The pre-match gave rise to a contrasting image between "Presko", 26 years old and 27 caps, and Modric, the maestro of the checkered team, ten years older, celebrated for his 150th cap by more than 30,000 overheated supporters at the Poljud stadium, with a giant tifo and loud applause.

Kimpembe, who is coming out of a complicated season with Paris SG, could have been impressed by this hostile setting, where the Blues wanted to "redeem themselves" from the defeat suffered against Denmark (1-2) three days earlier at home, as he had said himself at a press conference the day before.

He may have been, but it didn't show.

Boss of the hinge formed with the little capped William Saliba, Kimpembe gave thickness to his international CV by stabilizing a defense which sometimes swayed in the Dalmatian port, using clean and often rough interceptions.

Ante Budimir (6th) had a bitter experience of entering, like Mateo Kovacic as soon as the second half resumed: the Parisian's buffer left the Chelsea midfielder on the ground (46th) and showed the Croats that the Blues do not didn't expect to be stepped on.

His only over-commitment was punished with a yellow card in the 85th minute, at a time when the Croatian pressure was as stifling as the weather in Split.

Able to also venture to the forefront, especially on a corner, he especially extinguished the Croatian fire in the hottest moments.

superb rescue

His most beautiful and decisive intervention came after an intrusion by Marcelo Brozovic into the back of the tricolor defense.

Kimpembe made his power speak to come back strong and made a superb sliding tackle to send the shot from the Milanese for a corner (18th).

He also showed a nice relaxation of the head to win in front of Budimir (58th), cleanly there again, and cleared a match point for Croatia (89th) with his head.

Kimpembe therefore won the "beautiful battle" he had predicted against the vice-world champions, even if he could not prevent the opposing equalizer from the penalty spot after a foul by Jonathan Clauss (83rd).

Since the coronation of Moscow, the Parisian has registered as a lasting element of the France group, amassing 24 of his 27 selections in this interval, without however being perceived as an indisputable holder.

Defender Presnel Kimpembe (yellow chasuble) during a Blues training session in Clairefontaine, May 30, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

The "Titi" born in Beaumont-sur-Oise, in competition with Lucas Hernandez in particular, nevertheless invites himself more and more often in the starting "eleven" of Didier Deschamps.

He crossed the Euro last summer as a holder and played in the final of the last League of Nations in October against Spain.

Remained on the bench on Friday against Denmark, he benefited from a double promotion on Monday: holder of the rearguard and captain, in the absence of Hugo Lloris (replaced by Mike Maignan) and vice-captain Raphaël Varane, injury package.

Six months before the 2022 World Cup, played from November 21 to December 18 in Qatar, Kimpembe showed himself in his best light, reliable and focused, two virtues which he sometimes lacked at PSG and with the Blues.

A boss performance.

© 2022 AFP