2018 FIFA World Cup Final: France v Croatia, 15th July, 4pm(GMT)

[Gassy]

Absolutely gutted. Organised with the gf (Croatian) to watch the game with about 10 other Croats. I think the problem is, we didn't really expect Croatia to play so well, which makes it all that much harder to take. So close, yet so far away.

Again refereeing decisions come into it. For me, its a penalty - but just. The Croatian group was very 50/50 over it - one did say though that if the referee is taking that long to look at it, surely it cannot be a penalty? Surely you have to be 100% sure? Which is a decent point.

My bigger problem is the freekick for the own goal. Griezman was already falling on the floor before anyone came near him.

I'd love to see what some posters (St Juste) have to say about Croatia now. After saying they're a poor team (because they lost to Scotland in 2013 ). Croatia were excellent yesterday and will go home with their heads held very high.

Oh also St Juste, you're right - as you said, Modric is really hated in Croatia He's being celebrated as their national hero you mug

 

[Gassy]

Have to say, this did make me laugh - I'd like Modric to see this

 

[Stevencc]

'He's entitled to have a dance now he's won the World Cup. He can do whatever the hell he wants with his hair.'

Roy Keane on Paul Pogba.

 

[Railway Blue]

It wasn't a 'ridiculous decision' coming from smug Shearer; there was room for debate on it, and the ref called it. No biggie for me.

Well done to France though, despite the useless keeper Hugo Lloris, doing his best to fuck it up for you. Delighted for Mbappe, seems a great lad. Only seems like yesterday for France's first World Cup in '98 (alas, the last time Scotland actually qualified!). Congratulations on your second trophy. Best team in the tournament without a doubt.

I agree about Shearer. The Croatia lad's reaction was spontaneous but that doesn't make it any less a penalty imo. I think France have elevated themselves to the 4th best World Cup team in history behind Brazil, Germany and Italy. Viva les bleus. The long lost love of my life Martine Faugere well done to your boys.

 

[JimJams]

View attachment 9154

How the hell has he spelt his name wrong when it's right there on the picture he's posted?

 

[rudebwoyben]

Is it just me or does Putin look like his face been botoxed to the max?
Also, it was kind of funny that Macron and the Croatian PM were being left to the mercy of the heavens while someone put an umbrella to shelter Putin as soon as it started raining.

 

[Abertawe]

I'd have thought there'd be no finer time for France with all it's goings on to win the world cup personally. I suppose the same could be said for many countries but France has been pretty volatile by recent standards.

Hmm seemingly not.

 

[Gassy]

Hmm seemingly not.

Saw this on BBC this morning, WTF is going on?

 

[Steve_Wafc]

What a final. Just epitomised this tournament. The score completely flattered France however, as their first two goals came from a dive (and bad defending) and something that has never been a penalty. I think VAR has been a success overall, but there’s still too many mistakes and people not applying the rules correctly.
Croatia were by far the best side though, although neither side could defend and close the gaps very well, 2 wide open sides makes for an entertaining game of course. Ivan Perisic is such a quality player and if none of the top sides bid for him this summer, I’m not sure what else they want, always a big game player.
The 3rd and 4th for France were keeper errors too, the classic moving too far to the other side mistake. Mbappe’s shot especially, Subasic would have just fallen on it had he not moved. Lloris’ mistake was amusing too, I could see it coming a mile off, no idea what he was thinking.
Overall, I haven’t been that impressed with France apart from Mbappe and they’ve had a lot of luck getting to the final, yet somehow they’ve gone and won the whole thing, amazing.
A superb tournament though and it’s a big shame that it’s all done and dusted now.

 

[Steve_Wafc]

Saw this on BBC this morning, WTF is going on?

I thought they were filming for the next Purge movie.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Saw this on BBC this morning, WTF is going on?

France winning the World Cup can't disguise the fact that la republique francaise has become more and more the enemy to those youth living in the banlieues.

 

[Abertawe]

Paris is pretty much lawless once you go outside the centre. Ghetto as fuck. I spent time in Marseille once and that was even worse!

 

[SALTIRE]

they’ve had a lot of luck getting to the final

Smashing Argentina, comfortable against tricky Uruguay, and astute and compact against Belgium? Na thats not luck, that's just being better than those.

