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At the end of the World Cup that we thought had thrown everything it could at us, came the final that still boasted some surprises.
A game of own-goals, video-assisted penalties, pitch invaders , stunners and clangers ended with France victorious for the second time on the biggest stage and Croatia - gallant, heartbroken Croatia – out on their feet.
There were moments, periods even, when the Croatians were the better side in a topsy-turvy encounter that went off the rails pretty early and never dared to stray back to normalcy.
France vs Croatia World Cup player ratingsShow all 22 1 /22France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings <b>France:</b> Hugo Lloris – 5 out of 10 Not much he could do to stop Perisic’s howitzer from flying past him but was 100 per cent responsible for the mindless attempt to play the ball around Mandzukic that allowed him to deflect the ball into the net. Lucky for him, France were already home and dry.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Benjamin Pavard – 6 out of 10 No long-range missiles like we saw against Argentina but this was a disciplined display, even if Croatia sent little down his channel.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Raphael Varane – 7 out of 10 Did a good job alongside Umtiti in preventing Croatia from creating clear-cut chances and his position was sensible throughout. A four-time Champions League winner and now world champion, and only the 11th player to win both in the same season. Not bad by the age of 25.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Samuel Umtiti – 7 out of 10 Really stood out on France’s defence as he came off on top in the battle with Mandzukic. Could have made Lloris’ job easier with a better pass before his error, but he was by no means to blame.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Lucas Hernandez – 7 out of 10 Burst down the left, riding a tackle when most players would’ve gone down, to play the ball into Mbappe that led to the final goal. Impressive showing
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Kylian Mbappe – 8 out of 10 Quiet throughout the first half but the beauty about a player like Mbappe is that they need a single moment to come to life. When the chance opened up for him, he could easily have tried to curl the ball to the side that Mandzukic was running towards, but instead he smartly drilled it back against the direction of play to seize his chance to shine.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Paul Pogba – 9 out of 10 Lucky not to be ruled offside for the opener as he was still involved in play when Mandzukic headed in the own goal, but from then on he was fantastic. Created time on the ball, took his goal on his weaker left foot excellently and was there when needed in defence. A great showing.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings N’Golo Kante – 5 out of 10 Allowed Perisic to round him too easily and fire into the back of the net for the equaliser. Booked soon after for a cynical foul on the same man, and replaced after 55 minutes by Steven N’Zonzi to remove the risk of a red card.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Blaise Matuidi – 6 out of 10 The quiet man of the French midfield who didn’t do anything wrong, and provided the discipline to allow his extrovert teammates to push on in front.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Antoine Griezmann – 8 out of 10 Bought a dubious free-kick that he floated into the box for the opening goal, and took free lovely touches before passing to Pogba that then produced the third goal. In between that he scored the penalty to put France back in the lead and he had a major say throughout the entire tournament for France.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Olivier Giroud – 7 out of 10 Did his job as targetman, although Croatia’s allowance for France to play with the ball on the deck negated Giroud’s job somewhat.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings <b>Croatia:</b> Danijel Subasic – 4 out of 10 Whether or not the injury that he suffered earlier in the tournament affected him is unknown, but he was far from his best, particularly for Pogba’s and Mbappe’s goal as his movement was nowhere to be seen.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Sime Vrsaljko – 6 out of 10 Brilliant header on Modric’s free-kick drilled the ball back into the box and led to Perisic’s equaliser. However, he was passed too easily by Hernandez in the lead up to Mbappe’s goal.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Dejan Lovren – 5 out of 10 Caught out of position too often and given that he was bigging himself up as one of the best defenders in world football, conceding four goals in a World Cup final was particularly embarrassing for him.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Domagoj Vida – 6 out of 10 Got a touch on the ball to flick it forwards and into Perisic’s path, but defensively he was poor.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Ivan Strinic – 5 out of 10 France appeared to target him and it paid off in the second half as the tide turned, with Zlatko Dalic hauling him off when the game was already gone.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Marcelo Brozovic – 6 out of 10 One of the better performers in a Croatia shirt but he couldn’t do anything to stem the French flood that was coming his way in the second half.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Ante Rebic – 6 out of 10 Had one good flash at goal that flew over the bar in the second half, and he was slightly disappointing going forward.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Luka Modric – 6 out of 10 Ran out of steam after a virtuoso display throughout the tournament, and while he picked up the Golden Ball following the match, his disappointment was obvious to see.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Ivan Rakitic – 6 out of 10 Once again outshined by his midfield teammate and he was lucky not to be booked for sarcastically falling over in front of the referee and getting up to applaud him. His frustration was obvious to see.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Ivan Perisic – 7 out of 10 Another hugely important goal – at the time – as he swivelled and fired the ball past Lloris. Unfortunate to be penalised for the hand ball that swung the game in France’s favour, but he can be proud of the performance.
