Sportskeeda Football 2018 Awards: 5 most memorable moments of the year

#1 France win the World Cup in style

After a tremendous month of action that saw hosts Russia unexpectedly make the quarter-finals, England shock everyone by making the semis, and holders Germany dumped out at the group stage, the 2018 World Cup came down to two sides – the star-studded squads of France and Croatia. And after a tremendous final in Moscow, it was Les Bleus who came out on top.

The 4-2 scoreline in the final arguably flattered Didier Deschamps’ side, although Croatia’s second goal was gifted to them by France keeper Hugo Lloris. Overall, few could dispute that France were the best side in the tournament. The group stage saw them barely move into second gear as they slipped past Australia and Peru before drawing with Denmark, but their best performance came in the round of 16.

Argentina were defeated 4-3 in that game, but it was a game most memorable for the stunning show from teenage striker Kylian Mbappe. The then-teenager simply shredded the Argentina defence over 90 minutes – winning a first-half penalty before scoring twice in the second to send Messi and company packing.

France then swept aside Uruguay and Belgium – both great teams in their own right – in the quarter-finals and semi-finals to set up their date with Croatia. It was Mbappe who starred again – this time alongside midfield star Paul Pogba – as France lifted their first World Cup since their win on home soil two decades earlier.

The World Cup as a whole was probably the best tournament since the 1998 edition and so it felt poetic that it was France who came away victorious. Although the trophy presentation was marred by torrential rain, it’s hard to deny its place as the most memorable football moment of 2018.