The stage was set at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, for the Russia 2018 final where the never before finalist Croatia took on the former champions France.
It was an electrifying atmosphere in Moscow, with an 81, 000 capacity. Both teams had met five times previously with France having the advantage, winning three with two resulting in a draw.
A cagey opening minutes it was for both sides as they kept studying each other.
18 minutes on the clock France led. Antoine Griezmann with a freekick and Mario Madzukic scored an own-goal.
Griezmann was fouled outside the area and he chips a cross in.
Varane attacks the ball but Mandzukic gets a telling touch on it. Unfortunately for him, the ball went into the far corner.
You could sense Croatia will surely have a go at it as they have come back to win in all of their knockout stage games.
10 minutes later it was that man again. Ivan Peric who fired in a power driver. He scored the equaliser in the semifinal and he’s done so in the final once more. A cross was kept alive in the box and France paid the price for not clearing it. The ball fell to Perisic on the edge of the area. His first touch took him past Kante into the area and the second touch with his left-foot sent a rasping half-volley into the far corner.
Not too long, VAR came to play yet again at this World Cup. A cross was whipped in and mistakenly hit Ivan Perisic’s hand the Argentine referee had to check again and point to the spot for a France penalty.
Griezmann stepped up and strike a low shot to send Subasic the wrong way to restore France lead on the 38th minutes.
The first 45 minutes came to a close and it was France who had the advantage.
It looks like it was all over for Croatia after Paul pogba got his first and France 3rd in the match with a sublime finish. Hernandez burst forward to cut back a cross to Pogba, he tried his luck which eventually got blocked on it way but he’s second attempt found it way through to beat Subasic on the 59th minutes.
11 minutes later it looked embarrassing for the Croats as the young boy Kylian Mbappe scored his fourth to be come the 2nd ever young player to score at the World Cup finals after Pele did so against Sweden in 1958.
Croatia pulled one back after a terrible mistake from Lloris to make it 4 : 2. A back pass from Umtiti was given to Lloris who tried to skipped pass Mandzukic but saw his effort hit the foot of the striker to get them back in it, just four minutes after France scored.
That was that, as the Croats couldn’t fight back again. They were left in despair as France lift the FIFA World Cup.