France captain Hugo Lloris has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 36, three weeks after his country lost the World Cup final on penalties to Argentina in Doha.
Four years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo produced an emphatic performance as the forward bagged his maiden World Cup hattrick to help Portugal draw 3-3 against Spain in their Group B encounter of the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Sochi.
The World Cup-winning French team returned home to a heroes' welcome yesterday, parading down the Champs-Elysees as hundreds of thousands of cheering fans gave a raucous welcome to the country's newest idols.
Croatia defender Dejan Lovren is scathing of France's style of play following his side's defeat in Sunday's World Cup final.
Once the French have their hands on the coveted golden trophy, Griezmann grasp it and run down to fans behind the goal to show them the World Cup, before skipping back along the side of the pitch holding it aloft.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic stated outright what he felt regarding the controversial penalty call following his side’s 4-2 defeat to France in Sunday’s World Cup final, saying : “You don't give a penalty like that in a World Cup final.”
It was the first time that Video Referee Assistant (VAR) technology was used in a World Cup final but controversial refereeing decsions ensured that a spectacle of the calibre of the final might have been marred by inconsistencies.
Energetic, disciplined and clinical, France won the World Cup on Sunday with a 4-2 victory over Croatia that, even in such a moment of achievement, still left the feeling there may be much more to come from Didier Deschamps' outstanding young team.
The World Cup final between France and Croatia was briefly interrupted when three intruders affiliated to anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot ran onto the pitch before being hauled off by stewards.
Belgium shot Brazil out of the World Cup with a 2-1 quarterfinal win yesterday to set up a semifinal clash with France on Tuesday.
France's Kylian Mbappe is undoubtedly fast.
When the battle to reach the last four in the World Cup starts today after a couple of days' break, both Brazil and France will desperately look for a semifinal collision course, something they would otherwise have tried to avoid before the final.
Is it about time for Brazil to really think that they have got the best chance to win a record-extending sixth Word Cup title in Russia?
Japan were just incredible!
England edged Colombia 4-3 on penalties yesterday to halt a run of five successive shootout defeats at major tournaments and book a quarter-final clash against Sweden at the World Cup.
Sweden are delighted to make it to the quarter-finals but they are not satisfied yet, coach Janne Andersson told reporters after his side edged Switzerland 1-0 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1994.
“The last two matches I didn't talk to the press because there's so many people talking, getting excited” says Neymar.
It was a game that was balanced on a knife’s edge. The first half pretty much saw Belgium dominate as the likes Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku threatened to cut loose. The tide then shifted as Japan showed their class. Throughout the first half, they had shown glimpses of magic with the creative genius of Takashi Inui causing problems for Belgium.
It's been a strange World Cup so far in Russia: smiles for also-rans and tears for big guns.