 

[Steve_Wafc]

Smashing Argentina, comfortable against tricky Uruguay, and astute and compact against Belgium? Na thats not luck, that's just being better than those.

From the beginning. Australia deserved at least a draw against them, but a flukey goal stole it from them. A lucky deflection that could have ended up anywhere, lands right to Mbappe’s feet 3 yards from goal to settle the game vs Peru. Argentina they destroyed, but Argentina were terrible, even though they also made France’s defence look average at times. Uruguay were playing with one striker and the one player they missed is one of their best, Cavani. Would have been a different game had they had the Suarez-Cavani partnership. Belgium didn’t turn up, Lukaku was Lukaku and again it was a deflection that helped them out. Having said that, there has not been a stand out team once again and France have probably played the most exciting football in patches, so maybe they’ve been the best, but that’s debatable.

 

[Chris FGR]

Not a big fan of France, massively overrated but they deserved to get to the final. Got very lucky once they got there though, Croatia were robbed.

Superb tournament, shame that it's 8 years till the next one.

 

[Abertawe]

Yeah I wasn't impressed by France tbh. Tony Pulis'd there way to the trophy but the history books won't care.

 

[Chris FGR]

Pretty bizarre presentation ceremony, took ages to get going, biblical rain, Putin watching Macron and Grabar-Kitarović getting drenched from under an umbrella, Putin having to shake hands and present medals to Vida and co who publicly blasted Russia over Ukraine etc, some woman nicking a medal and the director cutting to an angle that meant Lloris lifting the trophy was obscured by some suits. Then to finish off an attempt to put on a firework display in a thunderstorm. Lol.

 

[Renegade]

Hmm seemingly not.

My word there are a lot of racists in the comments section of that video.

 

[Chris FGR]

My word there are a lot of racists in the comments section of that video.

There are a lot of racist comments on youtube full stop.

 

[Abertawe]

There are a lot of racist comments on youtube full stop.

There are a lot of racist perceptions in the consciousness of humanity.

 

[mistermagic]

France winning the World Cup can't disguise the fact that la republique francaise has become more and more the enemy to those youth living in the banlieues.

Fuck that. La République takes care of the suburbs just fine, you just have to play by the rules. Most people do but you get dicks who like to smash places up for no good reason. What can I say?

Paris is pretty much lawless once you go outside the centre. Ghetto as fuck. I spent time in Marseille once and that was even worse!

The Northwest is bad (and that includes the northwest arrondissements of Paris). The rest of the suburb are mostly richer than Paris. That's where rich people buy houses and have families in quiet surroundings. No one in their right mind would buy a flat in central Paris and raise their family there if they could afford to buy a place in Versailles.

Not surprised at the scenes. We can be quite stupid.

 

[Vanni]

I watched the game as a neutral as that's the best way to go about watching any football match, particularly when it's a high stakes game. Well done to France but that's no way to win the game. Griezmann clearly dived to win the freekick that lead to France's opener, and I don't think they should've been awarded that penalty.

While nobody can say it wasn't a handball by Perisic, people are forgetting a couple of important factors - first and foremost Perisic didn't anticipate the French player in front of him to completely miss the ball, and that's why I don't think referees shouldn't watch the VAR footage in slow motion as all tackles and handballs look much worse than in slow motion than in real time.

Second thing is Perisic's handball was not a clear and obvious error, which is what VAR is supposed to be there for. It was so debatable that the ref took ages to make up his mind.

I was under the impression that VAR would correct clear and obvious errors by the match officials but I was mistaken.

Still, well done to France on their success. They did play some nice stuff indeed at times.

 

[Gassy]

So last night we were just watching Croatian TV & the scenes in Zagreb were f*cking immense. The croatia team were escorted in by fighter jets and they put huge flags all over the city covering parks so the players could see from the plane.

After that as many as up to 450,000 (according to the local TV channel) turned up in the center as what was supposed to be a 2 hour bus parade, took 5 hours due to the numbers as they had one giant party.

Awesome!

 

[Chris FGR]

Yeah saw that looked bloody awesome. Fully deserved done their country proud and very unlucky not to win the tournament.

 

[Gassy]

Yeah saw that looked bloody awesome. Fully deserved done their country proud and very unlucky not to win the tournament.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1846910358698543