SPLIT, Croatia: Ivan Perisic scored one goal and made another as Croatia beat France 2-0 on Thursday to seize the upper hand in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final tie.
Perisic crossed for Ante Budimir to head in the opener at the Stadion Poljud in Split after the home side had squandered an early penalty.
With France out of sorts, Perisic made it 2-0 before the break and a Croatia side captained by Luka Modric saw out the victory to take to Paris for the return match on Sunday.
It was not a good night for France as captain Kylian Mbappe made his comeback having not featured in either of the last two international windows, in October and November.
Mbappe did have chances, notably seeing a deflected second-half shot from Ousmane Dembele’s cutback kept out by a fine Dominik Livakovic save.
The Real Madrid superstar has now failed to find the net in his last six appearances for his country, since scoring a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Poland at Euro 2024.
Les Bleus will now have to find a way of overturning the deficit at the Stade de France on Sunday, otherwise Croatia will be heading to the final four of the Nations League.
The semifinals and final will take place in June and will be hosted by either Italy or Germany, depending on which of those sides emerges victorious from their last-eight encounter.
France won the Nations League in 2021 but suffered a first ever defeat against Croatia in the group stage of the following year’s edition.
This latest repeat of the 2018 World Cup final, won 4-2 by the French in Moscow, saw Croatia win a spot-kick just five minutes in.
Liverpool center-back Ibrahima Konate was penalized for a blatant handball inside the area, but Mike Maignan saved Andrej Kramaric’s penalty after a long delay due to the goalkeeper having a laser pen shone in his eyes.
However, Croatia did get the breakthrough on 26 minutes as Budimir, who has 15 goals in La Liga this season for Osasuna, got in front of William Saliba to connect with a Perisic cross from the left.
Budimir’e header was blocked by Maignan, but the ball still spun into the net in cruel fashion for the goalkeeper.
It was 2-0 in first-half stoppage time as Saliba blocked a shot by Martin Baturina, only for the ball to fall for PSV Eindhoven veteran Perisic to fire in.
France made changes, sending on Dayot Upamecano for Konate at the restart and later bringing on Bradley Barcola for Randal Kolo Muani and Michael Olize for Dembele.
The latter spent more time on the right flank after the break having previously been deployed more centrally.
However, they could not get a goal back and now face a daunting task in trying to recover the tie.
Perisic stars as Croatia stun France in Nations League
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Perisic stars as Croatia stun France in Nations League
Emirates NBA Cup forming ‘its own identity’, as final 8 teams advance
- NBA Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations James Jones say players now “understand the value” of the competition
DUBAI: The Emirates NBA Cup continues to gather pace in its second showing, with eight teams advancing to the knockout rounds and league executives highlighting strong global interest, including significant growth in the Middle East.
The quarterfinal lineup features the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns. The quarterfinals begin on Dec. 9, followed by the semifinals on Dec. 13 and the championship game on Dec. 16, with both the semifinals and final hosted in Las Vegas.
The Emirates NBA Cup was established in 2023 and its first two events were won by the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks.
A tournament that has changed perceptions
League officials say the Cup has quickly established itself as a competitive focal point in the early months of the season. James Jones, NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations, said players now approach the event with far stronger investment than during its launch year.
He explained that although the Cup concept felt unfamiliar at first, its structure and stakes have now become part of the league’s competitive rhythm.
“Once the players began to understand the concept of the Cup, they became excited because it created enhanced competition. The Cup has started to form its own identity. There are multiple ways to win: You can win the Cup, and you can also win the NBA Championship. There is nothing better than having two trophies in one season.”
Growing audiences in the Middle East
Interest in the Emirates NBA Cup continues to rise across international markets. Jones highlighted the Middle East as one of the fastest-growing regions for viewership, with Abu Dhabi’s consistent NBA presence playing a central role. The UAE capital hosted preseason games each year from 2022 to 2025, building a strong regional fan base and elevating awareness of the league.
“Viewership continues to soar,” he said. “Everyone was waiting to see how the league and the players would respond to the Cup, and now they can see that we are fully invested. Our global games, particularly in Abu Dhabi, have made the NBA more familiar to fans in the region. The growth over the last five years has been remarkable.”
This year’s knockout rounds feature several marquee names, including LeBron James and Luka Doncic, with the Lakers, Kevin Durant with the Suns, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Oklahoma City and Jalen Brunson leading the Knicks, among others. Their presence has lifted international engagement as the tournament approaches its decisive stages.
“Big names definitely boost viewership, and their presence also raises the level of competition,” Jones said. “The Cup gives young players a platform to show how good they are. Those moments usually only happen in the playoffs, but now we see them in December.”
McGrady: Cup brings playoff pressure earlier in the season
NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady shared a similar sentiment, praising the Emirates NBA Cup for giving developing teams valuable postseason-style exposure.
“It gives those bottom-feed teams that are struggling to put a roster together, to build a team and make a run to the playoffs, a chance to feel that playoff atmosphere again,” McGrady said. “Because it is in-season, it raises the competitive nature of the league.”
“In terms of competition, it is very competitive, and that is what we want.”
As the quarterfinals tip off on Dec. 9 and the semifinals draw closer in Las Vegas, the Emirates NBA Cup continues to establish itself as one of the most influential features of the NBA calendar, shaping early-season momentum and giving fans a December preview of the intensity usually reserved for the NBA playoffs in spring.
