Les Bleus collective show rewarded

IF PERISIC’S HAND WAS ABOVE HIS SHOULDER, I WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD. BUT IT DIDN’T SEEM INTENTIONAL OR A ‘CLEAR AND OBVIOUS ERROR’, WHICH NECESSITATES SEEKING THE HELP OF VAR, AT ALL

would want to be at the end of such a delivery. But here too Croatia were unlucky. Pogba’s first shot was blocked and when that happens, the defenders often don’t know where the ball has fallen. It fell kindly for Pogba who also got a second more to react. So, Croatia took in three goals without really being caught out. You can’t but not feel for them.

Does that mean France were undeserving winners? No. This was a superb collective effort from a team of gifted individuals under a coach who knows what it takes to win tournaments. They were tactical, they were composed and they really wanted it this time, having learnt their lessons from what happened in the final of the European championships two years ago.

What’s more is that France’s time seems to be now. A lot depends on whom you run into in tournament football — it would have been interesting had they played Brazil in the knockout rounds in Russia — but France have attacking players such as Pogba, Griezmann and Olivier Giroud who give their all in defending. And in Mbappe, they have a Bolt with a ball who has been this World Cup’s impact player.

Strange things happen in sport, the best don’t always win, but the future looks good for France.