FIFA World Cup 2018: Hugo Lloris, Danijel Subasic's voyage into final proves that veritable hard work triumphs over talent

Talk about the World Cup and filters out amazing strings of moments which made it into the folklore over the years – while most players go into the pages of history as heroes, some have the unlucky distinction of being deemed culpable in a losing cause. And the goalkeepers are always the frontrunners for polarising opinions of fans as well as pundits. When the 2018 FIFA World Cup commenced, the attention revolved around the likes of Manuel Neuer who made a comeback after a serious injury and Alisson Becker who joined the Brazil squad on the back of a superb season with AS Roma. Some like Thibaut Courtois lived up to their reputation while the likes of Igor Akinfeev and Jordan Pickford repaid the trust bestowed upon them by their managers. [caption id=“attachment_4741871” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Croatia custodian Danijel Subasic have been unsung heroes in their respective teams’ run to the FIFA World Cup final. AP[/caption] Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, Oliver Kahn, Fabian Barthez – four of the previous five Golden Glove winners at the FIFA World Cup also took home the winners’ medal, the German legend being the only unfortunate candidate to lose his final. On Sunday, the spotlight will shine upon two veteran keepers – Hugo Lloris and Danijel Subasic. The 31-year-old Lloris and the 33-year-old Subasic are both experienced campaigners at this level, accustomed to the trials and tribulations which come with being a finalist at a major international tournament – the Frenchman fresh off France’s heartbreaking loss to Portugal in the Euro 2016 finals. In spite of their respective nations’ elite status as a contender for the World Cup, none of the keepers made the headlines prior to the competition. Yes, Lloris and Subasic are two excellent goalkeepers, but are they the best in the world at their position? Lloris has ten saves to his name, two more than the Croatian who has been amongst the thick of things during the knockouts due to Croatia’s three successive ventures into the extra-time. Both of them fall way behind Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois who is the leading contender for the Golden Glove this summer and had made eighteen saves before his country was knocked out in the semi-finals. Yet, Lloris and Subasic have stood tall and held firm whenever it mattered, playing a vital role in their countries’ wonderful campaigns. It hardly matters where those two figure in the rankings among the world’s finest shot-stoppers – both Lloris and Subasic have the goods to produce competent displays between the sticks. With years of experience and personal motivation to attain glory, these two have a compelling case to be the differentiator in the World Cup finals. Ahead of the showdown in Moscow, the focus is rightfully on both the midfields – with Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic in one corner and Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante and Corentin Tolisso on the other. Blessed with able defences, both France and Croatia are set for an evenly-poised contest; their goalkeepers are arguably the least prominent among the stars in both squads. Lloris and Subasic, however, aren’t bothered by the layman’s lack of interest in their abilities – from saving crucial penalties to pulling off stunning reflex saves, these two have been at both winning and losing ends of the spectrum, and the opportunity to triumph at the grandest stage of all will surely bring out the best in both. The fact that Lloris is one of Premier League’s most proficient keepers is often overlooked due to Tottenham Hotspur’s failures to win major trophies in England and Europe. Danijel Subasic, at the same time, is a Ligue 1 Champion with AS Monaco and one of the French club’s most consistent performers in recent seasons. That they operate at the periphery of superstardom has made their journey to the finals seem so incredulous to the casual observer. That France are being recognized as the favourites in all circles is well-documented, but Subasic must also defy tradition on Sunday – after all, the last three losing finalist goalkeepers all plied their trade for AS Monaco at some point in their careers. This World Cup journey means so much more than simply an incredible personal honour to Danijel Subasic. Driven by the tragic death of his friend and teammate Hrvoje Custic, his story resonated with so many around the globe, that the Croat earned even more respect when he played on with cramps against Denmark and became the nation’s hero during the shootout. His opponent on Sunday, Lloris has a point to prove as well. The Tottenham custodian is often labelled as shaky under pressure, and the former Lyon-star will be eager to vanquish such claims with a top-drawer performance in the finals. Irrespective of who ends up on the victorious side, it is safe to say that Subasic and Lloris’ voyage into the finals has broken some conventions, keeping in tune with the unpredictability of the Russia World Cup – once again proving that veritable hard work often triumphs over flamboyant talent.