Teenager Kylian Mbappe and the rest of France's players acted like the youthful bunch they are, taking turns sliding across the rain-soaked turf holding the World Cup trophy tight. This was the highest-scoring final since 1966 and a great FIFA World championship game that took place in Moscow, Russia.

Twenty years ago, a multicultural France team, led by Zinedine Zidane, won the World Cup during home game.. On the eve of the 2018 final, Zidane is gone, but everything else remains the same.
This match  featured  an own goal, a goalkeeper gaffe, pitch invaders and a teenager wunderkind finding the back of the net.

Mbappe, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the French league, was born months after France won its only other World Cup title in 1998.

“We do not realize yet what we just did,” left back Lucas Hernández said. “When we arrive tomorrow in Paris, we will realize.”

As for Croats this is what they had to say,

“We have no regrets because we were the better team for much of the game,” said Croatia midfielder Luka Modric, who was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player. “Unfortunately, some clumsy goals swung it their way.

“They will be celebrating, but we can hold our heads high.”

PRESIDENTS' CLUB

Putin watched the game in a VIP section with the presidents of France and Croatia, Emmanuel Macron and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

Macron paced nervously out of his seat during the video review, and kissed his Croatian counterpart on both cheeks to console her after the game. They joined the medal ceremony and both kissed the gold trophy before it got to Lloris.