World Cup Final - Sunday 15th July - France 4-2 Croatia (France win World Cup 2018)

[Azeem]

Croatia's set piece delivery has been immaculate, but little thrust from open play 

[Azeem]

Croatia all throughout the World Cup haven’t played like underdogs despite being underdogs. France have played the entire World Cup like underdogs despite having the most talented/complete squad in the tourni.

[DeadLinesman]

2 minutes ago, Blue said:

Not to be a grinch but surely these are the 2 worst finalists of all time?

An injury to Kante and/or Mbappe before the tournament and France don't get this far. Croatia benefitted from an easy route. Even if I can appreciate the latter for their spirit and improvisation, I'm not sure they would have gotten this far against a Brazil or a on-form Germany.

The quality in this tournament has been lower than usual. I'm not trying to take away from these teams merits, they are here for a reason. It does seem a bit flukey though especially given the best team doesn't always win in a one off game. 

France in this tournament remind me of what Argentina was in 2014. If you took out Demichelis and Messi out of that team, they wouldn't have reached the final.

An injury to 1 or 2 players of ANY of the teams in the competition and everything could change. Brazil, Germany, Spain etc weren’t on form so fuck em.

[Eco]

2 minutes ago, Blue said:

Not to be a grinch but surely these are the 2 worst finalists of all time?

An injury to Kante and/or Mbappe before the tournament and France don't get this far. Croatia benefitted from an easy route. Even if I can appreciate the latter for their spirit and improvisation, I'm not sure they would have gotten this far against a Brazil or a on-form Germany.

The quality in this tournament has been lower than usual. I'm not trying to take away from these teams merits, they are here for a reason. It does seem a bit flukey though especially given the best team doesn't always win in a one off game. 

France in this tournament remind me of what Argentina was in 2014. If you took out Demichelis and Messi out of that team, they wouldn't have reached the final.

France were runners up just 2 years ago in the Euro.....

And I hate the injury topic, if you took Hazard and De Bruyne out of Belgium they wouldn't have gotten as far. NO team ever can be as good after losing their two best players. 

[Stan]

5 minutes ago, Blue said:

Not to be a grinch but surely these are the 2 worst finalists of all time?

An injury to Kante and/or Mbappe before the tournament and France don't get this far. Croatia benefitted from an easy route. Even if I can appreciate the latter for their spirit and improvisation, I'm not sure they would have gotten this far against a Brazil or a on-form Germany.

The quality in this tournament has been lower than usual. I'm not trying to take away from these teams merits, they are here for a reason. It does seem a bit flukey though especially given the best team doesn't always win in a one off game. 

France in this tournament remind me of what Argentina was in 2014. If you took out Demichelis and Messi out of that team, they wouldn't have reached the final.

You don't fluke your way to a world cup final. 

[Bluewolf]

1 hour ago, Inverted said:

His hand is moving towards the ball, but it was already moving in that direction before it took the deflection off the attacker. For all we know before the deflection, that movement was taking his hand further from danger.

Cannot in any world call it “deliberate”.

Well if you watch it again he knows whats coming because he also raises his leg up in anticipation to get the block in but because he was not going to get his leg high enough for the block he moved his arm out as well as 'extra insurance' it then bounced down off his leg and out... deliberate 

[Eco]

I think there are 2-3 teams this tournament that have a legitimate argument for being the 'most talented', and France is easily one of those teams. 

The other two? Probably Belgium and Brazil

[Eco]

@Blue - name me a team that made it to the World Cup Final, and would have done so if you took out their two best players....I'll be waiting. 

[The Artful Dodger]

13 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

The point being games even themselves out sometimes, and sometimes not. England weren’t granted extras in the last game just because the ref missed some incidents. 

As for the actual outcome of this game, I genuinely couldn’t give a shiny shite.

Croatia could have had a penalty when Lovren was manhandled at the end of the first half.

Let's stop bringing England into this, they were thoroughly outclassed.

