The Story of the 2018 World Cup — France's Second and England's Penalty Drama
Russia 2018 produced the most entertaining knockout stage the World Cup had seen in twenty years. England won a penalty shoot-out for the first time since 1996. Croatia — a nation of four million people — reached the final. Kylian Mbappe announced himself to the world as the most exciting young player since Ronaldo in 1998. And France won their second World Cup with a team of extraordinary depth and collective quality.
England — The Penalty Breakthrough and the Semi-Final
England entered the tournament under Gareth Southgate — a manager who had himself missed a crucial penalty in the Euro 96 semi-final — with cautious optimism. They won a penalty shoot-out against Colombia in the round of 16 — their first successful shoot-out since Euro 96 — and reached the semi-finals for the first time since Italia 90. Harry Kane won the Golden Boot with six goals, including two penalties.
The semi-final against Croatia in Moscow was one of the most painful England defeats of the modern era. England led at half-time through Kieran Trippier's free kick and seemed in control. Croatia equalised through Ivan Perisic and then won it through Mario Mandzukic in extra time. England's dream was over. The nation's reaction — a mixture of pride at the semi-final achievement and the familiar ache of the near miss — was entirely characteristic.
Kylian Mbappe — The Next Great Player
Kylian Mbappe was 19 years old at the 2018 World Cup. He scored four goals. He was the second teenager after Pele to score in a World Cup Final. His pace, his directness, his finishing, and his composure under pressure announced him as the most exciting young player in the world. He won the Best Young Player award. He was not yet the force he would become — that would come at Euro 2020, at club level with PSG, and at the 2022 World Cup — but the 2018 tournament was where the world first fully understood what was coming.
Croatia — The Smallest Nation to Reach a Final Since 1950
Croatia's run to the final was one of the most extraordinary in World Cup history. They played three consecutive extra-time matches in the knockout stage — against Denmark, Russia and England — before losing the final to France. Their midfield, led by Luka Modric — who won the Golden Ball as Player of the Tournament — was outstanding throughout. Modric's performance across the tournament, at 32, was a masterclass in intelligent, creative midfield play.
France — Champions Again
France won the final 4-2 in a match that produced six goals, a controversial VAR penalty, and a goalkeeping error from Croatian keeper Danijel Subasic for two of the goals. Mbappe scored. Paul Pogba scored. Antoine Griezmann scored. It was the first final since 1966 to produce four or more goals, and it was an absorbing occasion despite the margin of victory.
Didier Deschamps became only the third man — after Beckenbauer and Brazil's Mario Zagallo — to win the World Cup as both player and manager.
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