France 4-2 Croatia: World Cup final highlights and recap

France beat Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 15. Here are all the highlights from the match.

France won their second ever World Cup on Sunday, beating Croatia 4-2 at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium thanks to goals from Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe and an own goal by Mario Mandzukic.

Les Bleus prefer to play on the break, so it was no surprise to see Croatia dominating the ball in the opening stages, but Didier Deschamps will have been concerned by his side’s inability to pass through the Croatian press.

Nonetheless, they took the lead in the 18th minute, after Griezmann dived to win a free-kick 30 yards out on the right side of the penalty area. Mandzukic flicked the ensuing delivery into his own net, the first ever own goal in World Cup final.

Croatia responded impressively, however, and equalized 10 minutes later from another set-piece. After France failed to clear, the ball fell to Ivan Perisic, who took one touch past N’Golo Kante before firing into the bottom corner.

With Croatia once again beginning to take control, France retook the lead, this time from the penalty spot after Perisic handled in the box. Referee Nestor Pitana had initially awarded a corner, but changed his decision after reviewing the play.

Croatia, who came from behind to win their four previous games heading into the final, came out quickly in the second half, but were undone by Les Bleus’ excellent counter-attack shortly before the hour mark.

Pogba unleashed Mbappe with a stunning cross field diagonal, before arriving at the top of the box to score. His first effort was blocked, but he picked up the rebound and curled past a wrong-footed Danijel Subasic.

Mbappe’s goal a little over five minutes later killed the match. The 19-year-old, who became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pele in 1958, controlled Lucas Hernandez’s cutback before drilling past Subasic into the bottom corner.

Hugo Lloris’ awful error in the 69th minute — the Tottenham keeper tried to knock the ball past an on-rushing Mandzukic, only to hit it straight at his leg, and into the net — gave some life to Croatia’s attack, but as it has all tournament, the French defense held firm.

Next: Ranking every World Cup, from worst to best

Highlights

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1018521030870982656

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1018533205236826113

France’s only other World Cup win came in 1998.