France defeated Croatia 4–2 in Moscow to claim their second FIFA World Cup title, in the highest-scoring World Cup final since 1966.
Key Facts
- Final score
- France 4–2 Croatia
- Attendance
- 78,011 spectators
- Television audience
- More than 1.1 billion viewers
- First own goal in a World Cup final
- Mario Mandžukić (18th minute)
- Mbappé milestone
- Second teenager to score in a World Cup final
- France's World Cup titles
- 2 (1998 and 2018)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
France and Croatia each advanced through the 2018 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds — France topping Group C and eliminating Argentina, Uruguay, and Belgium, while Croatia topped Group D and beat Denmark, Russia (both on penalties), and England — to meet in the final at Luzhniki Stadium on 15 July 2018.
France defeated Croatia 4–2 in a six-goal final refereed by Néstor Pitana. Mandžukić scored an own goal, Perišić equalised, then Griezmann, Pogba, and Mbappé scored for France, with Mandžukić adding a late consolation. The match featured the first use of video assistant referee (VAR) technology in a World Cup, controversially awarding France a penalty.
France claimed their second FIFA World Cup title, with Griezmann named man of the match and Croatia's Luka Modrić awarded the tournament's Golden Ball. The result was the highest-scoring World Cup final since 1966, and the first final since 2002 to be decided without extra time or a penalty shoot-out.
Result
at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia