Brilliant Mbappe, insane Varane, and a Floyd Mayweather spirit - This is everything you need to know about how France won the 2018 World Cup
This is France — the national soccer team crowned FIFA World Cup champions on Sunday, after a thrilling four-week competition that contained so much drama it has been touted as one of the best international tournaments of all time.
France began its 2018 World Cup campaign with a drab 2-1 victory over Australia on June 16. While it got the win, it did so without getting out of second gear. Like a Bugatti that beats a Holden Commodore without having to break the speed limit, France cruised to victory with no breakout performances from one of its big-name breakaway attacking talents. N'Golo Kanté received praise for his all-action display in the middle of the park, Raphaël Varane kept things tight in defence, and Hugo Lloris proved to be a safe pair of hands between the posts.
France then picked up a 1-0 win over Peru on June 21 and qualified for the knockout stages of the competition after just two Group C matches. Mbappé started to show precisely what he was capable of with lightning-quick runs, flicks and tricks out wide on the right, and the game's only goal, but it was once again Kanté who was head and shoulders above the competition as he commanded the entirety of the pitch.
France failed to beat Denmark in the team's third and final group game, but the 0-0 draw meant the Danes had done enough to progress to the next round of the tournament. This sparked wild celebrations from the Denmark team — celebrations the French were not really a part of.
Paul Pogba utterly dominated the midfield against Argentina. Pavard may have been responsible for one moment of magic, but it was Pogba who produced a spellbinding performance from start to finish. The 25-year-old utterly dominated Argentina's midfield, almost rendering them non-existent.
But at the heart of France's stunning win was a phenomenal performance from teenage forward Kylian Mbappé. The 19-year-old had been threatening to tear a team apart, and Argentina was the victim. Mbappé outshone Messi with dart-like dribbling, with pace to burn, and with elite finishing. With the man of the match display, Mbappé moved way past former France striker Thierry Henry, who he had long been compared to, and ever closer to one of soccer's untouchables — Brazil icon Pelé. With his two goals against Argentina, Mbappé became the first teenager to score two goals in a single World Cup match since the three-time World Cup winner.
France then beat Uruguay 2-0 in the quarterfinal with Griezmann and Varane writing the headlines, and Giroud continuing his role as France's unsung hero. Griezmann provided the cross that led to Varane's opening goal, a header, but the forward also scored the game's second. Though Varane helped France on its way, his defensive ingenuity cannot be underestimated, especially considering the attack Uruguay had at its disposal. Finally, Olivier Giroud — a player oft-maligned by cruel social media users — demonstrated why he is France coach Didier Deschamps' first-choice striker. He may not be Harry Kane, but Giroud has expert hold-up play — something he showed on July 6.
Lloris also had to work hard to earn his clean sheet in the 2-0 win. And the goalkeeper scrambled across his line when Martín Cáceres attempted to equalise just before half-time. Lloris provided a crucial save at a critical moment in the game, and the save was even lauded as one of the saves of the tournament. Relive it here:
Source: Business Insider.
What a save by Hugo Lloris!
...but Godin *probably* should've scored the rebound 😁 pic.twitter.com/itE0yGv1Nf
But for all the talk of Belgium's "Golden Generation," France, once again, delivered when it mattered most — and cooly swept its opponents aside with a 1-0 win on July 10.
Samuel Umtiti scored the game's only goal.
But the match's talking point was one of those "what-could-have-been" moments as Mbappé produced a pass that was so audacious and so creative, that it may well be remembered longer than the goal that won the game. When once there was Johan Cruyff's "Cruyff turn," which symbolised the Netherlands and Total Football at the 1974 World Cup, Mbappé's pass may come to symbolise a new era. An era that forgets about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and an era that focuses on the new World Cup king, Kylian Mbappé.
With the semifinal hurdle cleared, the only thing left for France to do was to tackle Croatia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday.
That elite threesome of Griezmann, Mbappé, and Pogba once again proved decisive. All three got on the scoresheet, all three ran amok, and all three caused carnage as Croatia's World Cup hopes was left in tatters.
France scored four goals but the pick of the lot was this one from Mbappé.
With a 4-2 victory, France had done it. France was champions for the second time in its history, and for the second time in 20 years.
Reigning France president Emmanuel Macron couldn't keep his hands, or lips, off of the country's latest soccer hero Mbappé…
…while Mbappé's teammates couldn't keep their hands, or lips, off of the World Cup trophy.
Pogba even dabbed with the trophy — as you do.
Vive le France!
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