Right. . .that is all from me. We should all thank Ben for his long stint in the chair earlier.
The key thing is that it will be a great final, hopefully.
The fun does not stop here, though, as we have the World Cup final blog proper, which will be run by one of the Guardian’s finest manipulator of the English language, but until Barry Glendenning arrives it will be me.
Follow it all here. . .
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ITV are starting their World Cup coverage five minutes earlier than the BBC, one assumes in some desperate attempt to get some more viewers as they will almost certainly get a complete thrashing in the ratings.
Perisic is the man to watch. . .
10 - Ivan Perisic has been involved in 10 goals at major tournaments for Croatia (6 goals, 4 assists), the joint-most along with Davor Suker (9 goals, 1 assist). Importance. #WorldCupFinal #WorldCup #Cro pic.twitter.com/rwarabEORI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2018
The Belgians are celebrating bronze. Well done, lads.
A prediction from Ian, who thinks football might still come home, he somewhat optimistically says: “This is what will happen. A jobsworth at FIFA actually does his job and discovers that Croatia were fielding an ineligible player in the semi-final. His big bald boss orders the plane destined for England to turn round mid-flight. Bleary, bewildered, and to the world’s amazement, it is England, some in kit borrowed from disbelieving fans, who step out onto the pitch for the World Cup Final. France, assuming the role of the arrogant overdog, duly go 3 up on the hour mark, and all seems lost. But a tiny cabal of English fans encourage the locals in the home crowd to ‘Remember Yalta - Churchill! Stalin!” Slowly at first, then with growing passion the stadium will the brave Lions on with chorus after chorus of ‘Is Coming Home’. Sterling, galvanised, grabs a classic hat trick (knee, backside, elbow) but as we enter extra time it is France who strike. When all seems lost (again), Pickford, up for the last minute corner, smashes his shot into the roof of the net. Everyone is even more tired than Croatia. As the penalty shootout reaches its dramatic climax, the score stands at 11 each. FIFA rifle though the rulebook and discover that the managers must play off against each other in a sudden death shootout. Pickford saves with his teeth against the Croatian guy, then, striding nobly across the turf to his theme tune, and after ceremonially handing his waistcoat to a starstruck official, Gareth back heels the winning penalty. Tom Cruise to play GS in the film.”
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Paul asks: “Assuming Kane wins the Golden Boot, would it be too harsh to say his is arguably the worst quality one of all? Three penalties, one off his backside and two relative tap ins. And to think he could have scored more, given his presentable chances against Croatia and Belgium yesterday. Not sure what happened since the Colombia game, either a swift loss of confidence or he’s been carrying a knock. Or both.”
Gary Lineker’s Golden Boot was won with goals scored from a combined distance of about 30 yards, so he has competition.
WON’T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!
It could be a great day for third-choice goalkeepers as they are all 90 minutes away from being World Cup winners without playing a single minute. France have Alphonse Areola, while Croatia can boast Dominik Livakovic, neither of which have done anything meaningful in the tournament so far.
The Uruguay fans and Santa Claus are ready for the match!
World Cup winner and supreme header saver, Gordon Banks, has done some hailing of Jordan Pickford on the radio.
He told FiveLive:
I thought he played really well. I was quite surprised, when you think he is quite young.
If he is able to keep his position in that goal then obviously the better he will become and the more confident he will become. I like the way he played and am looking forward to seeing him again.
I am sure the manager will pick him for the next few games. If he keeps playing as he has done he will stay with that job, definitely.
World Cup failure Wayne Rooney has headed to MLS in search of a swansong that doesn’t involve sitting on benches the United Kingdom. He made his debut for DC United last night. . .
Jonathan has rightly emailed in to point out I am a horrible human being, he says: “‘Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Varane, Vertonghen, Kante, Modric, Pogba, Mbappe, De Bruyne, Hazard’
“Now you’ve gone and done it, Will. One Croat, five Frenchmen.
“Yet another article in an English newspaper slighting Croatia.
“Croatia to win on penalties.”
Like words? We can send you them free, Monday to Friday, straight to your inbox and all you have to do is sign up below. Admittedly, words are available elsewhere but these will be decent-ish.
