France beat Croatia in FIFA World Cup final; Didier Deschamps becomes third man to win as coach and player
France beat Croatia to win the World Cup for the second time, with Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann scoring for Les Bleus.
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France beat Croatia 4-2 to win their second World Cup title and bring the 2018 edition of the World Cup to a close. AFP
France took the lead in the 18th minute through a Mario Mandzukic own goal. Ivan Perisic equalised soon after through a thunderous left footed shot, and for a while it seemed as if Croatia had a fighting chance. AFP
The notion was soon dispelled by Antoine Griezmann who successfully converted a penalty after Perisic handled in the Croatia penalty area. AFP
Croatia turned it up a notch after conceding for the second time, but their momentum was disrupted when a group of individuals invaded the pitch and lead the stewards on a walkabout. AFP
After play was resumed, France quickly added to Croatia's misery with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba, which took their lead to three goals. AFP
French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris ensured that the final ended on a tense note, after an error from the Tottenham man allowed Mario Mandzukic to get one back for Croatia. AFP
France hung on to win their second World Cup. French boss Didier Deschamps became just the third man to win the tournament as both player and coach. AFP
The win meant a lot to the country, and even the French President Emmanuel Macron could not contain his excitement, leaping out of his seat after the final whistle. AFP
The victory was celebrated all around France, with several landmarks in Paris being lit up with the French colours. AFP