SPORT Monday 16 July 2018 PAGEE | 2222 PAGEPAG | 23 France fans BelgiumBelgi squad gets go wild afafterter hero’shero welcome World Cup glgloryory onon CupCu return The 1998 winners beat Croatia in 6-goal thriller Les Blues end Croatia’s dream run in Moscow AFP in winning the World Cup for a second the unfortunate Mandzukic. It was harsh attempt on goal, but they picked off time, after their 1998 triumph over Brazil on Croatia, especially with Pogba pos- Croatia after the break. MOSCOW: France won the World Cup when Didier Deschamps -- now the sibly a fraction offside when the free- Shortly after several pitch invaders for the second time in their history after coach -- was the captain. kick was played. briefly interrupted proceedings, the beating Croatia 4-2 in an incredible final Deschamps becomes just the third Their coach Zlatko Dalic looked third French goal arrived in the 59th in Moscow yesterday that featured goals man to win the trophy as a player and a rueful, but his team were back level just minute. from Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe as coach, following in the footsteps of Bra- before the half-hour, Domagoj Vida Pogba started the move with a well as a controversial VAR-awarded zil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz FRANCE CROATIA laying the ball off for Perisic, who drilled pass for Mbappe on the right. His penalty. Beckenbauer. shuffled the ball from right foot to left cutback found Griezmann, and he laid In a match that had a bit of every- “It’s so beautiful, so wonderful,” Des- before drilling a superb shot past Lloris the ball off for Pogba to score at the thing, Mario Mandzukic scored the first champs told France’s TF1. “I’m really 4 2 with the aid of a touch off Raphael second attempt from 18 yards. ever own goal in a World Cup final to happy for this group. It wasn’t always Varane. Mbappe then added his name to the put France in front at the Luzhniki easy, but by working hard, listening, they MANDŽUKIĆ - 18' OG PERIŠIĆ - 28' But Perisic was at the centre of the scoresheet in the 65th minute when he Stadium, only for Ivan Perisic to equalise. are on top of the world for four years.” GRIEZMANN - 38' PEN MANDŽUKIĆ - 69' controversy that led to France’s second collected a Lucas Hernandez pass and However, Antoine Griezmann’s The game will be remembered as the goal in the 38th minute. fired low past Danijel Subasic from 25 penalty put France back in front after highest-scoring World Cup final since POGBA - 59' His handball at a corner could yards, capping what has been a fine Perisic’s handball was penalised with England’s win over West Germany in MBAPPE - 65' hardly be described as deliberate, yet tournament for the 19-year-old. the aid of the video assistant referee, 1966, and for Mbappe becoming the Argentine referee Nestor Pitana That should have been that, but before Pogba and Mbappe both scored youngest player to score in the final since reviewed the video by the side of the Croatia were given something to cling in the second half. Pele in 1958. Croatia played all the football early pitch and gave the penalty. to as Lloris absurdly tried to dribble The first team to score four times in But while the celebrations begin on on, with Mbappe on the fringes of the As a thunderstorm erupted in the away from Mandzukic on the edge of a final since Brazil in 1970, the French the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris and game, but it was France who went in sky over Moscow, Griezmann stroked his six-yard box, and the striker stuck could even afford to see Mandzukic pull across France, Croatia will wonder what front in the 18th minute. home the penalty, his fourth goal of the out a foot to divert the ball in. a goal back following a ridiculous goal- might have been had the first-half Griezmann won a soft free-kick competition and his third from a However, for Lloris the World Cup keeping mistake by Hugo Lloris. penalty not been awarded just as they wide on the right and his delivery into spot-kick. winner’s medal will help make up for France join Uruguay and Argentina were in the ascendancy. the area was flicked into his own net by It was also France’s first actual the embarrassment of that moment. AY MANY MANY MANY ANY LAND M 2022 UGU ENTINA ENTINA ITALY URUGUAY RG RG T GER FRANCE FRANCE ST GER ST GER A A S SEE YOU IN 1934 - ITALY1938 - ITALY 1962 - BRAZIL 1982 - ITALY 2022 - ? 