2018 FIFA World Cup

Notes

France's second title under Deschamps (who joins Zagallo + Beckenbauer as players-and-coaches who won the WC). Final: France 4-2 Croatia, Mbappé 19yo became the youngest scorer in a WC final since Pelé. Mbappé won Best Young Player; Modrić Best Player despite losing final; Kane Golden Boot. First WC with VAR (Video Assistant Referee). Defending champs Germany crashed in groups (lost to Mexico + South Korea). Russia hosts reached QF after 0/0 expectations. Most own goals in any WC: 12. Iceland and Panama made debuts (Iceland's smallest-population WC qualifier ever).

Awards & marks

Best player

Luka Modrić

Best young

Kylian Mbappé

Best GK

Thibaut Courtois

Ball

Adidas Telstar 18

Mascot

Zabivaka

Top scorers

1. 1.Harry KaneEngland· Forwards6
2. 2.Denis CheryshevRussia· Midfielders5
3. 3.Antoine GriezmannFrance· Forwards4
4. 4.Kylian MbappéFrance· Forwards4
5. 5.Mario MandžukićCroatia· Forwards4
6. 6.Romelu LukakuBelgium· Forwards4
7. 7.Cristiano RonaldoPortugal· Forwards4
8. 8.Ivan PerišićCroatia· Forwards3
9. 9.Eden HazardBelgium· Forwards3
10. 10.Edinson CavaniUruguay· Forwards3

France's road to the title

1. r16vs Argentina4-3
2. qfvs Uruguay2-0
3. sfvs Belgium1-0
4. finalvs Croatia4-2

Confederation breakdown

• UEFA14
• CONMEBOL5
• Concacaf3
• CAF5
• AFC5
• OFC0

📚 Trivia (3)

• finalsKylian Mbappé scored in France's 4-2 win over Croatia in the 2018 final at age 19 — the youngest scorer in a World Cup final since Pelé in 1958. He won Best Young Player.
• firsts2018 was the first World Cup with VAR (Video Assistant Referee). 2018 also set the record for own goals in a single tournament — 12 — partly because VAR's involvement created more deflected/handball decisions.
• contextDefending champions Germany crashed out in the group stage at 2018 — losing to Mexico, beating Sweden, then losing 0-2 to South Korea in their final group match. The third reigning champion in four WCs to exit in groups (after France 2002 and Italy 2010).