World Cup final: France gets the crown after defeating Croatia 4-2 in an intense battle

Minutes before the curtain goes up on the final of FIFA World Cup 2018. Whichever team wins this evening, it is being said that Moscow and Russia have already won an impressive Public Relations victory.

The swanky, new facilities, warm hospitality and the notoriously sullen looking policemen and women actually smiling and helping visitors, have given President Putin something to crow about for some time.

A few tickets for the final were still available earlier on Sunday! But in Indian Rupees, the price for a place in the gallery was 1,400 Euros or more than 100,000 INR! Apparently, a few seats in the VIP gallery were available for half a million Indian Rupees!

Croatia has earned the respect of rivals and won hearts with their spirit. The superbly fit side, however, barely made it to this World Cup. As many as 13 places below France in the rankings, Croatia had to beat Greece in a play-off match to become eligible to play in Moscow. But the team has grown in stature in every match; and spectators certainly expect an even more sublime game than the side has played so far.

Two years ago, France lost the Euro Cup final to Portugal and left Paris in tears. After comprehensively beating Germany in the semi-final, the team was complacent and overconfident, players admit. With eight members of the team of 2016 in Moscow, this side is unlikely to make the same mistake.

If France loses, the coach Didier Deschamps will almost certainly be cursed for leaving out several gifted players out of the team and back in France. Deschamps apparently values teamwork more and decided to leave out the more individualistic players. A few underwhelming games in the Group stages triggered criticism in the French media. Knives will surely be out if there is another heartbreak.

US rap star Will Smith currently singing the official FIFA song, ‘ Live It Up’ along with Albanian singer Era Istrefi and Nicky Jam before the kick off.

The stunning Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, where the final is being played, was opened in 1956 and was originally named Lenin stadium. In 1992 it was named after the locality where it is situated. It is the largest football stadium in Russia with a capacity of 81,000 spectators.

The game has been confined in the mid-field after almost five minutes!! It has been scrappy so far

After 12 minutes, France has been defending in their own half as Croatia has created three chances so far. France has been more tentative, intent on defence. Too defensive perhaps

Croatia looking more hungry, more menacing. Clearly they want to win big. But they wasted a well-won corner just a minute ago

Croatia has taken control in the midfield and have been building up from the centre of the pitch. No lightening counter-attack by France so far. The first long shot by France, in the 13th minute, sails harmlessly past the Croatian goal line

In the meantime, another opening for Croatia. Narrow escape for the French side, so many of them already.

France gets a free kick from right outside the box, Antoine Griezmann’s delivery meets Mario Mndzukic on his head, who scores the first ever own goal in a World Cup final

The goal came against the run of play, with Croatia dominating almost all the time. How long before the equaliser? Interestingly, Croatia have come from behind in all their knock-out games

Few good moves after they went down, but the Croats have failed to provide finishing touch to great moves

Kante gets the first yellow card of the match, Croatia gets the free kick. Yet another brilliant move by Croatia, only this time Ivan Perisic scores a breathtaking goal to get Croatia back in the match. It’s all level after 28 minutes. Clever free kick, Rakitic pretends to take it, leaves it for Modric who delivers it into the box. Intelligent passing in the box sees the ball land at Perisic’s foot who dribbles past a defender before netting a fabulous goal

Every time they make a move into the French half, they look like scoring. France is losing the ball, unsettled by hard tackles

VAR check is being carried out. Was it intentional is what the referee will have to decide. “It’s a matter of opinion,” says the commentator. “It’s a matter of interpretation,” he adds. The referee has another look and he gives a penalty

Antoine Griezmann takes the penalty and he scores!!

Antoine Griezmann scores!! And it’s 2-1 in favour France

France is living dangerously here as Croatia continue to attack precisely. And another corner for Croatia.

Can Rakitic make a delivery from the corner? Oh, he almost made a pin-point delivery, but Vida could not reach on time

A Croatian own goal and a goal from penalty helps France lead 2-1 at the end of first half. Croatia have bee playing better football so far but have failed to convert chances into goals. Can Croatia make a comeback? They look to be playing some good football and have been dangerous every time they have attacked. France has been fairly good on defence but have found it difficult against the hard tackles by the Croats. Join us back in a while for the second half!!

Griezmann had no takers in France when as a kid he wanted to play football. He was too short to play football, the French clubs had opined. Hence, he had to go to Spain to start his career with Real Sociedad’s youth team. Years later, his goal puts France ahead in a World Cup final

And France create an early chance, but a Griezmann shot from distance is easily collected by the Croatian goalie

Lloris at France’s rescue as he deflects a fine Croatian attack above the goalpost. Croatia can not do much from the corner

After a flurry of chances, Modric wins a corner for France. But his delivery into the box is not great and France survives

Right after Mbappe made a deadly run but was denied by some fine goalkeeping, an intruder had to be escorted away before the play resumed

What a goal from Paul Pogba!! Mbappe makes a speedy run inside the box, passes it to Griezmann who passes outside the box to Pogba. Pogba’s first shot is blocked and he tries again from deflection and it’s France’s third goal. France almost there to lift the cup

France very destructive in attack now, Croatia somehow negate

“Teenage kick, the ultimate teenage kick,” the commentator shouts as Mbappe become the first teenager to score in a World Cup final after Pele. France just a little over half an hour away from their second World Cup glory

Mandzukic scores for Croatia as Lloris has a moment of madness. loris tries to twist and turn the ball away from Mandzukic, but he is outsmarted as Mandzukic gets a vital touch on the ball that sees the ball get inside the net.

Croatia still allot on attack, can they find goals though? They need to score twice to take the match into extra time

The game is constantly being played in the French half, but Croatia, like so many times tonight, fail to convert chances into goals

France seemingly just five minutes away from taking the crown as five minutes have been added after the completion of 90 minutes

This could well have been 5-2 to France but Pogba, with all the space in this world, fails to collect a Mbappe cross and misses a sitter

Didier Deschamps joins the elite club of footballers who won the World Cup both as a captain as well as a coach. It was him in 1998 who had led France to their first glory, it is him 20 years later who has coached France to their second. He was under tremendous pressure and faced severe criticism after France lost the Euro Cup final against Portugal in 2016, but who will be complaining in France today?

It was Croatia who had started the game on a very positive note as the French looked unsettled early on. But a Mario Mandzukic own goal put France ahead in the 18th minute. Croatia equalised merely 10 minutes later as Ivan Perisic scored a beauty, but France again took the lead in the 38th minute after Antoine Griezmann converted from the spot.

The penalty awarded for handball has opinions divided on whether it was deliberate. The ball had definitely touched Subasic’s hands, but whether it was intentional was something the referee had to decide.

“It’s a matter of opinion,” the commentator had said immediately. “It’s a matter of interpretation,” he had added before the referee awarded a penalty after having another look of the video footages.

In the second half, breathtaking goals from Pogo and Mbappe in the 59th and 65th minute almost sealed a glorious French victory. A Mario Mandzukic strike in the 69th minute could just reduce the deficit for Croatia, who failed to convert a number of chances into goals.

Relive the match here: