France win FIFA World Cup in thrilling final
It finally down to two, as France and Croatia battle it out at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday for the FIFA World Cup 2018 crown.
The Les Bleus are aiming to repeat his 1998 success by bringing the World Cup to France for just the second time, while the Croats are bidding for their maiden triumph.
They are the heavy favourites ahead of the final, but Luka Modric and Co showed they are capable of upsetting the odds with their semi-final victory over England.
Live Updates:
💔🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/xxr2Zespng
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 15, 2018
Full time: France 4-2 Croatia
90+2min: Croatia 2-4 France
Mbappe and Pogba attack down the right flank on the break.
90min: Croatia 2-4 France
Brozovic concedes a free-kick and kicks the ball away in frustration.
89min: Croatia 2-4 France
Desperate from Rakitic, probably tiredness as well, as he fires a long range effort well off target.
83min: Croatia 2-4 France
Free-kick for Croatia. Rakitic swings the ball into the penalty area, where Lloris plucks it from the sky.
Croatia substitution: Ivan Strinic off, Marko Pjaca. France substitution: Olivier Giroud off, Nabil Fekir on.
81min: Croatia 2-4 France
Croatia have to push on now and they leave just two back against Mbappe.
10 minutes left......
79min: Croatia 2-4 France
Close for Croatia, as a wonderful move ends with a low, diagonal Rakitic shot being deflected narrowly wide of the far upright by Nzonzi.
75min: Croatia 2-4 France
Six goals, an own goal, a howler or two, VAR - what else can Russia 2018 gift us in the remaining few minutes?
Next change for Les Bleus, with @CorentinTolisso replacing @MATUIDIBlaise.#FiersdetreBleus #FRACRO #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/BO052PXz65
— French Team (@FrenchTeam) July 15, 2018
5 – Mario Mandzukic has become just the 5th player to score in both World Cup and European Cup/Champions League finals, after Ferenc Puskas, Zoltan Czibor, Gerd Muller & Zinedine Zidane. Platform.#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #FRA #CRO pic.twitter.com/jc7TNR7YRG
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
19y 207d - Kylian Mbappé is the 2nd youngest player to score in a @FIFAWorldCup final, after Pelé (17y 249d) in 1958 for Brazil. Anointed.#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #FRA #CRO pic.twitter.com/RAX9fOPWL0
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
70min: Croatia 2-4 France
GOAL! for Croatia. Mandzukic …
65min: Croatia 1-4 France
GOAL! This time the teenager Mbappe. He is the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since a young Brazilian lad by the name of Pele a very long time ago.
63min: Croatia 1-3 France
That has to be it now for Croatia surely? France are now pressing for a fourth and for the first time in the knock-out stages.
GOAL! Griezmann lays the ball off to Pogba on the edge of the box, his first shot is blocked but the ball comes back to him and he curls a measured left-footed strike into the corner pic.twitter.com/kjcJRmwVEV
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 15, 2018
59min: Croatia 1-3 France
Pogba scores for France.
GOALLL!! @paulpogba scores to put France in control! @equipedefrance 3?-1? @HNS_CFF
Watch LIVE on @ITV now#FRA #FRACRO #CRO #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/2cykaqn6Nn
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 15, 2018
55min: Croatia 1-2 France
France make their first switch, with the Kante making way for Nzonzi.
54min: Croatia 1-2 France
Some fans have just invaded the pitch to briefly bring a halt to the game.
53min: Croatia 1-2 France
Suddenly France break away through Mbappe who after holding off Vida in the box sees his shot from an acute angle well smothered by Subasic.
52min: Croatia 1-2 France
France under pressure. Varane is forced to tip a long ball back to his keeper at full stretch, with Lloris having to race out the box and calmly chest the ball away from Mandzukic.
48min: Croatia 1-2 France
Rebic is put through on goal by a wonderful pass from Rakitic.
47min: Croatia 1-2 France
Croatia have started the second half in the same way they started the game.
We are underway again....
Conor McGregor in the house 💯 pic.twitter.com/qn2ZMIiEUB
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 15, 2018
1930 - The only team to win a World Cup final having been trailing at half-time was Uruguay against Argentina, in the first ever showpiece in 1930. History.#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #FRA #CRO pic.twitter.com/dfllwOSZFy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
Half Time: Croatia 1-2 France
45+2min: Croatia 1-2 France
There are grey skies over the Luzhniki Stadium and a couple of rumbles of thunder rend the air.
44min: Croatia 1-2 France
Hernandez is booked for a late challenge on Rebic and not long afterwards, Perisic has a shot blocked by Pogba, who puts the ball out for a corner.
43min: Croatia 1-2 France
As you might expect, Croatia have not wilted into their shells and they are pressing for an equaliser before the break.
41min: Croatia 1-2 France
Mandzukic is too slow to react after Rebic fails to connect with a wonderful Perisic cross from the left into the penalty area.
39min: Croatia 1-2 France
France get their lead back against Croatia. Griezmann!!!
36min: Croatia 1-1 France
VAR review. France get a penalty after the ball struck Perisic's arm.
11 - Ivan Perisic has now been involved in 11 goals at major tournaments for Croatia (7 goals, 4 assists); more than any other player. Rocket.#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #CRO #FRA pic.twitter.com/H6RxfNLW2i
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
#CRO GOAL! @HNS_CFF are back level! Ivan Perisic!#FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/SNq59WHoS4
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
28min: Croatia 1-1 France
What a reply by Croatia. Perisic is the man again. They are back in the game.
