The 2018 FIFA World Cup Final

World Cup final: France crowned world champion after 4-2 win over Croatia

     The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations to decide 31 of the 32 teams which would play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with Russia qualifying automatically as hosts.
     There was to be no final, dramatic twist in a World Cup which has been full of joyous surprises and jaw-dropping late drama.
     France win their second FIFA World Cup title.
     France have won the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ after defeating Croatia 4-2 in a thoroughly entertaining Final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow in what was a fitting end to an outstanding tournament.

    This was the highest-scoring final since 1966 and an entertaining climax a wonderful tournament deserved. In 90 high-octane minutes there was a controversial VAR decision, an own goal, record-breaking feats and a pitch invasion and an underdog pushing a heavyweight to its limit.
    A Mario Mandzukic’s own goal and a controversial Antoine Griezmann penalty either side of Ivan Perisic’s wonderful long-range strike gave France a 2-1 lead at the break.
Arguably, France was undeservedly ahead but by the hour Les Bleus had scored two further goals, through Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, to put France in command and the result in little doubt.
     A dreadful error by captain Hugo Lloris allowed Mandzukic to reduce the deficit in the 69th minute and though Croatia went in search of more goals in the closing 20 minutes,France refused to fold.
    Mbappe, aged 19 years and 207 days, also further cemented his status as the most exciting young talent in world football with a long-range strike which made him the second-youngest player to score in a final after Pele, who scored as a 17-year-old in 1958.
    Deservedly, the Paris Saint-Germain star was named the competition’s best young player.