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Ben has been asking for teams of the tournament, so I should probably give this a go (off the top of my head). . .
Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Varane, Vertonghen, Kante, Modric, Pogba, Mbappe, De Bruyne, Hazard
There’s no shortage of #Content on the site today about the final.
We have. . .
Ed Aarons on Lillian Thuram becoming a goalscoring machine for one night only. . .
Breakout star Jorge Valdano gives us his view on the final. . .
Our man Daniel Taylor previews the game. . .
Angelique Chrisafis went to go and find out more about Kylian Mbappé. . .
And here is just a lot of photos of weird stuff. . .
Here we go! Not long until the big one now!
Ben is too young to remember this song, so I will bring you some top notch rock.
Do you know your France from your Croatia? OK, it’s a bit harder than that. And, with that, here’s Will Unwin to guide you through the final stages of all the buildup before the big one gets under way:
A timely killer stat, via Opta: Croatia are the first team after Germany back in 2002 to reach a World Cup final after qualifying for the tournament by the play-offs. Zlatko Dalic’s side overcame Greece in two legs last year, ensuring progress to their fifth finals.
“If you want some clue as to just how mental it might be in Croatia tonight should they win, as I hope they do … the only pointer would be Goran Ivanišević returning home to Split after he won Wimbledon [in 2001],” emails Adam Hirst. Meanwhile, your predictions are flooding in, with Admir Pajic offering: “Croatia have three players in the starting line-up that combined have won last six Champions League trophies. In comparison, France have just one (Raphaël Varane), England have Cahill far from starting line-up and Belgium’s Vermaelen went through humiliation as he had to return his CL medal three years ago. Plus, there is Kovačić on the bench for Croats who has also tasted CL glory. In big finals, experience of winning big games come handy. Maybe that’s why Portugal of Pepe, Nani and Ronaldo won Euro 2016 at the France expense ...” And, presumably delirious with excitement, Brajendra Manjhi emails: “Aaaaaaaah!” Oof.
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Essential
half-time
lunchtime reading, via Daniel Taylor:
And finally, on the 31st day, we will get to see it. Fourteen inches tall, weighing 11lb and made of 18-carat gold. For one group of players, the opportunity to hold it, caress it, feel it against their skin. For the team that loses, a lifetime of regret. Kylian Mbappé summed it up best when he was asked a few days ago about winning the Ballon d’Or. “I couldn’t care less about that,” he said. “I want the World Cup. I want to sleep with it.”
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Another email, this time courtesy of Tom Hopkins. “I ended up watching Wednesday’s game in a cafe in Paris (there for work ...) next to a lovely Croatian couple,” he begins. “Obviously not the result I was looking for but it was great to meet them and it gave me an excuse to reminisce about Igor Stimac and Aljosa Asanovic. So, for a couple of reasons I’m firmly Team Hrvastku today.” Sacha, also from the French capital, adds: “Haven’t Croatians beaten our reputation in France for being arrogant (see Lovren, Modric, their press ...) ? Aren’t we more likeable, for once?”
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A shed load more contenders for our unofficial Golden Ball shortlist, courtesy of James, via email. “Certainties: Modric, Hazard, De Bruyne, Mbappé. Likely: Griezmann, Kanté, Lloris, Mandzukic, Rakitic. Possibles: Coutinho, Kane, Pickford, Trippier, Ronaldo, Cheryshev, Pogba, Lukaku, Cavani.”
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Transfer nugget: first Eden Hazard, now Thibaut Courtois. The Belgium goalkeeper admits the £200,000-a-week contract offer on the table from Chelsea is not big enough for his liking, and has hinted he may follow Hazard out the door at Stamford Bridge. Any exit would pave the way for Chelsea to step up their interest in Roma’s Alisson. “Obviously with this World Cup, I think what was on the table obviously is different than what I can have, maybe,” he said. “In this World Cup, I have ignored all the speculation, all the rumours. But now in the next few days I will have a chat with my agent and see what Chelsea told him, and then we will talk. But I feel happy at Chelsea, it’s not that I necessarily want to leave.”