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France vs Croatia World Cup player ratings Mario Mandzukic – 7 out of 10 Tried to head clear Griezmann’s free-kick, only to get his timing wrong and put it into his own net. Made up for the error as he charged down Lloris to score, but the damage was already done.
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It was a finale that was set up for Kylian Mbappe to make this tournament his own, Luka Modric to get both hands on the Ballon d’Or or Hugo Lloris to state a claim as only the second-ever goalkeeper to win the Golden Ball.
Fittingly for a World Cup where the unexpected has frequently crept up behind the most sane of predictions and pulled its trousers down, none of the above happened. Mbappe had a quiet game but scored the fourth French goal which looked to have sealed their glory. Moments later Lloris handed Mario Mandzukic and Croatia a lifeline with the most unthinkable of World Cup final errors and, in amongst all that, Modric played like a player who has played more minutes than any other player at the tournament – which might be one of the few logical things to have emerged from a bizarre final.
France’s win was logical, you’d suppose, but it never felt truly comfortable and then when it did, oh so briefly, it reverted to type again shortly afterwards.
Didier Deschamps came into this tournament with something to prove and even as the clock ticked down on a World Cup final in which his team were two goals ahead of their utterly broken, shattered rivals, it was never convincing. Fortunately for the France coach, the history books will only remember the winner, rather than the manner of victory, and it is impossible to think of a team that deserved to win the World Cup more than France even if they were, at times, uninspiring.
World Cup final: France vs CroatiaShow all 95 1 /95World Cup final: France vs Croatia World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris lifts the trophy after France beat Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia The France team line up in front of the World Cup trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic greets President of France Emmanuel Macron alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia's line up ahead of the match
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba is challenged by Mario Mandzukic and Ante Rebic
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris looks on as Olivier Giroud heads a ball
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe controls the ball
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Luka Modric is challenged by N'Golo Kante
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Diego Maradona shouts
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic controls the ball in the penalty box
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Raphael Varane, Mario Mandzukic and Benjamin Pavard collide as they compete for a header
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Samuel Umtiti falls in front of Mario Mandzukic
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann takes a free-kick which assisted the opening goal
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic scores an own goal
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic scores an own goal from Antoine Griezmann's free-kick
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Danijel Subasic looks on as he concedes the opening goal
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann celebrates with Benjamin Pavard and Raphael Varane
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate socring the first goal of the game
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Luka Modric looks on
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Raphael Varane, Mario Mandzukicand Benjamin Pavard go for a header
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Marcelo Brozovic vies for the ball with Olivier Giroud
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic scores Croatia's first goal
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic celebrates after scoring
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia celebrate after scoring
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic handles the ball in the area leading to a VAR review
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Referee Nestor Pitana gestures players away before referral to VAR
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Referee Nestor Pitana checks the VAR
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia The scoreboard showing a possible penalty review by VAR
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Referee Nestor Pitana calls for a penalty after a VAR review
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic argue with Referee Nestor Pitana after he awards France with a penalty
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Players of Croatia react while Antoine Griezmann (L) of France prepares himself to take the a penalty
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann takes the penalty
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann scores France's second past Danijel Subasic
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann celebrates after scoring
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ngolo Kante is replaced by Steven Nzonzi
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia A woman who invaded the pitch approaches Kylian Mbappe
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia A pitch invader and Kylian Mbappe high five
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba scores France's third goal
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba celebrates after scoring
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate their fourth goal
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe scores France's fourth goal
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe celebrates his goal with Paul Pogba
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris tries to dribble past Mario Mandzukic
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic gets the ball off Hugo Lloris and scores Croatia's second of the game
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris watches the ball hit the back of the net
