France 4 2 Croatia (PLEASE REFRESH BROWSER FOR LATEST)
Fulltime: And the final whistle blows and France are crowned champions. A great final played in great spirit by the two best teams at the tournament. Standby for some video highlights in about five minutes.
90+3: Pogba with a great chance for his second. Griezmann with the free-kick falls to Pogba inside the six-yard box all by himself but he can't get onto it and Croatia clear. Almost over now.
88mins: Sounds like there will be five-minutes of added on time. Seven-minutes for Croatia to find two-goals.
87mins: French substitute fires a long shot at Subasic's goal but teh Croatian keeper does well with a save to his right.
85mins: Still Croatia push but they can't create anything clear cut. The French with only Mbappe in front of the ball.
81mins: Croatia continue to push and France continue to repel. Time running out for the first time finalists.
77mins: Modric creating havoc for the Franch. He floats in a lovely cross that Brozovic can't get too however it comes out to Rakatic who drives with his left foot and it's inces wide of Lloris' left post.
75mins: Croatai asking a few questions of the French defence but varane has been outstanding today. Vrslajko wastes a 20-yard effort as it bounces comfortably for Lloris.
74mins: Not much happening. France sitting back - Croatia trying to press but being defended well.
68mins: GOAL CROATIA - Mario Mandzukic: A howler from the Spurs stopper! Pass back from Umtiti and Lloris looks to dribble past Mandzukic but his attempted skin deflects of mandzukic's shin and is in the back of the old onion bag. That was a similar shocker to Loris Karius' Champions League final blunder. Window for the Croats?
65mins: GOAL FRANCE - Kylian Mbappe: It's over now you would think. Hernandez dribbles brilliantly in from the left - a nice pass finds Mbappe 22-yards out and he fires in a right-footed drive to Subasic's right and he has no chance. The first teenage goal in a World Cup final since Pele in 1954.
63mins: France sitting back now. Croatia need a goal soon or it could become a bridge too far.
58mins: GOAL FRANCE - Paul Pogba: The Manchester United man may just have won the World Cup for his country. Mbappe again with the break from a Griezmann pass. He inturn finds Griezmann on the edge of the box who lays it off to Pogba - his right foot shot is blocked by Modric but it rebounds straight back to Pogba who fires in a left foot shot that Subasic can't get near.
57mins: Rakatic with a lovely pass has Perisic in a good position, he fires in a cross from the right hand side but it floats over Rebic.
55mins: The impressive Vida does well to stuff out another French counter. Griezmann was ready to pounce but his Vida's sliding clearence did the job.
51mins: Kante off for France. Steven N'Zonzi is on. Good defensive midfielder but surprised Deschamps has pulled Kante.
50mins: Pogba sets Mbappe free down the right whose pace is too much for Vida but his right foot shot is well saved by Subasic. Beware the blistering pace of the French #10.
49mins: All Croatia here to begin. Small openings for Rebic and then Modric are well defended. Corner for Crotatia is cleared out to Vrslajko who smahes a volley towards the French goal but its wide.
47mins: Modric with a lovely pass through the middle finds Rebic just inside the are who fires a stinging left foot drive that Lloris tips over the bar brilliantly.
46mins: Vrslajko down the left for Croatia - gets to the byeline and fires in a low cross but Lloris does well in snuffing that out. France break out and Giroud does well in finding Griezmann whose 20-yard drive is straight at Subasic.
Second-half: France to get us back underway for the second 45.
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Halftime: That's it for the first half. Most goals in the first 45 of a World Cup final since the 1974 edition when the Netherlands played West Germany. Croatia dominated early and were unlucky to trail. Perisic's delightful strike had them right back in it but he turned to villian 10mins later when he handled in the area. I would think we will see France sit back and counter now - Croatia should get a fair amount of ball in the second 45. Be back shortly.
45+2: Vrslajko with a superb cross from the right hand side almost falls at Perisic's feet insdie the six-yard box,but he just can't quite get to it.
45mins: Great delivery from Rakatic and Vida climbs high but his header is wide. that was a great chance just before the half. 3mins of stoppage time to be played.
43mins: Ball bounces around a little but Umtiti does well to clear. Lovren hammred his defensive opposite in a lateish tackle but referee is happy with it. Croatia have another corner as Pogba clears from a Modric cross.
42mins: Croatia with a chance here. Modric has another free kick opportunity. He floats the ball in towards Lovren but the French clear behind for a corner.
39mins: Croatia come straight back into the French box as Modric puts a delightful cross in towards Mandzukic - the ball falls to Rebic but he muffs his shot and Lloris happily collects easily.
37mins: GOAL FRANCE - Antoine Griezmann: Clinical. Waits for Subasic to make a slight move to his left and slots ot to the keepers right. Can Croatia respond again.
35mins: Penalty France! Griezmann will take. Have to agree with that decision. Unfortunate but given what else has been given the last month, totally acceptable.
34mins: France appealing for a penalty. VAR is having a look. Griezmann's corner comes off Pogba's head and looks to have hit Perisic's arm in an unnatural position.
