It rained in Moscow today. First it was the goals, then the tears, and then the clouds opened and let down the rain, beneath it were a jumping, joyous bunch of Frenchmen who had just won the Fifa World Cup, their second in history. They danced and ran around the ground, waving the French flag. Not that they needed any help but the loudspeakers at the Luzhniki Stadium were on full blast, the tune -- Hans Zimmer's theme for Pirates of the Caribbean. There was another bunch, who were staring into the oblivion. The men in chequered jerseys -- the reds and whites. The Hans Zimmer music, the roaring fans, the drizzling, none of that mattered. Just like that, Croatia's captain Luka Modric had tears in his eyes.

Les Bleus got a lucky start after Mario Mandzukic scored an own goal early in the first half. Eighteenth minute, to be precise. Antoine Griezmann won a free-kick about 30 yards from goal. Griezmann's delivery into the box was met by Manzdzukic who rose the highest to get an unfortunate touch that ended up inside his own net. The goal came against the run of play as the Croats had dominated the proceedings in the starting minutes, so much so that France's goal was their first shot on goal.

Ivan Perisic levelled the scores in the 29th minute with a wonder strike with his left foot. Croatia's goal too came from a free-kick which France failed to clear. Perisic got the ball inside the box after some fine work by Vida and drilled his effort past Hugo Lloris. 

However, Perisic the hero soon turned into Perisic the villain after France got a penalty in the 33th minute. France appealed for a handball by Persic inside the box. The referee took his time before consulting VAR and then pointing to the spot. Griezmann stood over the penalty and rolled his spot-kick past Danijel Subasic into the bottom left-hand corner to bring France into the front once again.

Croatia's Ante Rebic made a wonderful effort within three minutes after the restart when he was put through on goal by a wonderful pass from Ivan Rakitic. His rising shot from about 15 yards was tipped over the bar by Lloris. The French captain had to make another smart stop just minutes later. Croatia were pushing forward for the equaliser and were controlling the game, or so it seemed.

In the 59th minute, France scored their third, and like the first two goals, the viewers may complain that it shouldn't have been.

Paul Pogba increases France’s lead, in a move he started and finished. His first shot from the edge of the area is blocked, but the ball breaks kindly for him and he scores at the second attempt with his left foot. In the 59th minute, Pogba charged upfield and passed the ball to Mbappe who returned it to Pogba inside the box. Pogba unleashed a shot only for it to be blocked but he got a second chance and, with the goalkeeper wrong-footed, he buried his shot into the left-hand corner with his weaker foot. 

With two goals down and just half an hour to go, it was frantic efforts from Croatia to get at least a goal back. But it backfired when Kylian Mbappe became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since a certain player named Pele did it decades ago. The goal came in the 65th minute. Mbappe picked the possession of the ball from 25 yards and with little movement, sent a powerful low-drive into the bottom left-hand corner. The entire tournament, Croatia had been exceptional in the later half of the games, but try as they might, the Croats couldn't put the ball past Lloris, except on one occasion when Lloris' took one touch too many while fielding a back-pass. Mandzukic pounced on the opportunity and scored into the empty net from about four yards out.

When the final whistle blew, the French players bundled into each other. There were cries of joy. And Mbappe, that scurrying teenager who outran every defender, collected the best young player award moments later. France had been brilliant and Didier Deschamps, who has now won the World Cup as a player and a manager, tactically astute. They weren't always dominant, but they always knew how to win against every opponent, and they did that to the very end.

 

For every winner, there must be a loser. But Croatia and their journey in this campaign has been a win too. Modric had been the best player in the tournament, and Fifa recognised it by handing him the golden ball. He would have liked the other trophy better, of course. But then as they say, the best doesn't rest. Another time, Luka.