[Guest]

@DeadLinesman @Eco

While your points are fair, I don't entirely think that Kante and Mbappe are necessarily France's "best" players but rather their most important. Its up for debate for sure, but my point was with France's depth they still have a world cup winning squad without those 2 (they reached the Euro's final without them) where as this world cup they seem to have been entirely reliant on those 2.

[Eco]

Just now, Blue said:

@DeadLinesman @Eco

While your points are fair, I don't entirely think that Kante and Mbappe are necessarily France's "best" players but rather their most important. Its up for debate for sure, but my point was with France's depth they still have a world cup winning squad without those 2 (they reached the Euro's final without them) where as this world cup they seem to have been entirely reliant on those 2.

Are you serious? I don't think any one else has been close  Particularity with Kante. 

[Stan]

Nice play by Croatia that. Rebic with a good shot. 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Stan said:

You don't fluke your way to a world cup final. 

To be fair, I always try to emphasize that what ifs are pointless. These 2 teams are here for a reason, but I'm just not having that it was the most convincing. In one off games you can be the best team and go out by getting unlucky in a game. 

I'm happy for these 2 teams but I'm not convinced they are the best 2 in the world based on style of play. Usually that is emphasized by how they handle being World Champions/Runner-up after the tournament.

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

Nice play by Croatia that. Rebic with a good shot. 

And Lloris with a great save. 

How great is it that we have the technology to see replays like that in slow motion. 

[Stan]

2 minutes ago, Blue said:

To be fair, I always try to emphasize that what ifs are pointless. These 2 teams are here for a reason, but I'm just not having that it was the most convincing. In one off games you can be the best team and go out by getting unlucky in a game. 

I'm happy for these 2 teams but I'm not convinced they are the best 2 in the world based on style of play. Usually that is emphasized by how they handle being World Champions/Runner-up after the tournament.

Not to be rude, it feels like you're saying this when you say France wouldn't be as good if Kante or Mbappe weren't there...? 

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Blue said:

Im happy for these 2 teams but I'm not convinced they are the best 2 in the world based on style of play. Usually that is emphasized by how they handle being World Champions/Runner-up after the tournament.

Again, France were the runners up in the last Euro...Everyone who knows and watching football knew this France team were elite. Don't let their style of play fool you .

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Eco said:

Are you serious? I don't think any one else has been close  Particularity with Kante. 

This tournament, yes. However, again 2 years ago they weren't there and reached a Euro final. France have the squad capable of winning the tournament without them. However, this tournament they seem to overly rely on those 2.

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Blue said:

This tournament, yes. However, again 2 years ago they weren't there and reached a Euro final. France have the squad capable of winning the tournament without them. However, this tournament they seem to overly rely on those 2.

Who gives a shit about 2 years ago though?  Mbappe was in diapers 2 years ago. In this tournament, in 2018, France's two best players are Mbappe and Kante.

[Stan]

Cunts running on to the pitch. Imbeciles. 

[Inverted]

Hopefully these silly cunts get promptly chucked into the back of an FSB van and aren’t seen again.

[Spike]

2 minutes ago, Blue said:

To be fair, I always try to emphasize that what ifs are pointless. These 2 teams are here for a reason, but I'm just not having that it was the most convincing. In one off games you can be the best team and go out by getting unlucky in a game. 

I'm happy for these 2 teams but I'm not convinced they are the best 2 in the world based on style of play. Usually that is emphasized by how they handle being World Champions/Runner-up after the tournament.

As opposed to who? They beat everyone on there way here. They are the best. If Spain, Brazil, Germany, and Argentina were the best they wouldn’t have been eliminated. Just because other countries have more talent doesn’t mean they are better teams.

[Bluewolf]

Never seen a World Cup Final pitch invader before... That's something new

[Eco]

What a bunch of idiots run onto the pitch. they deserve a firing squad. 

[Chaaay AFC]

Kante off, he has had a shocker along with Pogba.

[Eco]

Kante is coming off? What the hell Didier?