33mins: Corner for rance. Huge clearenve from Lloris that Vida can only head over his own goalline under pressure from Mbappe. Griezmann to take.
31mins: Just as France had taken a stronghold on the game this fantastic Croatian side is right back in it. Game has settled dwon now as both sides grow in confidence.
28mins: GOAL CROATIA - Ivan Perisic: Stunning volley! Freekick from Modric bounces around in the French box - Rakatic with a deft little pass bounces up to Peresic who beats one defender with a great first touch and fires a left footed strike past Lloris. Ball took a slight deflection off Varane but it was goal bound anyway.
27mins: France have settled in now and are earning a bit more of the ball. Pavard gives the ball away and Perisic breaks - foul by Kante and he is branded the first yellow card of the match.
23mins: Possesion given away by Kante - Rebic breaks and finds Mandzukic out wide on the right - he fires in a cross but Rakatic's volley is smashed high and wide over the bar.
22mins: Matuidi with a great pass finds Mbappe just outside the box and on the run but Vida with a superb tackle clebs things up nicely for Croatia.
21mins: Croatia with their own set-piece opportunity. Modric from out-wide drills in a freekick that Vida rises above all but it's powered over Loris' goal.
19mins: GOAL FRANCE (OG Mario Mandzukic): Superb floating set-piece delivery form Griezmann, Mandzukic tries to clear among a plethora of Frenchman, but his headed glance beats keeper Subasic for the 12th own goal of this World Cup and the first ever in a final. That is the definition of against the run of play. Rain falling in Moscow now.
17mins: France with their first real spell of possesion here - Mbape creating a few nervous moments for the Croatian defence as he heads inti teh box - well defended by Lovren. France earn a free kick as Brozovic brings down Griezmann 20 yards out - just to the left of Subasic's goal.
15mins: Perisic set free by Rakatic down the left - runs a good 30m, gets to the box and fires a low cross for Rebic but Umtiti does well to clear French lines. All Croatia.
13mins: Umtiti with a long ball hoping to find Giroud but he can't get near it. France have had two touches inside Croatian territory so far.
10mins: All Croatia for the first 10mins - France just trying to soak up the pressure. Rakatic with a lovely chip through to Perisic but he can't get a decent first touch and it's out for a goal kick.
8mins: Well defended by Varane - Croatia attack again throw Rakitic on the right as he swings in a delicious cross but again Varane clears. No possesion to speak of for the French thus far.
7mins: Nice play from Strinic down the left hand side - well tackled by Pogba however. Throw in for Croatia and Strinic again breaks inti the box, Mbappe with the tackle and it'll be the first corner of the match.
5mins: Very noticeable early that Croatia are pressing France very high, trying to win the ball back - the French struggling a bit with that pressure.
4mins: Kante gives the ball away in the middle and Perisic breaks for Croatia down the left - well defended by Varane however and France survive unscathed. Croatia with all the ball to begin.
1min: Croatia controlling possesion to get us going - no a lot of forward progress however.
Kickoff - It'll be Croatia to get us underway - here we go!
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2.57am: Appears to be a lot more red and white in the stadium than blue. You would think Croatia will get all the neutral support today.
2.55am: Players and officials have made their way out onto the park - anthem time.
2.51am: Players waiting in the tunnel as the pre-match festivities wrap up - Germany's 2014 captain Phillip Lahm has just brought the trophy out for all to see.
2.48am: France looking for just their second World Cup win and their first away from home - they last played a final in 2006, losing on penalties to Italy. Croatia of course playing in their first - their best result was third in 1998; they lost to France 2-1 in the semi-final.
2.38am: Looks like a fairly nice afternoon in Moscow. The forecast is for a high of 28 degress, with some isolated thunderstorms predicted around halftime. Will Smith looking pretty pimp in an all white ensemble FYI.
2.35am: Closing ceremony currently in progress - have to say it's been a very good tournament. Much speculation ahead of the time that Russia would do a terrible job but it's been quite splendid.
Will Smith among the performers during the next 20 minutes or so. ==============================
Welcome to the culmination of a fabulous 2018 Football World Cup.
One of the tournament favourites France find themselves opposed against a side not many pundits had pegged to be here on July 16 in Croatia.
- Fifa's 'hot women' ban political correctness gone mad
- Russia proves we're ready for a 48-teams
- Football World Cup - The road to the final
The Croats have been fantastic. scoring wins over Argentina and England on their way to Moscow, while the slow starting French have found a new gear in the knockout round, eliminating Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium.
Kick-off is scheduled for just after 3am.
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France:
1-Loris, 2-Pavard, 4-Varane, 5-Umtiti, 6-Pogba, 7-Griezmann, 9-Giroud, 10-Mbappe, 13-Kante, 14-Matuidi, 21-Hernandez
Croatia:
23-Subasic, 2-Vrslajko, 3-Strinic, 4-Perisic, 6-Lovren, 7-Rakitic, 10-Modric, 11-Brozovic, 17-Mandzukic, 18-Rebic, 21-Vida
Newshub.
