France return to Istra, takes day off

By : Christian Okpara, ST. Petersburg, Russia

Date: 12 July 2018 4:08am WAT

England's defender Kyle Walker reacts after the Russia 2018 World Cup semi-final football match between Croatia and England at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 11, 2018. Croatia will play France in the World Cup final after they beat England 2-1 in extra-time on Wednesday thanks to a Mario Mandzukic goal in the second period of extra-time. / AFP PHOTO / MANAN VATSYAYANA

The victorious French side, which defeated Belgium in the first semifinal of the on-going World Cup in Russia, left St. Petersburg immediately after the game for their base camp in Istra, near Moscow.

Coach Didier Deschamps gave the team a one-day off to rest and recover from the gruelling battle, which victory took them to the final of the competition.

According to a source in the French camp, the doctors would examine the entire team to find out if any of the players is nursing an injury, just as the psychologists would try to tune up the players ahead of Sunday’s final.