2018 World Cup Final: France lift second World Cup after 4-2 win over Croatia
Authorities have charged members of the punk protest group after they stormed the pitch during France’s World Cup triumph.
Authorities in Moscow have charged members of the Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot with “violation of spectators’ rights” and illegally wearing police symbols when they ran onto the field during the World Cup final.
The Interfax news agency reported late Sunday that the four could face penalties of up to 11,500 rubles ($250) or 160 hours of community service.
Just after Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic saved Kylian Mbappe in the 51st minute on Sunday, four people emerged from the other end of the field. One made it to the centre circle.
They were quickly tackled by security, and the match resumed after a delay of about one minute.
The interruption was seen by Russian President Vladimir Putin from his VIP box and by international broadcast audiences watching one of the world’s most viewed sporting events.
Pussy Riot issued statements on social media calling for the curtailing of policing powers and other reforms in Russia. The group has antagonised Putin for years and members have served time in prison for staging various high-profile protests.
The women of Pussy Riot rose to global prominence with their daring outdoor performances critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2012 that sent two members to prison for nearly two years.
Pitch invaders! #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/ysOdoETcxb
— SBS - The World Game (@TheWorldGame) July 15, 2018
Macron leads celebration
In a stadium packed with presidents watching the World Cup final, no one had as much fun as Emmanuel Macron.
The French head of state joined his country’s victorious players in the locker room after they beat Croatia 4-2. He jostled with midfielder Paul Pogba while being filmed for Snapchat. And he posed for picture doing a dab pose with defender Benjamin Mendy.
It was a rousing evening for a president who went through a range of emotions at the Luzhniki Stadium.
Earlier in the evening, Mr Macron had paced nervously and then leapt euphorically from his seat in the VIP section as a guest of FIFA and Russian President Vladimir Putin. After the game, Mr Macron offered up a flurry of kisses in the exuberant, rain-soaked celebrations.
He kissed Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic on both cheeks. He kissed France teammates Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann on their foreheads.
He even kissed the top of the golden World Cup trophy.
Mr Macron seemed to be so happy that he was unconcerned about being caught in a torrential downpour on the field at the awards ceremony. An umbrella was produced to keep Mr Putin dry, but Mr Macron looked quite content to brave the rain.
Then, as Mr Macron and Mr Grabar-Kitarovic walked toward the tunnel to leave the field, his heels were almost clipped by some exuberant France players who were sliding on their bellies and their behinds across the soaked grass toward a bank of photographers beside a group of state presidents.
Mr Putin and FIFA also hosted the presidents of Belarus, Sudan, Armenia and Gabon, plus the Emir of Qatar.
On his official Twitter account, Macron later posted a simple message to the team: “MERCI.”
Back in Frances, Paris erupted in joy as the country clinched the World Cup, with fans streaming into the streets, honking car horns and flying the tricolore flag at the start of an enormous national celebration.
Cheers rang out throughout the country for each of four goals in the final as “Les Bleues” beat Croatia 4-2 in one of the most entertaining and action-packed finals for decades, transforming the young team into national icons 20 years after the country’s first World Cup triumph in 1998.
In the stadium on the pitch, teenager Kylian Mbappe and the rest of the team took turns sliding across the rain-soaked turf holding the World Cup trophy and their celebration carried on long after the thrilling win. They celebrated in the locker room as Mr Macron struck poses with players, then continued to a champagne-spraying, water-splashing interruption of the coach Didier Deschamps’ news conference.
“Sorry! They’re young and they’re happy,” said Deschamps, like a proud father, hailing the win as a “wonderful” victory.
Deschamps had good reason to indulge them. His team is mostly aged 25 or under and can return almost intact to defend their title in 2022 in Qatar. “Our children are going to be very proud,” forward Antoine Griezmann said. “The World Cup, it’s a lot.” The 19-year-old Mbappe became only the second teen after Pele to score in a World Cup final.
Deschamps also made it to the record books, becoming only the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach after leading France to their maiden title in 1998 as captain.
“It’s so beautiful, so wonderful,” Deschamps told French TV channel TF1. “I’m really happy for this group … It wasn’t always easy, but by working hard, listening, they are on top of the world for four years.”
Quickfire strikes by Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe midway through the second half put France on course for the title but Mandzukic was gifted a goal by French keeper Hugo Lloris to set up a nervous last 20 minutes.
France, however, withstood a spirited Croatia assault to lift the trophy for the second time, following their success on home soil 20 years ago, and ensure there was no repeat of two years ago when they were beaten in the European Championship final by Portugal in Paris.
The victory means that Didier Deschamps, captain of the 1998 side, becomes the third man to win the World Cup as player and coach after Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer.
It was the highest-scoring final since England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra-time in 1966 and the highest in normal time since Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 60 years ago.
The landmarks came thick and fast in the first half too. Croatia had started full of energy but fell behind when Mandzukic, who scored the extra-time winner against England in the semi-final, became the first man to score an own goal in a World Cup final when a Griezmann free kick skidded in off his head in the 18th minute.
GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL! Own-goal by Mandzukic! 1-0 to France! #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/Vm4gFw2S9r
— SBS - The World Game (@TheWorldGame) July 15, 2018
It was the 12th own goal of the tournament. That meant it was the fourth successive knockout game that Croatia had conceded first but Perisic, who got the equaliser against England, was on hand again to level the scores 10 minutes later, smashing in a low shot after Sime Vrsaljko had headed Luka Modric’s free kick across the box.
GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL! Perisic scores for Croatia! 1-1! We've got a game on our hands! #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/uukkwbAdey
— SBS - The World Game (@TheWorldGame) July 15, 2018
But it was then Perisic’s turn go from hero to zero when he flapped an arm at a corner and, after a VAR review, Argentine referee Nestor Pitana awarded the 28th penalty of the tournament, another record, which Griezmann stroked home in the 38th minute for his fourth goal of Russia 2018.
That made it the highest-scoring first half since 1974, when West Germany led the Netherlands 2-1 — also the final score then.
GOOOOAAAALLLL! 2-1 to France as Griezmann scores from the spot! #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/JovflA9Zla
— SBS - The World Game (@TheWorldGame) July 15, 2018
It was harsh on Croatia, who had made most of the running, and they were on top again after the break, continually winning their one-on-one duels in the air and in every tackle and forging forward in the French box with plenty of variety.
But France’s defence, so impressive all tournament, held and they went 3-1 up on the hour as Mbappe and Griezmann combined to set up Pogba on the edge of the box. His right-footed shot was blocked but he coolly curved the rebound in with his left.
GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!! 3-1 to France! Pogba starts and finishes the move! He's had a lot of critics but now he has scored at a #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/kXx9MXlpee
— SBS - The World Game (@TheWorldGame) July 15, 2018
After three successive extra-time knockout games the chances of another Croatian comeback seemed slight but they looked dead and buried six minutes later.
Lucas Hernandez tore down the left to set up Mbappe who drilled a low shot beyond keeper Danijel Subasic for the 19-year-old’s fourth goal of the tournament.
GOOOOOAAAALLLLL! 4-1 to France! Mbappe becomes the youngest player to score in a #WorldCupFinal since Pele in 1958! pic.twitter.com/hENO0RojrC
— SBS - The World Game (@TheWorldGame) July 15, 2018
An awful blunder by Lloris revived Croatia, as the French keeper tried to dribble around Mandzukic only for the striker to tap the ball straight into an unguarded net.
GOOOOAAAALLLL! 4-2 as Croatia score! Mandzukic pounces on Lloris! What an incredible #WorldCupFinal we're having! pic.twitter.com/lg035WPMVa
— SBS - The World Game (@TheWorldGame) July 15, 2018
Croatia, beaten by the French in the semi-finals in their first World Cup appearance in 1998, continued to press but their energy was sapped and France safely held out for the victory.
The highest-scoring World Cup final since 1966 lifted the 2018 tournament to within two goals of the record tally for a 32-team format.
France’s 4-2 win over Croatia increased the tournament tally to 169 goals — two fewer than the record 171 in the 2014 and 1998 editions.
The average goals per game in Russia was 2.64.
It was the most prolific final since England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time in 1966.
Goals finally returned to the World Cup final in regulation time. The two previous finals were 0-0 after 90 minutes before being settled with a single goal deep into extra time.
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Modric wins Golden Ball
Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was awarded the Golden Ball after being voted as the best player at the World Cup.
Modric, who scored two goals and was crucial to Croatia’s three come-from-behind wins in the knockout stages, embraced Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic after being given the award in a rainy ceremony after his team lost the final 4-2 to France.
France teenager Kylian Mbappe was voted young player of the tournament, while Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois was named best goalkeeper.
Belgium finished as the World Cup’s highest-scoring team with 16 goals from 10 different players.
—
Kane wins Golden Boot
England captain Harry Kane has won the World Cup’s Golden Boot award, which will be consolation for England after their elimination in an extra-time semi-final defeat to Croatia.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker becomes only the second England international to win the award since Gary Lineker, who also scored six in Mexico 1986.
Congratulations to @HKane on winning the golden boot. Welcome to the club, young man.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 15, 2018
The goals dried up for Kane in the last three games including Saturday’s match for third place, a 2-0 defeat to Belgium.
“Obviously I’m disappointed I couldn’t get a goal in the last few games,” he said following the match.
“Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it doesn’t. But if I win it, it’ll be something I’ll be very proud of.” Kane has been a prolific scorer for Tottenham since establishing himself in the first team in the 2014-15 season, and was Premier League top scorer in the subsequent two seasons.
His winning goals against Slovenia and Lithuania and a late equaliser against Scotland in qualifying helped England reach Russia.
Kane began the World Cup with a brace in the 2-1 win over Tunisia and then scored three in a 6-1 win over Panama, and another from the penalty spot in the last 16 against Colombia. Three of his six goals were penalties. England manager Gareth Southgate praised the contribution Kane has made, not only leading the attack but as captain of the side.
“He has captained the team exceptionally well, he has led the culture we are trying to create,” Southgate said.
Kane’s six goals matches Colombia’s 2014 Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez, and is one better than the 2010 and 2006 winners, Germany’s Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose respectively.
The last player to score more was Brazil’s Ronaldo, with eight in 2002 (Brazil). No player has reached double figures since Gerd Mueller (10) playing for West Germany in 1970, while the all-time record of 13 by Just Fontaine in 1958 appears out of reach.
PA, REUTERS
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