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Luka Modric has won the Champions League on four occasions – but he insists this is different gravy. “Without a doubt, winning the World Cup would be the greatest success of my career,” he says. “Even the fact that we’re playing in the final is greater than anything I’ve accomplished. I’ve had great things happen during my career but I did not believe this would ever happen, because it’s hard to predict your own story. Playing in the final for Croatia is something I will carry with me for my whole life. We will do everything we can, we’re proud to be here.”
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Sixteen years ago, Ronaldo’s hair-island won the World Cup:
“Predictions? Il rentre à la maison,” offers William Hargreaves, after a quick dab of Google Translate. Smooth. “I have fancied France all along but it would not surprise me now that Croatia could win,” emails Steve. As for Thomas Krantz, he emails: “France to win with a header from Varane in the 23rd minute from a free-kick. The rest of the match a boring stalemate with Croatia lacking the creativity and intensity to break down France’s solid defensive screen. Probably lots of yellow cards as well, and a red for Perisic in the 76th min. I sincerely hope I’m very wrong about all this ...”
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“Difficult to see anything except a France win today,” says Lanzini, below the line. “Best team and super strong players everywhere. Croatia will rely massively on Perisic and Rebic – if they turn up they have a chance. While Modric makes the team tick these two are really the guys that creates superiority going forward with direct runs, speed, classic wing play, 1v1 duels.” Keep the predictions coming, via email, Twitter, etc.
Warming up for kick-off? Here’s some essential listening:
With a thumping 6-0 win for France rumoured below the line, it seems a sensible time to engage in pre-match predictions. Hit me:
It’s coming home ... England have left the ForRestMix hotel in Repino for the final time. We’re just booting up Flightradar as we speak. Anyway, they’ll arrive back in Birmingham with a bump this afternoon, though presumably they can catch the big one on board their jet (will they plump for BBC or ITV?), in between the in-flight questionnaire and filing a few reviews on TripAdvisor. Unconfirmed reports Gareth Southgate is wearing a waistcoat. Things are looking up for Kieran Trippier, though:
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If Bacary Sagna bigging you up pre-match doesn’t help, then nothing will. The former France defender has been talking-up Paul Pogba’s brilliance, amid a sea of criticism last season at Manchester United. So far, so good for Pogba in Russia this summer, though. “Of course after being transferred to one of the best club in the world for £100m, people expect you to score every game,” Sagna says. “He plays a position which for me, is quite tricky. He is a genius with the ball, a very special player.”
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Say no more:
With the big game on BBC and ITV, we really are spoilt for choice. But with all these awards soon upon us, who has been the pundit of the tournament? One of Jermaine Jenas, a consistent performer, Rio Ferdinand, surely a manager in-waiting, or Bilic, perhaps?
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With the final now just five hours away, it seems a good time to explore the path to Moscow, charted by snapper Evgeny Feldman:
Over in Argentina, red-hot reports suggest that the soul-searching is well and truly over, and that Jorge Sampaoli is on the scrapheap, sacked following their last-16 exit to finalists France. An official announcement is supposedly imminent. And, don’t worry, I thought he’d already gone too.
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Plenty of money is being thrown around, particularly in the Premier League, on players with plenty of noise, and hype, around them (Seri, Anderson), albeit few who have starred in Russia. That’s still to come, of course. Chelsea are keen on Aleksandr Golovin, while Denis Cheryshev will surely have won admirers. So, the question that then begs is, who might yet get a whacking-big move on the back of a few good games this summer?
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Listen to Barney Ronay, or hear him out at least:
Unofficial Golden Ball shortlist: Mbappé, Hazard, Modric, Griezmann, Kanté, Pogba. Events in Moscow a little later may well decide the winner. Any more for any more?
