FIFA World Cup

France vs Croatia, 2018 FIFA World Cup, Final

· FIFA World Cup
France
  • 18': Mario Mandzukic (OG)
  • 38': Antoine Griezmann (P)
  • 59': Paul Pogba
  • 65': Kylian Mbappé
FT
4 - 2
Croatia
  • 28': Ivan Perisic
  • 69': Mario Mandzukic

France beat Croatia to claim World Cup glory amid VAR controversy

France won the World Cup with a 4-2 win over Croatia; Didier Deschamps became the third ever manager to win the trophy as a player and manager.

Match Timeline

  • 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
  • 0': First Half begins.
  • 2': Foul by Luka Modric (Croatia).
  • 2': Samuel Umtiti (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 3': Foul by Ante Rebic (Croatia).
  • 3': Lucas Hernández (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 6': Foul by Mario Mandzukic (Croatia).
  • 6': Samuel Umtiti (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 7': Dangerous play by N'Golo Kanté (France).
  • 7': Luka Modric (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 8': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Kylian Mbappé.
  • 9': Foul by Ante Rebic (Croatia).
  • 9': Paul Pogba (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 17': Antoine Griezmann (France) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 17': Foul by Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia).
  • 18': Own Goal by Mario Mandzukic, Croatia. France 1, Croatia 0.
  • 20': Foul by N'Golo Kanté (France).
  • 20': Luka Modric (Croatia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 21': Attempt missed. Domagoj Vida (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Luka Modric with a cross following a set piece situation.
  • 23': Dangerous play by Olivier Giroud (France).
  • 23': Dejan Lovren (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 23': Ante Rebic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 23': Foul by Benjamin Pavard (France).
  • 24': Attempt missed. Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Mario Mandzukic with a cross.
  • 27': Foul by N'Golo Kanté (France).
  • 27': Ivan Perisic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 27': N'Golo Kanté (France) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 28': Goal! France 1, Croatia 1. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Domagoj Vida following a set piece situation.
  • 30': Offside, France. Kylian Mbappé is caught offside.
  • 33': Corner, France. Conceded by Domagoj Vida.
  • 34': Penalty conceded by Ivan Perisic (Croatia) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
  • 35': Delay in match (Croatia). VAR checking.
  • 35': VAR Decision: Penalty France.
  • 36': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 38': Goal! France 2, Croatia 1. Antoine Griezmann (France) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
  • 40': Attempt saved. Ante Rebic (Croatia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ivan Perisic with a cross.
  • 41': Ante Rebic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 41': Foul by Lucas Hernández (France).
  • 41': Lucas Hernández (France) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 43': Foul by Samuel Umtiti (France).
  • 43': Mario Mandzukic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 43': Attempt missed. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Luka Modric following a set piece situation.
  • 43': Attempt missed. Dejan Lovren (Croatia) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.
  • 43': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Paul Pogba.
  • 44': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Samuel Umtiti.
  • 44': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Paul Pogba.
  • 44': Delay in match because of an injury Samuel Umtiti (France).
  • 45': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 45'+1': Attempt missed. Domagoj Vida (Croatia) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic with a cross following a corner.
  • 45'+3': Foul by Blaise Matuidi (France).
  • 45'+3': Luka Modric (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 45'+3': Foul by Ivan Strinic (Croatia).
  • 45'+3': Kylian Mbappé (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 45'+4': First Half ends, France 2, Croatia 1.
  • 45': Second Half begins France 2, Croatia 1.
  • 46': Foul by Mario Mandzukic (Croatia).
  • 46': Paul Pogba (France) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 47': Attempt saved. Antoine Griezmann (France) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Olivier Giroud.
  • 48': Attempt saved. Ante Rebic (Croatia) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic.
  • 48': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Hugo Lloris.
  • 50': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Blaise Matuidi.
  • 50': Attempt missed. Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
  • 52': Attempt saved. Kylian Mbappé (France) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Paul Pogba.
  • 52': Delay in match (Croatia).
  • 53': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 54': Offside, Croatia. Mario Mandzukic is caught offside.
  • 55': Substitution, France. Steven Nzonzi replaces N'Golo Kanté.
  • 57': Foul by Olivier Giroud (France).
  • 57': Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 58': Dejan Lovren (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 58': Foul by Olivier Giroud (France).
  • 59': Attempt blocked. Paul Pogba (France) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Antoine Griezmann.
  • 59': Goal! France 3, Croatia 1. Paul Pogba (France) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner.
  • 61': Corner, France. Conceded by Marcelo Brozovic.
  • 64': Attempt blocked. Ante Rebic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ivan Strinic.
  • 65': Goal! France 4, Croatia 1. Kylian Mbappé (France) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lucas Hernández.
  • 68': Foul by Luka Modric (Croatia).
  • 68': Steven Nzonzi (France) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 69': Goal! France 4, Croatia 2. Mario Mandzukic (Croatia) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
  • 71': Substitution, Croatia. Andrej Kramaric replaces Ante Rebic.
  • 73': Delay in match because of an injury Mario Mandzukic (Croatia).
  • 73': Delay in match because of an injury Samuel Umtiti (France).
  • 73': Substitution, France. Corentin Tolisso replaces Blaise Matuidi.
  • 73': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 75': Foul by Paul Pogba (France).
  • 75': Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 76': Attempt missed. Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic.
  • 78': Attempt missed. Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Andrej Kramaric.
  • 81': Substitution, France. Nabil Fekir replaces Olivier Giroud.
  • 81': Substitution, Croatia. Marko Pjaca replaces Ivan Strinic.
  • 83': Foul by Paul Pogba (France).
  • 83': Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 86': Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Croatia).
  • 86': Nabil Fekir (France) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 87': Attempt saved. Nabil Fekir (France) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Antoine Griezmann.
  • 89': Attempt missed. Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Andrej Kramaric.
  • 90': Foul by Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia).
  • 90': Paul Pogba (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+1': Corentin Tolisso (France) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 90'+1': Foul by Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia).
  • 90'+2': Antoine Griezmann (France) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 90'+2': Foul by Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia).
  • 90'+2': Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 90'+4': Foul by Nabil Fekir (France).
  • 90'+4': Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 90'+6': Second Half ends, France 4, Croatia 2.
  • 0': Match ends, France 4, Croatia 2.

