February 11, 2025

France, 2018 World Cup Champions

France, 2018 World Cup Champions
France's shot stopper Hugo Lloris lifts the trophy as they celebrate winning the World Cup. France overcame Croatia 4-2 in Moscow. PHOTO | REUTERS | COURTESY

Pogba, Mbappe, Griezmann shine as France captures its second World Cup title triumphing over Croatia 4-2 in the final

France it is!

French National Football team won the World Cup 20 years after they won their first when they overcame Croatia in style 4-2 on Sunday evening as the 2018 Russia World Cup drew to a close.

It had been the very first time Croatia had reached the World Cup finals, becoming only the second small nation with about 4.2m people to reach the finals after Uruguay in 1950.

The two sides displayed one of the most entertaining 90 minutes of action ever in the World Cup but it was France who eventually brought to an end Zlatko Dalic's men's dream of a first World Cup title.

This is now the second World Cup title Didier Deschamps has won, now as a coach, after he won it in 1998 at home as a player. Didier Deschamps, now the French national team coach, was Les Bleus captain in 1998 when France beat all the odds to overcome a strong Brazillian side in Paris, and on Sunday evening in Moscow, he made history by becoming the third ever to win the coveted trophy as a player and coach.

The match in Moscow was a perfect one, entertaining and what football fans would have ever wanted for a final. It had its own interesting happenings, including a Mandzukic own goal, a Lloris gaffe, a controversial VAR decided penalty and funny enough, black and white pitch invaders that stopped the game for not less than 25 seconds.

France took advantage of an early lead that came from an Antoine Griezmann freekick that brushed off Mandzukic head for an own goal before Ivan Perisic made it level with a cool finish. Griezmann put France ahead again from a VAR decided penalty, the first one in a World Cup Final. Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe added the third and fourth to seal the victory snuffing the Croats' dream who were visibly shaken from the VAR decision. It was definitely a turning point for them. 

Mandzukic got a consolation goal 15 minutes to time after the French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris gaffed with the ball behind his goal to award him an easy one.

The action was too much, and this included a pitch invasion in the second half. Four spectators dressed in black and white invaded the field before the stewards stopped them. This was quickly handled and play resumed 25 seconds later.

France now move up with their double by becoming only the sixth country to achieve this feat to join Brazil, Germany Italy, Argentina and Uruguay. Only eight teams have had their hands on the coveted trophy. The other two are Spain and England who have won once each