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Marta is torn, but might head rule heart come 4pm:
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Transfer nugget: West Ham United have confirmed the arrival of the Lazio midfielder Felipe Anderson for a club-record fee of around £33.5m, after a medical on Friday. He has signed a four-year deal and becomes the club’s seventh summer signing, following Fabian Balbuena’s arrival from Corinthians on Saturday. “West Ham is a club with a lot of tradition, lots of great players have played here, like Bobby Moore, Carlos Tevez and Di Canio,” he says. “I’m really happy to be here. It’s a dream come true.” Hmm, anyway, some good, and relatively promising early business from manager Manuel Pellegrini:
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Tired of talking about whether they’re tired, Zlatko Dalic insists there are no excuses for his Croatia side. After three rounds of extra-time, and two penalty shootouts, he has had to answer countless questions over his side’s fitness, batting away fears over freshness. “France are very dangerous on the counter-attack,” he says. “We had a tough journey to the final, but there are no excuses, we are ready for the last game of the tournament.” As for his last words to his squad at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow a little later, he’ll be keeping it simple. “I will say ‘have fun, guys’. I want my players to enjoy themselves. I am very proud of them.”
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Harry Maguire’s eyes are already on Euro 2020, with the semi-finals and final set for Wembley. “When the Euros come around the fans will be really excited again,” the England defender says.
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Barring an Antoine Griezmann hat-trick, or Olivier Giroud running in seven goals, Harry Kane will take the Golden Boot back to Walthamstow. “I’m sure they’ll send it [over] if I win it,” Kane, already en route back to Birmingham airport with England, says. “It’s something, if I do win, I’ll be extremely proud of. As a striker, you want to score goals. It’s been a great tournament, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
What sort of World Cup final do we have in store? Does it have the ingredients of a classic? Are we win for extra-time, and maybe even penalties? The last three finals have gone to extra-time, for what it’s worth, so we could be in for the long haul. France, clearly, are favourites but Croatia will relish that dark horses tag:
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Beer-throwing compilations at Boxpark? Check. Hundreds of pre-planned celebrations at Hyde Park? Check. If Croatia do it, cue the throbbing, thumping crowds in Zagreb and beyond:
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Fear not, once the World Cup is over, the Premier League will be back and, on this evidence, Everton are going to walk it:
Some quick, and unspectacular, maths suggests France’s population is more than 16 times that of Croatia’s. Sure, it’s not got a David v Goliath ring to it but, by getting here, it’s a brilliant achievement. A penny for the thoughts of Nikola Kalinic, the one-time Blackburn striker who refused to play in their Group D opener against Nigeria, who must be feeling pretty stupid this morning:
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“I think it’s bad news for the English game”:
Lilian Thuram – of course – at right-back. His two, most unlikely goals, against Croatia 20 years ago helped France through to the final; they lifted the trophy against Brazil but he never scored for his country ever again. Another boy brought up in the banlieues of Paris, Thuram, now 46, remains France’s most-capped player:
Here’s the fun bit: create your own, or take a peek at Desailly’s XI:
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A couple of years ago, France got a little cocky. But, oh no, fat chance of them making the same error twice, so-says Paul Pogba. “In 2016, we made the mistake of being overconfident,” Pogba, who will win his 60th cap in Moscow today, says. “After beating Germany in the semi-finals, we felt we were destined to win. I know the Croatian players well and they’re world class. They qualified from an extremely tough group and only one team can lift the trophy on Sunday. It has to be us.”
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France may be favourites to win in Moscow, but could they be out-thought – if not out-fought – by Luka Modric and co?
Good morning, the day is finally here, although, saying that, suddenly the World Cup seems to have arrived at this juncture. Maybe it’s because England were essentially done and dusted on Wednesday. Or maybe it’s been heading that way since the end of the much-missed-four-games-a-day-frenzy. Either way, we’ll be building up to France v Croatia, and it’s ... it’s almost over:
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Right, that’s enough from me for now. Have a look at this fiendishly difficult quiz while Ben Fisher pours himself a morning brew and settles into the hot-seat.
Kylian Mbappé is surely nailed on to win the young player of the tournament, regardless of his final performance, but which other young stars have sparkled in Russia?
On the following list I’m especially keen to keep an eye on Rodrigo Bentancur. I thought he was just getting into his stride for Uruguay before they were knocked out and I can see him blossoming into a complete midfielder by Qatar 2022.
Angelique Chrisafis reports from Paris where expectations are high ahead of the World Cup final.