1958 - BRAZIL 1966 - ENG 1970 - BRAZIL 1994 - BRAZIL 2002 - BRAZIL2006 - 2010 - SPAIN QATAR 1950 - UR 1978 - 1986 - 1998 - 2014 - GER2018 - 1930 - 1954 - WE 1974 - WE 1990 - WE 22 SPORT MONDAY 16 JULY 2018 Pride and From Paris to Moscow: France tears for fans go wild after Cup glory Croatians REUTERS after loss Fans celebrate in front of the Eiffel Tower after not sure they would win today but they did. A lot of people are France win the World Cup final, yesterday. REUTERS PARIS/MOSCOW: Millions of going to be drunk, if not already.” French soccer fans were In Moscow, where tens of delirious with joy yesterday as thousands of fans travelled to MOSCOW: After watching France beat Croatia 4-2 to win watch the game, there were tears their soccer team lose 4-2 to soccer’s World Cup in a pulsating of joy among the sea of red, France in the World Cup final final in Moscow and spark white and blue. President in Moscow yesterday, some ecstatic scenes from Paris to Emmanuel Macron, who trav- Croatians wept with sadness Marseille, Bordeaux and beyond. elled to Moscow to watch the while others felt pride that In the capital, where 90,000 final with his wife Brigitte, their tiny nation had gone so people watched the match on hugged the players after the win far in the tournament. vast TV screens next to the Eiffel and stood with them in the One young woman used tower, there were choruses of pouring rain. a red-and-white Croatian flag the Marseillaise, honking horns As the World Cup trophy was to wipe tears from her eyes and hundreds of thousands of brought on to the pitch for the as a female friend, also crying, red, white and blue tricolor flags victory ceremony, Macron briefly put her arm around her. fluttering on the breeze. kissed it and beamed with joy. Others continued waving The boom of fireworks and “It’s amazing,” said Brioche Croatian flags and scarves Pasquier, 57, a French fan inside through the disappointment WORLD CUP WINNING COACHES the Luzhniki Stadium for the after watching their country match. “I am happy. I arrived in play in the World Cup final 2018 - Didier Deschamps, France Moscow this morning specially for the first time. 2014 - x-Joachim Loew, Germany for the final.” “The French proved 2010 - Vicente del Bosque, Spain Despite the deluge of rain better in decisive moments 2006 - Marcello Lippi, Italy that struck Moscow right after although we practically let 2002 - Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazil the game ended, fans danced and them score the first two goals 1998 - Aime Jacquet, France firecrackers filled the air, while Day parade 24 hours earlier. Cup) after 20 years, it’s just bril- sang in the streets and a fire- too easily. Still, it is a great 1994 - Carlos Alberto Parreira, Brazil drivers honked their horns “It’s just astonishing what liant,” said Tommy Hamon, 23, works display could not be achievement to play in the 1990 - y-Franz Beckenbauer, Germany incessantly to celebrate France’s they’ve done,” said Josh, 41, who who was working in Le Deau- dampened out. final and we can only be 1986 - Carlos Bilardo, Argentina second world title after their travelled from Brittany to Paris ville, a bar on the Champs France coach Didier Des- proud of what our soccer 1982 - Enzo Bearzot, Italy triumph on home soil in 1998. to watch the match with his Elysees. champs was full of praise for his team has done in the World 1978 - Cesar Luis Menotti, Argentina A deafening chorus of “We girlfriend. Even football fans who were team despite signs of nerves at Cup,” 59-year old Darko Ila- 1974 - y-Helmut Schoen, Germany are the champions, We are the “Pogba, Mbappe, Grizou not rooting for France but found the start of the game and several kovac said. champions” rang out from the (Griezmann) -- they’re on top of themselves in the French capital missed opportunities during it. Croatia, with a population 1970 - Mario Zagallo, Brazil Sacre Coeur in the north of the the world,” he said, naming three for the game were overcome by “It is really beautiful. It is of only 4.2 million people, 1966 - Alf Ramsey, England city to the Sorbonne on the Left of the standout players. the occasion and the scenes of marvellous. We did not play a were not among the 1962 - Aymore Moreira, Brazil Bank. Similar scenes erupted in “We’re the champions of the celebration. great match, but we showed a favourites at the start of the 1958 - Vicente Feola, Brazil Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux world! It’s phenomenal, just “France was not my team strong mental quality,” Des- tournament. 1954 - y-Sepp Herberger, Germany and other major cities. phenomenal.” but I am so pleased for them champs said. Croatia will stage a wel- 1950 - Juan Lopez, Uruguay Even before the final More than 250,000 people today,” said Sarah, a 24-year-old “We also scored four goals.