Who Won the 2018 Football World Cup

France won the 2018 Football World Cup, the 21st edition of FIFA's showpiece event, beating Croatia in the final in Russia.

Russia 2018 was the first time the World Cup was held in Eastern Europe and the first tournament tLifting the trophy: Champions of the 2018 Football World Cupo span two continents (Europe & Asia). 
 

Lifting the trophy: Champions of the 2018 Football World Cup

France beat Croatia 4-2 to claim a second title after a frenetic FIFA World Cup final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

The controversial match was the highest-scoring World Cup final since England beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley in 1966. 

Russia 2018 was the first tournament to use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). 

SportsBoom looks back at this intriguing and historic World Cup tournament where a superstar was born. 

Russia 2018 World Cup: Kylian Mbappé leads France to glory

Russia 2018 was the tournament that launched Kylian Mbappé into superstardom. 

The Paris Saint-Germain striker finished tied for second on the goal scorers’ charts.

It had been 20 years since France last lifted the World Cup, and 12 years since their 2006 final defeat to Italy in Germany.

France defeated Brazil 3-0 on a famous night at Stade de France in Paris in 1998 to claim its first World Cup crown.

In 2006, France lost a contentious final to Italy, 5-3 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 after extra time at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. 

The final is infamous for Zinedine Zidane, France's greatest-ever player, head-butting  Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest in extra time.

Both players scored the only goals of the match, but Zidane's absence from the penalty shootout proved costly to his team. 

Mbappé became the youngest French footballer to score at a World Cup and only the second teenager, after Pelé against Sweden in 1958, to score in the final.

He was given the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player and French Player of the Year awards for his performances.

On 21 June 2018, Mbappé scored his first World Cup goal for Les Bleus in a 1-0 group stage win over Peru. 

At 19 years old, it made him the youngest French goal scorer in World Cup history. 

On 30 June 2018, he was named Man of the Match in a 4–3 win over Argentina in the round of 16.

The teenager was unstoppable, winning a penalty and scoring two goals as France edged Messi's Argentina in a thrilling contest.

Mbappé equalled Pelé’s for the third time when he became the second teenager to score two goals in a World Cup game after the Brazilian did it in Sweden in 1958.

Russia 2018 World Cup: France's Road to the Final 

France topped their group, winning two games and drawing one. 

They beat Australia 2-1 at the Kazan Arena thanks to Antoine Griezmann's penalty and an Aussie own goal.

Didier Claude Deschamps' side edged Peru 1-0 at Central Stadium in Yekaterinburg after Mbappé's goal made him France's youngest goal scorer at a major tournament.

A scrappy last-group game saw Denmark and France draw 0-0 at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. 

In the round of 16, France and Argentina played out a thriller, which became known as the “Classic in Kazan” by journalists.

Griezmann gave France the lead with an early penalty before Argentina scored either side of the break to lead 2-1.

Benjamin Pavard levelled before France's wonder kid scored a quickfire brace to put the Europeans 4-2 ahead. 

A late consolation goal by the South Americans made it 4-3, but France progressed. 

Quarter-final goals from Raphaël Varane and Griezmann sent France to the semi-finals after beating Uruguay 2-0 at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.

Samuel Umtiti's headed goal against Belgium at the Rostovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg sent France to their third World Cup final.

Mario Mandžukić's own goal put France ahead in Moscow, but Ivan Perišić levelled for Croatia on 28 minutes.

France took the lead 10 minutes later. A controversial VAR decision awarded them a dubious penalty for handball.

After a lengthy delay, Griezmann put his side ahead. Croatia never recovered from the setback. 

Paul Pogba made it 3-1 before the hour after a well-worked move. Six minutes later, the game was over.

Mbappé gave his side a three-goal cushion when he equalled Pelé's 60-year-old record, becoming the second teenager to net a goal in the World Cup final. 

Mandžukić pulled a goal back for Croatia four minutes later, but the damage was done. 

France's victory made them the third European team to win multiple FIFA World Cups after Germany (4) and Italy (4). 

Russia 2018: Football World Cup Awards

Luka Modrić was voted the tournament's best player, winning the Golden Ball despite Croatia losing in the final. 

Modrić was awarded the 2018 Ballon d'Or. He became the first player other than Lionel Messi or Ronaldo to win the award since Kaká in 2007.

Harry Kane scored six goals to claim the “Golden Boot,” but England crashed out of the competition in the semi-final despite his superb form.

Thibaut Courtois, Belgium's shot-stopper, won the “Golden Glove” award for best goalkeeper in Russia, 2018. 

Courtois' excellent form was not enough for Belgium as their star-studded lost to France in the semi-final.

Belgium beat England 2-0 in the third-place playoff match in Saint Petersburg.