Fan zones across the country are to be secured by tens of thousands of police concerned about the threat of terrorism. Flag manufacturers have been working overtime to meet extra demand, beer sales are up, there is a scrabble for the last remaining team shirts in shops, and newspaper front pages are plastered with Didier Deschamps and articles on how the young France squad have ushered in a new patriotism.
Daniel Taylor focuses his attention on two contrasting characters, the youthfully exuberant Kylian Mbappé and the arch pragmatist Didier Deschamps.
Mbappé now has the chance to become the youngest player to score in a World Cup final since Pelé in 1958, while Didier Deschamps can become only the third person in history to hold the trophy as player and manager. He would be in exalted company, alongside Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer, and it is easy to understand why France will start as favourites given their assured performances so far, the shrewd management of Deschamps and the considerable evidence that a team featuring Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba consider this their time to follow the likes of Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane and Emmanuel Petit.
Jorge Valdano sees the final as a duel between France’s order and Croatia’s creativity.
When it comes to energy, strength, France are a fearful team that make order, discipline and pragmatism count, that use their arms efficiently. Their games are not particularly enjoyable for the neutral observer, but they are even less enjoyable for their opponents. However, there is a different type of energy – a creative energy – that means Croatia have a chance. A team that will know how to await its moment, seeking the weaknesses that favourites invariably have to score the kind of goal that always turns a game upside down psychologically. In short, France to win through an ability to overwhelm physically and calculate tactically, or Croatia to win through psychological refinery and footballing intelligence.
Craig Alt has joined in the VAR conversation that began in the preamble. It’s a long but excellent email.
“I, like you, watched the debacle that was VAR in the A-league unfold and expected it to ruin this World Cup. That it hasn’t has been, I believe, down to luck, resources and the quality of officials making decisions. Back in clubland it will not go so well I feel and we will return to controversy. When the tournaments/leagues have the resources, it can work well, with a few tweaks:
1. This nonsensical situation where the referee runs to the sideline to check the replay. There are half a dozen people in a comfortable environment watching high definition replays in slo-motion over and over and then the poor ref is asked to go and huddle under a shelter and watch a tiny tv. I understand they want the ref to have final say, but he is going to be judged on a decision he has to make where millions of people around the world have a better view than him! If the “clear and obvious” error definition is kept (with examples and explanations given) then the VAR refs can decide and tell the ref to overturn when necessary. This will also avoid the problem of the ref stopping the game only to decide the original decisions stands, robbing the game of momentum.
2. Offside - If the Assistant refs are being told to keep flags down if a player MAY be offside, then surely defenders are entitled to account for players who MAY be offside too. Therefore, any player lingering in a slightly offside position near the goal or ball should be called offside whether or not they get involved in play.
In fact, the “intefering with play” part of the offside rule has for some reason taken a backseat to the “gaining an advantage by being in that position” part of the rule. The use of VAR has essentially forced officials to admit that players in offside positions need to be accounted for and therefore anyone in a slightly offside position is taking an advantage by making the defender account for him.
3. Clarity around what is a “clear and obvious error” - For this I am going to use a controversial example: the overturning of Neymar’s penalty appeal against Costa Rica. Yes, Neymar made a meal of it. But he was grabbed by a player who had been wrong-footed. Should it have been a pen? Opinions are divided. But the ref gave it. To overturn it, in my book, you need 100% proof that the contact didn’t affect Neymar’s opportunity to take a shot. Likewise, if the ref had not given the penalty, you would need 100% proof that the contact did in fact stop Neymar from taking his goalscoring opportunity. In other words, in subjective situations you stay with the ref’s original call unless you are 100% sure he was wrong. People need to realise that not all calls will be correct in their eyes - bias and opinion is the very nature of sport. Going with the ref’s call in most situations is how it should be and will have the least impact on the game. It also has the added benefit of appealing to the romantics who don’t like technology’s influence.
Regardless of what is done about VAR, it would be nice to hear from FIFA where they thought it worked well and how they would like to see it work in the future.”
One other point I’d like to raise is how VAR seems to only be viewed as something experienced by people watching on TV. The negative effects are disproportionately suffered by fans inside stadiums who are often communicated to poorly and prevented from experiencing those fleeting and spontaneous moments of celebration that make paying to see live sport worthwhile. The system has to operate with the minimum of disruption to match-going fans - more-so than it is currently.
