Croatia beats France 2-0 in Nations League quarterfinals to spoil Mbappé's return

Croatia contained the attacking duo of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in a 2-0 victory over France in the first leg of the Nations League quarterfinals Thursday.

Ante Budimir headed Croatia ahead in the 26th minute off a cross from Ivan Perišić with France goalkeeper Mike Maignan partially blocking the ball before it crossed the line.

Perišić doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time in Split to spoil Mbappé's return after a six-month absence from the national team.

Andrej Kramarić's penalty in the eighth minute was saved by Maignan, who dived to the right but used his feet to make the stop.

Mbappé tested Dominik Livaković with several shots in the first half but the Croatia goalkeeper produced some decent saves to deny him. Both Mbappé and Dembélé, the French league’s top scorer for Paris Saint-Germain, have already reached the 30-goal mark overall this season.

Mbappé, the Real Madrid star, captained Les Bleus in what was his first start for the national team since a 3-1 loss to Italy on Sept. 6.

The 26-year-old Mbappé is third on France’s all-time scoring list with 48 goals, but he has found the net in only two of his past 13 international games.

In other first-leg quarterfinal matches, Germany came from behind to beat Italy 2-1, defending champion Spain salvaged a 2-2 draw against the 10-man Netherlands, and Denmark beat Portugal 1-0.

The winners will qualify for the four-team final tournament on June 4-8.

The second-leg matches are scheduled for Sunday.

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich set up both German goals in a second-half comeback.

He provided a cross from the right shortly after the interval for Tim Kleindienst to head in an equalizer.

Kimmich provided the same service for Leon Goretzka from the corner in the 76th to score the winner in the 2-1 victory, the first win for Germany in Italy since 1986.

Italy opened the scoring from their first attacking effort in the game. Sandro Tonali connected with a deflected cross from Giacomo Raspadori to score past Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.

“The first half was tough, we barely got into our stride," Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said. "We adjusted a bit at halftime, and the players who came on did well.”

Without Serie A leading scorer Mateo Retegui, Italy coach Luciano Spalletti turned to Moise Kean, who is second on the Italian league’s scoring chart with 15 goals.

The winner of the tie will host the finals.

Substitute Mikel Merino scored in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 for Spain in Rotterdam. Nine minutes before the end, defender Jorrel Hato received a red card when the Dutch were ahead 2-1. The game was played at the De Kuip stadium, where Spain beat Croatia in the 2023 final.

Spain led 1-0 in the ninth minute after Lamine Yamal seized the ball on the right, passed it to Pedri, who fed Nico Williams in the middle to score the opener.

In the 28th minute, Justin Kluivert set up Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo to equalize with a low shot from the left that went in at the near post.

Tijjani Reijnders put the Netherlands ahead 2-1 only 39 seconds into the second half. The AC Milan player exchanged the ball with Jeremie Frimpong before finding the back of the net with a precise finish from the edge of the area.

Manchester United players were at the forefront for Denmark.

Substitute Rasmus Højlund broke the deadlock in the 78th.

In the 24th, Christian Eriksen had a chance to put the Danes ahead from the penalty spot, but Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa dived to his right to save the attempt.

The Manchester United midfielder had converted 12 penalties for Denmark and hadn't missed one since 2016.

Ronaldo extended his record of the number of international appearances to 218 but didn’t add to his record scoring tally of 135 international goals.

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Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo speak during the UEFA Nations League playoff match, League A, between Denmark and Portugal, at Parken in Copenhagen, Denmark, Thursday, March 20, 2024. (Liselotte Sabroe/Scanpix 2025/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo lies on the pitch during the UEFA Nations League playoff match, League A, between Denmark and Portugal, at Parken in Copenhagen, Denmark, Thursday, March 20, 2024. (Liselotte Sabroe/Scanpix 2025/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, second from left, reacts during the UEFA Nations League playoff match, League A, between Denmark and Portugal, at Parken in Copenhagen, Denmark, Thursday, March 20, 2024. (Liselotte Sabroe/Scanpix 2025/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Spain's Pedri, center, fails to score during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal first leg match between the Netherlands and Spain at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Spain's Nico Williams celebrates after scoring his side first goal during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal first leg match between the Netherlands and Spain at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Netherlands' Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his side first goal during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal first leg match between the Netherlands and Spain at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, center, clears the ball during the soccer Nations League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Italy and Germany, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Italy's Sandro Tonali celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the soccer Nations League quarter final first leg soccer match between Italy and Germany in Milan, Italy, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

Germany's David Raum, left, fights for the ball with Italy's Nicolo Barella during the soccer Nations League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Italy and Germany, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Croatia's players celebrate their side's first goal, scored by Ante Budimir during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and France, at the Poljud stadium in Split, Croatia, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

France's Kylian Mbappe falls during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and France, at the Poljud stadium in Split, Croatia, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

France's goalkeeper Mike Maignan fails to stop a header by Croatia's Ante Budimir during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and France, at the Poljud stadium in Split, Croatia, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

France's Jules Kounde, top, fouls Croatia's Josko Gvardiol during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and France, at the Poljud stadium in Split, Croatia, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

France's Kylian Mbappe looks down during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and France, at the Poljud stadium in Split, Croatia, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)