Antoine Griezmann thinks France have to imagine Sunday s World Cup final is just a normal game if they are to hold their nerve against Croatia in Moscow.
Didier Deschamps took his side to a second major final in consecutive tournaments with a 1-0 win over Belgium in the last four, in which Samuel Umtiti s header was the difference.
Beaten on home soil by Portugal in the Euro 2016 showpiece, Les Bleus are hoping to go one better and get their hands on a trophy this time, just as their coach did in Paris 20 years ago.
Griezmann says their preparations have been giving them confidence but admits their mental fortitude will be key to handling the pressure at the packed Luzhniki Stadium.
I feel good, we are confident, he told FIFA TV. We are now getting into the tactical and video analysis phase of preparation, but we don t want to put ourselves under too much pressure.
We have to imagine it s just a normal game and give everything on the pitch. We won t have a lot of opportunities, so we ll have to put them away when they come.
First-time finalists Croatia came from behind to beat England 2-1 after extra time in the semi-final, marking the third match in a row in which they have fought back from a goal down to win following 120 minutes.
Captain Luka Modric has been hailed as one of the stars of these finals and has experience of winning the biggest games at club level, having lifted the Champions League trophy with Real Madrid in each of the last three seasons.
Modric admits France will be their toughest test of all but has vowed there will be no let-up when it comes to Croatia s determination to win.
I think they deserved to be in the final and it s the toughest match, he said. They re a great team, they re in the final of a big competition for the second time in a row. They re strong. But we re ready.
We ll leave our heart out on the pitch, just as we did in the previous six games.
1 Didier Deschamps