I suspect this is quite a common view around the world. Win or lose, Croatia’s success in Russia 2018 has been incredible.
More on that man Kanté here from Amy Lawrence, who has identified the midfield destroyer as one of France’s four key figures, alongside Huge Lloris, Raphaël Varane and Olivier Giroud.
Kanté is the centerpiece of a quiet spine that has become pivotal to how France’s team functions. They provide balance and ballast, allowing others around them to add flourish. Lloris in goal is a sensible and mature influence. Raphaël Varane is another who does not behave in a flamboyant way and lets his football speak for his immense defensive qualities. Then there is Kanté patrolling midfield as if there were two of him buzzing about. Up front Olivier Giroud’s efforts might not have yielded any goals for himself but his presence and link-up play help Mbappé and Griezmann to have freedom to express themselves.
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Here’s some nice data analysis from the FT to further express the success of the Pogba-Kanté axis.
NEW for our final @FT World Cup stats briefing:
— John Burn-Murdoch (@jburnmurdoch) July 13, 2018
In Pogba and Kanté, France have the best player at progressing the ball, and the best at winning it https://t.co/yPXjJXtVnm #FRACRO
Here's how the dominant duo compare to the best of the rest: pic.twitter.com/l3rmxHECmW
An illustration of Kanté’s added value to whichever team he turns out for can be seen in the performances of Paul Pogba. At this World Cup Pogba has flourished alongside Kanté, raising hopes the Manchester United man could be ready to fulfil his awesome potential.
If France win will anybody have a story like Kantè?
2015 Caen,
2016 Premier League Champion's medal,
2017 Premier League Champion's medal, PFA player of the year, FWA footballer of the year,
2018 World Cup.
And apparently he still drives a second hand mini.
Four years ago playing in Ligue 2, now on the cusp of a World Cup winner’s medal to accompany his two Premier Leagues. Who knows, possibly even a Golden Ball in there for good measure?
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Modrić’s midfield partner, Ivan Rakitić, will be featuring in his 71st game of the season but fuelled by the passion of 4.5m Croatians he is unconcerned by fatigue.
We will carry one another, we will get the energy, we know that this is the biggest game of our lives, and we want to leave the pitch with our heads held high and to be able to say we’ve done everything. We just need a little bit of luck to get the desired result.
As the country with the second-smallest population to ever reach a World Cup final Croatia will go into today’s game as underdogs. However, the odds could be evened by the performance of arguably the best player in the world. Enjoy Barney Ronay waxing lyrical about Luka Modrić.
Watching Modric on a good day is like being drawn into a slow-building piece of music, not something with a snappy intro or a thunder of percussion at the start; but something absorbing and rhythmical and clipped, where suddenly the parts start to chime together, the phrases to expand and repeat and find deeper melodies until you can’t imagine wanting to listen to anything else.
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Ok, that’s enough on England for now. Time to look ahead to the biggest match of the next four and a half years, France vs Croatia.
Jonathan Wilson has picked out the four key areas that will decide this World Cup final: dealing with Mbappé, the left-right skew, clash of the midfield giants, and the Mandzukic threat.
Perhaps the final post on England for now, news of the dubious honour of an invitation to Downing Street and an audience with Theresa May. A spokeswoman for No. 10 said: “We would certainly like to host a reception for the England football team, who did so well in Russia, and that is something that we are going to talk to the FA about.”
The impact of England’s World Cup performance will be the focus of much discussion over the coming weeks and months. But seeing as though we’re already in preseason friendly mode (22-0 anyone?) is it destined to be remembered as a brief holiday fling?
Here’s a trio of Guardian takes from Paul MacInnes, David Conn and Barney Ronay.
Gareth Southgate’s young and talented squad have surpassed all expectations.
Sadly , most of them will go back and resume their bench warming duties now. Loftus-Cheek got the potential but there is no way he's going to start ahead of Jorginho. With Mahrez going to City , that's Sterling's place on the bench confirmed for next season. Arsenal got some exiting youngsters like Maitland-Niles and Eddie Nketiah but they'll have to waste one more year on the fringes. It's high time these players should start exploring other leagues.
