France snatch World Cup glory from Croatia to win second title
France snatch World Cup glory from Croatia to win second title
Sports Desk
World Cup 2018

France become new world champions after an epic final that has featured a series of firsts including an own goal and a penalty awarded after a video review.

France become new world champions after an epic final that has featured a series of firsts including an own goal and a penalty awarded after a video review.

Les Bleus, as they are colloquially known, will lift their first World Cup trophy since 1998.

France coach Didier Deschamps was thrown into the air in a celebration by his players after becoming just the third person to win the World Cup as a player and as a coach.

Deschamps was captain of the France squad that won the World Cup on home soil in 1998.

Earlier, Paul Pogba gave France a 3-1 lead over Croatia in the World Cup final with a goal in the 59th minute.

The first half ended with thunder rolling over Moscow after France regained the lead from an Antoine Griezmann penalty in the 38th minute following the first use of video review in a World Cup final.

Four people dressed in suits invaded the pitch during the second half.

The four, who seemed to be wearing peaked caps, approached players and one appeared to share a high five with a France player.

Stewards dragged the people off the field after a total disruption of almost a minute while France was leading 2-1.

France had taken the lead in the 18th through Mario Mandzukic’s own-goal the first in a World Cup final and a record 12th in the tournament off a Griezmann free kick, before Croatia’s Ivan Perisic equalized with a fierce left-foot strike 10 minutes later.

Perisic was also the player who conceded the penalty with a handball at a corner.

French fans packed the Paris fan zone, which holds 90,000, near the Eiffel Tower to watch the World Cup final between France and Croatia.

Orio Hamra from the Paris region said, “Yes, I have faith … They’re hungry and 20 years on, it would be beautiful if they won the Cup.”

It was an occasion for all ages to dress up for France, some wrapped in French flags, others painting their faces or donning elaborate headgear in the blue, white and red national colors.

Security forces were on the ready throughout France, which celebrated Bastille Day on Saturday, with 110,000 police on duty.