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/cro.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=originCRO FRAhttps://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/fra.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=origin
13 Fouls 14
1 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
1 Offsides 1
6 Corner Kicks 2
3 Saves 1
61 Possession 39
15 SHOTS 8
3 ON GOAL 6
0.2 On Target % 0.8
0 Penalty Goals 1
0 Penalty Kicks Taken 1
440 Accurate Passes 194
529 Passes 285
0.8 Pass Completion % 0.7
9 Accurate Crosses 1
28 Crosses 5
0.3 Cross % 0.2
62 Long Balls 68
37 Accurate Long Balls 34
0.6 Long Balls % 0.5
1 Blocked Shots 1
19 Effective Tackles 16
23 Tackles 18
0.8 Tackle % 0.9
8 Interceptions 10
8 Effective Clearances 25
8 Clearances 25

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup

Venue: Luzhniki Stadium
Location: Moscow, Russia
Attendance: 78,011

Line-Ups

FRA France (4-4-2)

No. Name
1 Hugo Lloris (GK)
5 Samuel Umtiti
4 Raphaël Varane
21 Lucas Hernández Yellow Card
2 Benjamin Pavard
13 N'Golo Kanté Yellow Card
6 Paul Pogba
14 Blaise Matuidi
10 Kylian Mbappé
9 Olivier Giroud
7 Antoine Griezmann
France Substitutes:
Florian Thauvin, Ousmane Dembélé, Thomas Lemar, Djibril Sidibé, Nabil Fekir, Alphonse Areola, Adil Rami, Corentin Tolisso, Steven N'Zonzi, Presnel Kimpembe, Benjamin Mendy, Steve Mandanda.

CRO Croatia (4-1-4-1)

No. Name
23 Danijel Subasic (GK)
21 Domagoj Vida
6 Dejan Lovren
11 Marcelo Brozovic
3 Ivan Strinic
2 Sime Vrsaljko Yellow Card
7 Ivan Rakitic
10 Luka Modric
4 Ivan Perisic
18 Ante Rebic
17 Mario Mandzukic
Croatia Substitutes:
Vedran Corluka, Mateo Kovacic, Marko Pjaca, Tin Jedvaj, Dominik Livakovic, Filip Bradaric, Duje Caleta-Car, Josip Pivaric, Andrej Kramaric, Milan Badelj, Lovre Kalinic.

FIFA World Cup News

Kane: Winning a trophy will stop the noise around me
Kane: Winning a trophy will stop the noise around me

Harry Kane speaks about whether he feels it is unfair that he hasn't won a major club trophy.

Huge questions for CONMEBOL teams in World Cup qualifying
Huge questions for CONMEBOL teams in World Cup qualifying

With four games left until the end of the CONMEBOL qualifiers, what are the big questions hanging over South American teams on their quest to reach the 2026 World Cup?

Lionel Messi at 2026 World Cup? Leave him alone, says Scaloni
Lionel Messi at 2026 World Cup? Leave him alone, says Scaloni

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Lionel Messi will decide whenever he wants if he plays at the 2026 World Cup.

Asian qualifying: Can Japan win the World Cup? Irvine the new Cahill?
Asian qualifying: Can Japan win the World Cup? Irvine the new Cahill?

After matchday eight of Asia's World Cup qualifiers, ESPN's writers answer the burning questions, provide analysis and break down the biggest performances across the continent.

Why aren't Argentina the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup?
Why aren't Argentina the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup?

Steve Nicol debates why the likes of France, England and Brazil are favoured to win the World Cup ahead of Argentina.