FIFA World Cup 2018: France defeat Croatia 4-2 to clinch 2nd title
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Image Source : Getty ImagesKylian Mbappe and France put on a thrilling show in winning the World Cup title. The 19-year-old Mbappe became only the second teenager after Pele to score in a World Cup final, helping France beat Croatia 4-2 on Sunday. The only other teen to score in a World Cup final was Pele, who was 17 when Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 in 1958.
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Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann, France's two other key players, also scored at the Luzhniki Stadium. But it was Mbappe who put the match out of reach with a furious passage of play in the second half. In the 59th, a run from Mbappe started a play that ended up with Pogba on the edge of the penalty area. With his second attempt, the midfielder curled his shot beyond Subasic.
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France coach Didier Deschamps became only the third man to win the World Cup as a player and a coach. Mario Zagallo of Brazil and Franz Beckenbauer of Germany are the others.
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France took the lead in the 18th when Croatia's tallest outfield player, 1.90-meter (6-foot-3) forward Mario Mandzukic, rose to meet Griezmann's free kick with the top of his head. He inadvertently sent it past his own goalkeeper.
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Perisic and Mandzukic both scored for Croatia, first to equalise in the 28th minute and later as a consolation goal in the 69th, embarrassing Lloris with a flicked shot as the France goalkeeper tried to dribble the ball out of his goalmouth.