France lift 2018 FIFA World Cup Trophy

We’ve had over a month of the international football fever and just like that, it’s all over. They called it the most exciting FIFA World Cup yet, and we don’t disagree. This World Cup has had a number of fights, cards, goals, penalties, own goals, shock exits and everything else you can imagine.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on 14th June 2018 with the host nation Russia hammering Saudi Arabia 5-0 and it ended with a goal-fest too, with France thrashing Croatia 4-2 in the final and lifting the World Cup trophy for the second time, after they first did so way back in 1998.

The whole tournament saw just one goalless draw and that is proof to how entertaining it has been, with France becoming the first team to score 4 goals in a World Cup final since Brazil in 1970. A lot of records were broken as French coach Didier Deschamps became the third person to win the World Cup as a player as well as a manager, after Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer.

Mario Mandzukic scored an own goal to give France an early lead in the game, but Croatia hit back in no time, thanks to an Ivan Perisic stunner. However, France were back in the lead ten minutes later as they were awarded a penalty and Antoine Griezmann had no issue taking them to 2-1.

The scoring continued in the second half as Paul Pogba took France 3-1 up and the 19-year old wonder-kid Kylian Mbappe put them 4-1 up in the 65th minute. What followed was an embarrassing piece of work by the French captain and goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, as he kicked the ball to the Croatian striker and Mandzukic managed to get one for his own team as well.

However, there were no further chances for Croatia as the full-time whistle blew and France won 4-2. The party began in Russia on this historic day that none of the members of that French squad will forget anytime soon. Keep reading GutshotMagazine.com for similar major sporting updates.