Croatia 0-1 Denmark ?? Croatia win
Russia 1-0 Croatia ?? Croatia win
Croatia 0-1 England ?? Croatia winDon't count them out just yet 🇭🇷 https://t.co/CtlgV6Xqw5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 15, 2018
25min: Croatia 0-1 France
With just over a quarter of the game gone, Croatia’s players and supporters must be cursing their luck.
23min: Croatia 0-1 France
Brilliant tackle from the left-back Matuidi to avoid as France counter-attack.
18min: Croatia 0-1 France
GOAL! France take the lead courtesy of Mandzukic’s own Goal
GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAL! @AntoGriezmann's free-kick from the right takes a deflection in the box and flies into the net!!#FiersdetreBleus #FRACRO #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/p6B2W9RFqZ
— French Team (@FrenchTeam) July 15, 2018
17min: Croatia 0-0 France
Griezmann gets what might well have been his first touch of the game. free-kick!!
16min: Croatia 0-0 France
More threats from Croatia as Perisic gets into space down the left but his low cross is well intercepted by Pavard.
14min: Croatia 0-0 France
France get the ball out of their own half, only to see it sent back with interest courtesy of a powerful Lovren header.
12min: Croatia 0-0 France
Perisic chases a beautifully weighted pass over the top from Rakitic, but the ball’s rolls out of play.
10min: Croatia 0-0 France
It’s all Croatia, with France struggling to get out of their own half.
8min: Croatia 0-0 France
It's a decent delivery from the left but Benjamin Pavard rises up to head clear.
#FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/JO3GmxaWAD
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
5min: Croatia 0-0 France
It's all Croatia, Rebic finds Vrsaljko on the overlap but his cross is well cleared.
4min: Croatia 0-0 France
Croatia have made a sharp start, France looking slow and nervous in comparison.
3min: Croatia 0-0 France
Modric concedes the first free-kick of the game with a foul on Umtit.
2min: Croatia 0-0 France
Croatia control the very early ball, France won't mind sitting back and then using Mbappe on the break.
The World Cup final is underway.....
HERE WE GO! The teams come out, walking past the trophy….
👏 @10Ronaldinho on the bongos pic.twitter.com/bIYIL9vMr3
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 15, 2018
@10Ronaldinho pic.twitter.com/eI09RaRicl
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 15, 2018
Every 20 years, the #WorldCup sees a first-time winner:
1958: Brazil
1978: Argentina
1998: FranceCan #CRO continue that streak today? pic.twitter.com/me9WQC01fQ
— ST Sports Desk (@STsportsdesk) July 15, 2018
The question on everyone's lips...
Who is going to win the #WorldCup today? #FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
0 - France have never lost a game with N’Golo Kante & Paul Pogba both in the starting XI (18 games: W14 D4 L0). Complementary. (via @OptaJean)#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #FRA pic.twitter.com/jcP5m61ZEs
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
World Cup Finals #FRACRO #WorldCup2018 pic.twitter.com/rTYwhf3ovX
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) July 15, 2018
#CRO is leading on global search interest right before the final match of the #WorldCup:https://t.co/oKg7jqAw2D#WorldCupFinal #FRACRO pic.twitter.com/dIsYJebT3U
— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) July 15, 2018
As does Zagreb! #CRO #WorldCup https://t.co/hSGxkSc8Cr pic.twitter.com/QVHsGkNavH
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) July 15, 2018
Paris expects!https://t.co/hSGxkSc8Cr #FRA #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/MYGu0yo9tC
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) July 15, 2018
10 - Ivan Perisic has been involved in 10 goals at major tournaments for Croatia (6 goals, 4 assists), the joint-most along with Davor Suker (9 goals, 1 assist). Importance. #WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #Cro pic.twitter.com/rwarabEORI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
9:12 - France have trailed for just nine minutes and 12 seconds at the 2018 World Cup, while Croatia have been behind in all three of their knockout matches so far. Journey.#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #Cro #Fra pic.twitter.com/GW4eBYSigI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
The Trophy has arrived at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium... #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/2ubabJaBFy
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
5 - Raphaël Varane will be just the fifth Frenchman to play in both the Champions League & World Cup finals in the same year, after Thierry Henry (2006), Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and Christian Karembeu (all 1998). Stage.#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #FRA pic.twitter.com/Vu3xmSQGwk
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
The teams are here!
Where are you watching the big game?
TV listings https://t.co/xliHcxWvEO #FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
The team news is in...
Here are your Starting XIs, #FRA and #CRO fans! #FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/f5v1NuaCtJ
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
4 - Didier Deschamps has taken part in 4 of France's 6 finals in major tournaments in their history (World Cup 1998 & EURO 2000 as a player, EURO 2016 & World Cup 2018 as manager). Napoleon. #FRACRO #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/SZ0USbhDvs
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) July 15, 2018
Will either of these players be the match winner in Moscow? #FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/6TZwMzHZAJ
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
19y 207d - Kylian Mbappé will become the youngest Frenchman and the third youngest player overall to appear in a World Cup final, after Pelé in 1958 (17y 249d) and Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982 (18y 201d). Excitement.#WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #FRA pic.twitter.com/R3Y0x9MkrB
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
Enjoy #CRO dressing room.#WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/WqZKYeOZDw
— HNS | CFF (@HNS_CFF) July 15, 2018
Will either of these players be the match winner in Moscow? #FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/6TZwMzHZAJ
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
Our record against @HNS_CFF is... not bad as omens go
Games played: 5??
Wins: 3??
Draws: 2??
Goals for: ?????????
Goals against: ???#FiersdetreBleus #FRACRO #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/LBi82feAKz— French Team (@FrenchTeam) July 15, 2018
#FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/w227YQWA0A
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
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