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#2: Benjamin Pavard – France vs. Argentina
Despite Argentina taking the lead following a deflected goal from Gabriel Mercado early in the second half of their tie with France, it never really felt like they’d be able to hold onto it. Sure enough, less than ten minutes later they were level with a goal of the greatest quality, and the source was an unexpected one – right-back Benjamin Pavard.
Stuttgart youngster Pavard – who only broke into the France squad in late 2017 after World Cup qualification was already secured – had never scored for Les Bleus before, but this strike more than made up for that.
A cross from Lucas Hernandez on the left side appeared to be floating harmlessly out of the box, but Pavard somehow met it with a swerving strike from the outside of his right boot that flew like a rocket past the despairing dive of Argentina’s goalkeeper Franco Armani and into the right-hand side of the goal.
It was the kind of shot that gave you flashbacks to Roberto Carlos’s legendary free-kick against France a decade ago, and even if Pavard scores plenty more for his country, he’ll probably never top this one.
Two quick-fire goals for Kylian Mbappe followed just ten minutes later, and Argentina were dead and buried.
