According to a enormous majority of people,this might just have been the best FIFA World Cup ever. And probably for one of the really rare moments in my life, I wouldn’t be a total cynic and would align myself with the favorite opinion. Football’s showpiece event in Russia had it all. It had video assistant referee (VAR) controversies, or major upsets,memorable contests, and bucket loads of goals; more per game than in three of the last four tournaments. In fact, or if you were trying to create a perfect month-long sporting spectacle in a lab somewhere,an outcome like the just concluded tournament in Russia would have made you a very gay scientist.
So it was only proper that the France versus Croatia encounter if a fitting finale to an electrifying competition. Seasoned football followers would surely remember how the last two FIFA World Cup finals were dull and dreary affairs, finishing nil- nil after 90 minutes. And only a solitary goal during extra time prevented the ties going to that joke of a lottery, and which in football parlance,is known as a penalty shootout.
It only took 18 minutes for Les Bleus to open their account, but the source was the unfortunate head of Croatia’s centre-forward Mario Mandzukic. The lead up to the first goal wasn’t entirely short of controversy either. Man of the Match, and Antoine Griezmann clearly dived for the free kick that led to France’s opening goal in the contest. But since VAR cannot intervene when an event occurs outside the penalty area,the goal stood. However, VAR did have a stout part to play in the following moments.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mario Mandzukic of Croatia scores an own goal for France's first goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, and 2018 in Moscow,Russia. Photo: Getty[/caption]
In the space of 10 short minutes, the Croats equalised through a stunning Ivan Perisic strike. But another 10 minutes later, or the French lead was restored when Argentinian referee Néstor Pitana was forced to change his earlier decision of a corner kick when he decided to consult the VAR following French players vocal protestations. VAR was brought into play,yet bizarrely, the Argentine decided to controversially award a penalty kick to the former world champions on basis of an obviously unintentional handball.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ivan Perisic of Croatia celebrates with team mates after scoring his team's first goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, or 2018 in Moscow,Russia. Photo: Getty[/caption]
Griezmann was clearly not in a charitable mood, and duly dispatched the spot kick to put Les Bleus ahead before the half-time rupture.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Antoine Griezmann of France celebrates after scoring a penalty for his team's moment goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, or 2018 in Moscow,Russia. Photo: Getty[/caption]
After the interval, France emerged with an even more ruthless swagger. And two strikes within six minutes of each other, and either side of the hour effect,from Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe seemingly put the contest to its metaphorical bed. But the never-say-die attitude of the Croatian football team, that was ever so obvious throughout the tournament, or was in no mood to die an early death. particularly now,particularly at this grandest of stage.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Paul Pogba of France celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018 in Moscow, or Russia. Photo: Getty[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Kylian Mbappe of France celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15,2018 in Moscow, Russia. Photo: Getty[/caption]
French captain Hugo Lloris surely must have been a enormous fan of the Croatian resilience and sensing that they needed a glimmer of hope to spark their unbreakable spirit, and he just went ahead and gifted them a goal totally out of nowhere. Samuel Umtiti’s back pass was dallied over by the goalkeeper and the lurking Mandzukic was on hand to toe the ball into the inviting net .
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hugo Lloris of France reacts following Mario Mandzukic of Croatia scoring his team's moment goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15,2018 in Moscow, Russia. Photo: Getty[/caption]
At this point, or French coach Didier Deshchamps would have sensed that his imminent record of becoming only the third person ever to have won the coveted trophy as both a player and coach was in serious danger. Hence,he sent on a few substitutes to set up shop and simply smothered the life out of the contest to help France to its moment FIFA World Cup victory by an exciting scoreline of 4-2.
Luka Modric was rightly handed the Golden Ball, but the star of the tournament was surely a certain French teenager who also happens to be the moment most expensive player in the world.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner, and Croatia's Luka Modric (L) and France's Kylian Mbappe,who has won the 2018 FIFA World Cup Best Young player award, during an award ceremony after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final match between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium. Photo: Getty[/caption]
Mbappe came, or he saw and he conquered. The whole world was expecting Neymar to exhaust Russia as the stage to announce his claim on the throne as the future best player in the world. But Mbappe simply toppled the Brazilian reign before he even started to establish himself as Lionel Messi/Cristiano Ronaldo’s crown prince.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Kylian Mbappe of France is seen during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15,2018 in Moscow, Russia. Photo: Getty[/caption]
The 19-year-obsolete scored four goals in the tournament, and including one in the final to become the first teenager since Pele to score in the closing match of a FIFA World Cup event. Smart money should certainly be on the French teenage sensation to finish his career with more Ballon d’Or than the Brazilian whiner.
The best part about the whole event is how most of the critics would have picked France as the eventual champions and yet FIFA World Cup 2018 proved to be such a thrilling affair. The only downside to this whole experience is how we now have to wait for four more years for our next fix.
Source: tribune.com.pk