Congrats to France! I cant be ecstatic about todays result but it's hard to argue they weren't the best team in Russia this summer. To be become champions you need both skill & luck...they did more than enough to be crowned winners and deserved champions.
Incorrectly called a foul thus no VAR to deny allow. it sucked and was clear during the match replay that Croatia got hosed. Great match
Great match, the Mandzukic "you just got burned Jonny Walker" moment was priceless. Bad luck to Croatia on the OG and the penalty on a bang/bang play. But in the end it was feckless defending that led to two of the French scores, so that's on Croatia. Best WC I've seen (and I've been watching them in depth since 1982).
Interesting. I have noticed nothing that made this one any different than the rest but i keep hearing that sentiment floating around. Care to elaborate? Just a general feeling or something about this WC in particular?
The fact that the "big boys" got bounced out relatively early. The late game winners and equalizers -- the Belgium/Japan game was one for the ages. If you're not on the end of your seat for that one you don't have a pulse. The "coming out" of players like Mbappe. This final was riveting. The last two have been 1-0 snoozefests played by teams not trying to lose. Both France and Croatia went after it and were willing to take risks. Croatia gambled and lost, but they played honorably and fought to the end. France was both better and luckier. The closest to this one was '94 when Bulgaria (with Stoichkov) and Romania both made deep runs in the tournament.
999 times out of a thousand, a forward will rush the keeper in that situation, but pull up several yards short. That's what happens when you don't. If you're going to burn the energy to sprint towards the keeper fielding a backpass, have the commitment to go all the way -- otherwise, don't bother.
France is a worthy champion, although frankly it seems like the red sea sort of parted for them in this tournament. They never looked like a dominant team, but always comfortable in the score sheet. France's opponents shot themselves in the foot, conceding 3 penalties and 2 own goals. Beyond that to me it seems like France's game only had 3 elements. Tight in the back with Varane in particular having an amazing tournament. Griezmann's perfect set piece delivery. And Mbappe's individual quality on the break. In the end I think France won more on individual quality than Didier Deschamp's brilliant tactics.
Didier chose the Young, hungry talent over veteran presence. It took them the first round to gel. They were clearly the better team from then on. US coaches, except for 2002, have lacked the balls to go with young talent. It's a risk, but you g wolves wouldnty have given up in concacaf
No doubt. But in all honesty, the France manager is probably the most spoiled for talent in the world. $200 million Mbappe + $100 million Griezmann and Pogba, $50 million Kante and Varane. You could probably make another France team with the likes of Lucas Digne, Laurent Koscielny, Moussa Sissoko, Adrien Rabiot, Kingsley Coman, Anthony Martial, Dimitri Payet and Alexandre Lacazette and you could get into the latter rounds of the tournament.
All in all I thought it was a very entertaining World Cup. A bit error prone ... lots of own goals and PKs conceded, but goals always make things more fun, no matter how they happen. Lots of games that I think will stick out in WC history ... Russia - Saudi Arabia 5-0 an entertaining statement beginning to the tournament, reminiscent of Germany's debut in 2006 Portugal - Spain 3-3 an instant classic. Ronaldo with one of the best individual performances in recent WC history. Denmark - Peru 1-0 Peru, everyone's darling favorite. The agony of dominating, with the goal never coming. Mexico - Germany 1-0 The shock of the 1st round Croatia - Argentina 3-0 A masterclass. The most comprehensive dismantling of a top team since Netherlands humiliated Spain in 2014. Switzerland - Serbia 2-1 Two Swiss Albanians lead the come back against Serbia. You can't script this any better. Germany - Sweden 2-1 Last minute winner. Psychologically it looks like Germany is on its way, and Sweden is dead and buried. Japan - Senegal 2-2 Wide open entertaining game Iran - Portugal 1-1 Iran so agonizingly close to an epic upset. South Korea - Germany 2-0 Perhaps the best performance in history from an already eliminated team. Koreans celebrating like they advanced to knockout round Colombia - Senegal 1-0 Senegal eliminated on fair play points? WTF? Proof that this WC had a little bit of everything. Uruguay - Portugal 2-1 Goodbye Ronaldo ... Probably his last WC game France - Argentina 4-3 Instant classic between 2 heavyweights. Goodbye Messi. Probably also his last WC game. Belgium - Japan 3-2 Epic momentum swing and comeback. One of the best in WC history. Russia - Spain 1-1 (4-3) Host nation hangs on by a thread for a massive upset. England - Colombia 1-1 (4-3) Colombia equalizes in the last minute but England finally wins a shootout. Is football coming home? Belgium - Brazil 2-1 Perhaps the biggest result in Belgium's history. Croatia - Russia 2-2 (4-3) A game with a little bit of everything. Croatia barely hobbling into PKs, but somehow they hang on. Host nation eliminated in the most painful way, but walk off to standing ovation by home crowd. Croatia - England 2-1 Flawless second half from Croatia, the team that was supposed to be physically expired. France - Croatia 4-2 The most open final since 1986. A bit sloppy, and by the 80th minute there wasn't much drama left as you could sense Croatia giving up. But still a breath of fresh air compared to the last several cagey finals we've had.
USA 94 Brasil v Italy The reference was to the final of USA 1994 Rosebowl July, 90+30+PKs played at Noon. 2 field subs allowed Italians cramped and crumbled lost on the PKs