FRANCE wins 2018 world cup

France has proved to be the best soccer team in the world this year in Russia exemplifying a mix of greatness, grit, and a powerful fan base. Winning their first World Cup since 1998, Les Bleus beat Croatia in the final today as they went up 2 goals to 1 by halftime and tacked on another two goals midway through the second half. Croatia's first goal, an equalizing strike by Ivan Perisic, was a well executed shot that kept Croatia's attacking midfield confident going into halftime. Yet, France's second half was an elite display of football at the highest level.

At 59’, Paul Pogba set up a key pass to Kylian Mbappe which allowed France to move the ball around Croatia's box. When Antoine Griezmann laid the ball off to Pogba on the edge of the box, his first shot was blocked, but the ball came back to him and he curled a measured left­ footed strike into the corner that kept Croatia's goalkeeper Danijel Subasic glued to the pitch as the French lead was extended to 3-1.

France's 3-1 lead was relatively short-lived as Kylian Mbappe scored just 5 minutes later with a right-footed laser to the bottom left corner of the goal. At 19 years old, Mbappe was honored as the tournament's best young player and the youngest player since Pele to score in a World Cup final.

Although, Croatia scored a clever heads up goal by Mario Mandzukic at 69', the blunder by France's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was quickly forgotten. France's defensive front and midfield played a brilliant second half with high pressure tactics and a physical gameplan that rattled Luka Modric's Croatian team. France won 4-2 in regular time and a new era French football has begun.