I expect this debate to gather momentum over the coming years, especially with the stockpiling of young talent at the top Premier League clubs and the success of England at age-group level in recent tournaments. However, quite how the issue is resolved to the benefit of all parties is beyond me. I suspect Jadon Sancho could be the test case to keep a close eye on.
At the heart of the riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma of England’s Russian sortie, is the form of Harry Kane. Despite being destined for the Golden Boot it’s hard to argue Kane actually enjoyed a strong World Cup. Martha Kelner attempts to unravel the situation.
Kane is unarguably a great striker – his goalscoring record for club and country attests to that – but a lacklustre display against Belgium intensified the feeling that his overall impact on this World Cup has been unremarkable. England would probably have been heading home after the group stages without Kane’s contribution, but as the tournament progressed he looked a shell of himself and expressed regret that he had not been on the scoresheet for England’s final three games against Sweden, Croatia and Roberto Martínez’s side.
Martha Kelner reports from St Petersburg on how Harry Maguire and Kieran Trippier are already looking ahead to Euro 2020, confident they have the right man at the helm to guide England to success.
“We have all come together, like a bond,” Trippier said. “This team is very special. It all comes from the manager, an unbelievable manager for the way he handles the team. I can’t speak highly enough of him. He sets the tone, it comes from him, he’s brought this team together. I hope the fans see this. I think we are communicating with the fans a lot better, maybe than over the years. We just tried to do as well as we could for the whole nation.”
Does the latest defeat force another reappraisal of England’s World Cup? Gareth Southgate was careful to manage the mood before his team headed home.
We’ve finished in the final four, but we’re not a top-four team yet. Against the very best teams, we’ve come up short. But we’ve had a wonderful adventure and some experiences which will stand this group of players and staff in good stead for the future. We have to try to constantly evolve and improve. We’ve done that, particularly over the last eight months, and we’ve ended up having a brilliant adventure here.
Before we wade into the final preview, how about we tick off the third-place playoff? In case you missed it, Belgium secured the bronze medal with a 2-0 victory over England.
Dominic Fifield was at the St Petersburg Stadium to watch it all unfold.
Gareth Southgate’s young and talented squad have surpassed all expectations. No England team have bettered the fourth place they claimed, unexpectedly and joyously, on foreign soil. Plenty of those on the outside looking in will offer reminders that they escaped high-calibre opposition courtesy of a kind draw, and that Belgium, ranked third in the world, beat them twice. The manager admitted there was a gulf in quality and experience between the two sides. But, in the context of the anxious mess England have appeared at recent major finals, this campaign has been regenerative.
As is customary let’s start the day with a trip to the pod. Among the highlights is a worthwhile exposition of the It’s Coming Home phenomenon and its various interpretations.
Preamble
It all comes down to this, France against Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow for the right to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy. 32 teams have competed in 63 contests across 11 cities before today. Match number 64 is where it counts the most.
Russia 2018 has captivated the world since kicking off back on 14 June. From the unexpected form of the hosts to the domino rally of favourites exiting the tournament to the emergence of the two key protagonists. It has been a memorable World Cup, let’s hope we’re in for a memorable World Cup final.
We’ll be counting down to kick-off ( 4pm UK / 6pm local time / 1am Australia) on this liveblog, bringing you all the choice cuts from The Guardian’s World Cup coverage and keeping you abreast of any breaking news.
As well as looking ahead to the final this will also be a chance to reflect on the third-place playoff between Belgium and England, and also take a look back at the World Cup as a whole: highlights, lowlights, legacy, that sort of thing. For instance, I began the whole palaver firmly against the use of VAR after witnessing it trialled to questionable effect in Australia’s A-League but after seeing its use refined as this World Cup has progressed I’m increasingly confident there’s a worthwhile application not too far away.
Feel free to share your own particular pearls of wisdom below the line, by email (jonathan.howcroft.freelance@guardian.co.uk) or on Twitter @JPHowcroft.
Would love to see a nation of four million people win the world cup just for the sheer romance of the achievement... Sory to our French friend's football needs Croatia to win for the good of the soul of the game.