeric Laporte is one of the best center-backs on the planet, but he hasn’t been a starter for his team (Manchester City) in recent times. Further, his partner in the center of the defensive line, Robin Le Normand, just doesn’t have enough experience with big games such as the 2023 UEFA Nations Final.
On top of everything, Spain’s full-backs – Jordi Alba and Jesus Navas – are approaching the twilight of their career. Alba is 34, while Navas is turning 38 in a few months’ time.
Croatia vs. Spain Nations League Final 2023 Prediction
Our 2023 UEFA Nations League prediction is that Croatia will win the trophy. They might not do it in the regular 90 minutes, but these guys definitely have the talent and the experience needed to come on top in the end.
Pick: Croatia to win the 2023 Nations League
