France will take on Argentina in the final of the World Cup on Sunday at Lusail Stadium in a bid to retain the title it won four years ago in Russia.
If the French succeeds it will become only the third nation to achieve successive World Cup wins after Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962).
Here’s a recap of the 2018 final where Les Blues beat Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium to lift its second World Cup.
Didier Deschamps’ men beat Croatia 4-2 thanks to an own goal from Mario Mandzukic and strikes from Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe. Ivan Perisic and Mandzukic scored for the Croats but they weren’t enough.
Mandzukic became the first player to score an own goal in a final when he inadvertently headed in a Griezmann free-kick in the 18 th minute. Ten minutes later, Perisic struck a fierce left-footed half-volley from the edge of the box to level the scores.
Griezmann put France ahead in the 38 th minute from a penalty before Pogba and Mbappe struck in the space of seven second half minutes to give the French a three-goal advantage.
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Mandzukic pulled one back with a little over 20 minutes left on the clock after capitalising on a Hugo Lloris error in the back but it only proved to be a mere consolation.
Croatia enjoyed much of the possession in the game with 66% of the ball but France was resolute in seeing out the win.
Starting XIs
France: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, L. Hernandez; Pogba, Kante; Mbappe, Griezmann, Matuidi; Giroud
Croatia: Subasic; Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic; Brozovic, Modric, Rakitic, Perisic, Rebic; Mandzukic
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