Croatia and Spain lock horns in the UEFA Nations League finals! Catch the UEFA Nations League odds series here, featuring our Croatia-Spain prediction, odds, pick, and guide on how to watch.

The Croatians continue peaking in global football competition. A third-place finish in the 2022 World Cup, an unbeaten record in the Euro 2024 qualifies, and a 4-1-1 record in the group games have been achieved since June 2022. Croatia fought the mighty Netherlands in the semis with a 4-2 scoreline.

Spain is in a rebuilding phase, focusing on youthful talent as the engine of their football dominance. A Round of 16 exit in the Qatar World Cup and a split of results in their first two European qualifying games happened for the Spaniards lately. However, they were dominant in the UEFA Nations League, posting a 3-2-1 group record and a victory over Italy in the semis.

Here are the Croatia-Spain soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UEFA Nations League Odds: Croatia-Spain Odds

Croatia: +270

Spain: +105

Draw: +230

Over 2.5 Goals: -102

Under 2.5 Goals: -138

How to Watch Croatia vs. Spain

TV: FOX Network, ViX

Stream: fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, UEFA.tv, Foxsports.com, FOX Sports App, VIX+

Time: 2:45 PM ET / 11:45 AM PT

*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Croatia Can Beat Spain

Croatia is ranked as the seventh-best football team in the men's division. They trail Argentina, France, Brazil, Belgium, England, and the Netherlands in the world rankings. They are ranked ahead of Italy, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, and Switzerland. This is their fourth match after a deep run in the 2022 Qatar World Cup which saw them finish in third place. Croatia maintains its incredible feat after finishing second in the 2018 World Cup.

Croatia's run in the 2022 World Cup was mostly composed of draws, except for results against Canada (4-1), Argentina (0-3), and Morocco (2-1).

Meanwhile, Croatia is also set to face Latvia and Armenia in Qualification Group D of the 2024 Euro, where they rank second. They had a 1-1 draw with Wales, but the game against Turkey resulted in an 0-2 win.

Croatia hopes to maintain its run of form in the UEFA Nations League, where they finished as first placers in League A Group 1 with a 4-1-1 record. Despite an initial 0-3 loss to Austria, the Blazers dominated the remaining games against the Austrians, Danish, and French, scoring eight goals in their six games. In the semifinals, Croatia had a tight battle with the Netherlands. After a 2-2 result in full-time, the Croatians reasserted their dominance in the two extra-time sessions. The Checkered Ones had more ball possession, total shots (7), and corner kicks (2). These metrics resulted in goals by Bruno Petkovic (98′) and Luka Modric (P, 116′).

Meanwhile, Croatia is in good shape ahead of the game against Spain when it comes to squad fitness. Josip Sutalo and Josko Gvardiol may be absent from the team. Coach Zlatko Dalic will try to maintain their averages of 1.7 goals, 10.0 total shots, 6.7 successful dribbles, and 52.0% ball possession. Croatia's defense should step up to match their averages of 14.0 tackles, 9.7 interceptions, 20.3 clearances, and 4.0 goalkeeper saves.

The Checkered Ones have a lot of talent at their disposal, including the likes of Mario Pasalic, Marko Livaja, Luka Ivanusec, and Andrej Kramarić in the forward slots. Captain Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic, and Marcelo Brozović command the midfield spots. Vice-captain Domagoj Vida commands the defense along with Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, and Josip Juranović. Dominik Livaković is primed to continue his masterful performance as the starting goalkeeper.

Why Spain Can Beat Croatia

After winning two Euros and a World Cup, all in a row, Spain has been investing in their young talent. The rebuilding La Roja Furia is still ranked 10th in the FIFA rankings, placing ahead of Morocco, Switzerland, the USA, Germany, and Mexico.

Spain ended up as League A Group 2 table-toppers, coming up over Portugal, Czechia, and Switzerland. A 3-1 win followed in an international friendly against Jordan before playing in the World Cup. In their group, La Roja ended as the second placer in Group E. They defeated Costa Rica 7-0, drew against Germany 1-1, and lost to group first-placers Japan 2-1. The Red Ones reached the Group of 16 match against Morocco, where they had a goalless scoreline yet ended up losing in the penalty shootout.

Spain followed their World Cup battles with Euro Qualifying games against Norway and Scotland. La Roja Furia had three goals and a clean sheet against the Norwegians but lost 2-0 to Scotland. Back in the UEFA Nations League semis, Spain stood out against Italy. The Spanish squad had 62% ball possession, 19 total shots, and five corner kicks. Yeremy Pino and Ciro Immobile provided a 1-1 scoreline in the first 11 minutes. However, Joselu's effort in the 88th minute secured the win for Spain.

A major reason why Spain could win this game is their talent. With a combination of youngsters and experienced international players, the roster of this Spain is still formidable, in terms of European football. The team includes the likes of Ansu Fari, Ferran Torres, Pedri, Gavi, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino, Alejandro Balde, Eric Garcia, and David Raya.

Only two players are absent from Jose Luis de la Fuente's squad. Pedri, Gerrard Moreno, and Rodrigo may be absent from this game. The Spanish squad still has a lot of offensive pieces on paper, such as the likes of Alvaro Morata, Pablo Sarabia, Marco Asensio, and Carlos Soler. Spain's defense is no slouch either, headlined by the likes of Rodri, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba, Daniel Carvajal, and Cesar Azpilicueta.

Final Croatia-Spain Prediction & Pick

The two teams will be eager to lift the UEFA Nations League trophy. Lots of goals are expected, as both teams are good at handling the ball. However, Spain's squad depth, especially with players that have two-way capabilities, gives them a slight edge over Croatia. Back the Spaniards to return to football glory as they capture this championship.

Final Croatia-Spain Prediction & Pick: Spain (+105), Over 2.5 goals (-102)