France Lifts 2018 World Cup

The ‘Les Blues’ of France yesterday repeated history by lifting the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia.

Nineteen-year old Kylian Mbappe who received the Young Player of the Tournament Award, and Paul Pogba scored superb goals to help France clinch their second World Cup.

The match, which ended 4-2 in favor of the French, makes their Coach, Didier Deschamps, who captained the country’s 1998 squad, the third man to win the World Cup both as player and coach, after Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer.

France led 2-1 at halftime, following a Mario Mandzukic own goal, a superb equalizer by Ivan Perisic, and an Antoine Griezmann VAR penalty for France.

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.

The Croatians, who were beaten by the French in the semi-finals in their first World Cup appearance in 1998, leaves the tournament as first runner up.

Their key player, Luca Modric, who was very active in the midfield, won the Best Player of the Tournament.

France’s win drew the curtains on the tournament which commenced on June 14, in Russia.