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Mario Mandzukic celebrates scoring as Hugo Lloris holds his head
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate after the won the world cup
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Croatia players dejected after they lost the match
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate at the end of the match
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Olivier Giroud and Adil Rami celebrate winning
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate following their sides victory
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ivan Perisic looks dejected after Croatia lost
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Corentin Tolisso and Presnel Kimpembe celebrate winning the World Cup
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France coach Didier Deschamps is thrown into the air
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate as Domagoj Vida looks dejected after Croatia lost
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Olivier Giroud, Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez, Florian Thauvin and Presnel Kimpembe celebrate winning the World Cup
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players celebrate with fans after winning the World Cup
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Philippe Lahm takes the World Cup trophy to the stage
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia FIFA president Gianni Infantino and President of Russia Vladimir Putin with the World Cup trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba celebrates victory with team mate Kylian Mbappe
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe with President of France Emmanuel Macron and President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic after being awarded the Best Young Player trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Luka Modric poses with the FIFA Golden Ball award
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia France players receives their medals from FIFA president Gianni Infantino as President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of France Emmanuel Macron and President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic look on
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris holds the trophy aloft as he celebrates with his teammates
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris lifts the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Fireworks go off during the trophy presentation
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba holds the trophy as he celebrates
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Presnel Kimpembe and Thomas Lemar celebrate
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Adil Rami lifts the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Presnel Kimpembe celebrate with their medals after winning the World Cup
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Antoine Griezmann kisses the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Lucas Hernandez celebrates
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Didier Deschamps kisses the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Benjamin Mendy celebrates with the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Kylian Mbappe celebrates with the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Paul Pogba celebrates with his mother Yeo and brothers Mathias and Florentin
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Hugo Lloris and his daughters celebrate with the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Ousmane Dembele, Benjamin Mendy and Kylian Mbappe with the trophy
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World Cup final: France vs Croatia Presnel Kimpembe and Antoine Griezmann celebrate with the trophy
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In Croatia they will doubtlessly fixate on how much closer they might have come had it not been for the officiating, which undoubtedly went against them at the Luzhniki. This wasn't a display of persistent ineptitude from Nestor Pitana by any stretch but it was a game where the big calls, those borderline ones that can mean everything, went in France's favour.
A proud nation will weep with pride and anger, a winding, turning journey that they hadn't expected supporting a team that never united the country but still set their sprits ablaze. You do not have to love someone for them to give you hope, and amid Modric's unpopularity and off-field issues back home he was their leader in this tournament, a genuinely world-class performer whose importance is no longer undersold.
Pitch invaders interrupt play in World Cup final clash between France and Croatia France, though, are your champions. Our champions.
A team that conquered the world in what you could quite reasonably describe as the most logical way - by industrialising the process of creating the best possible talent. They focused on players, sourcing and nurturing and blending the most capable young players into a band of elite performers fit to be world champions. There were many left at home who could easily have been here and there are many watching on television who will be here in four years' time when France will once again be contenders. The World Cup runneth over.
Croatia in their own right are an incredible producer of talent but there is no formula, no long-term plan or significant finance behind their magical ability to conjure players from the sun-scorched shores of the Adriatic. Their return to this stage can be sketchily pencilled in for much further into the future, quite possibly when the generation inspired by this campaign mature into adults and look to create their own history.
Les Bleus' conveyor belt is a factory, a process, a long-term plan that everyone is aspiring to recreate and one which suggests the next nation to win this trophy, possibly the next few, will come from the select group of nations that have the resources to create a critical mass of talent.
France are a logical winner, and not one you'd begrudge. But logic and football don't always see eye-to-eye, they rarely have over the past month and that is why they must enjoy this moment while it lasts, because for all the process and primacy, it may never come again.
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