World Cup 2018 Review

The month-long festival of football is over. Now for the first time ever a four and a half-year wait begins before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Russia 2018 was a truly memorable tournament filled with drama, goals and of course the world’s best players.

The time has come to reflect on the last 64 games to pick out the best moments.

Biggest surprise: Russia

Before the tournament began Russia were tipped to join South Africa as the only host nations to fail to make the knockout stage. How wrong could we be. Russia defied all expectations reaching the quarter-finals missing out on a spot in the semi-finals only on penalties.

Their tournament began with a 5-0 trouncing of Saudi Arabia which was followed by a 3-1 win over Egypt before a heavily rotated side lost 3-0 to Uruguay. The last 16 saw them face up against a strong Spanish side that were expected to ease into the quarter-finals. They were having none of it. Despite going behind through an own-goal Russia fought back and an Artem Dzyuba penalty saw them take Spain to penalties.

Igor Akinfeev wrote his name into the history books as he saved Iago Aspas’ penalty to secure Russia’s spot in the last eight. He couldn’t replicate his heroics against Croatia but this Russia team silenced their critics both at home and abroad and undoubtedly the host nation’s run to the quarter-finals enhanced the atmosphere of the tournament.

Best game: Belgium 3-2 Japan

This was one of the hardest categories to choose from but I’ve narrowly given Belgium’s dramatic comeback the nod. This game had it all. Belgium dominated the first half but failed to break down the Japanese defence, then two goals in four minutes saw Japan take a shock lead early in the second half. Belgium’s golden generation looked set to fail once again.

The Red Devils were down but not out Jan Vertonghen’s looping header gave them a lifeline and Marouane Fellaini brought Belgium level. The game looked certain to go to extra-time until Japanese veteran Keisuke Honda’s last minute corner was collected by Thibaut Courtois.

The goalkeeper rolled the ball into the path of Kevin De Bruyne deep in Belgium’s half he raced forward into the Japanese half before threading a perfect ball onto the wing for Thomas Meunier who squared the ball towards Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku resisted the urge to touch the ball playing a perfect dummy allowing Nacer Chadli to sweep home the winner in the final seconds of the game.

A team goal of the highest order to round off what was an unexpectedly thrilling game.

Honourable mentions for game of the tournament must go to the 3-3 Iberian thriller between Portugal and Spain and to the last 16 encounter of France and Argentina that ended 4-3.

Biggest underperformer: Germany/Spain

Both Germany and Spain will be bitterly disappointed with their World Cup performances. The search for answers is continuing in both countries but both sides were unsettled during the tournament for different reasons. Rumours of a split between German players were rife while Spain sacked their manager Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the tournament.

Germany were outworked by Mexico and left it late to find a winner against Sweden but slumping to a 2-0 loss to already eliminated South Korea in their must win final group game was a new low. Coach Joachim Löw has vowed to continue but an explanation for this failure will take time to find.

Spain’s encounter with Portugal was thrilling but their 1-0 win over Iran was worrying. After taking the lead Spain struggled to keep Iran at bay and if it wasn’t for VAR Iran could very well have earned a draw. Their final group game against already eliminated Morocco once again highlighted their defensive frailties and were it not for a last gasp equaliser they would have finished second behind Portugal.

Despite these results Spain should have beaten Russia. Fernando Hierro’s decision to bench Andres Iniesta proved costly. Spain completed more than 1,000 passes against Russia but failed to find the back of the net. A squad as strong as this Spanish side should have more to offer than side to side passing.

Goal of the tournament: Benjamin Pavard – France 2-2 Argentina

Without a doubt the hardest category to pick a winner for. I’ve gone with Benjamin Pavard’s stunning equaliser for France against Argentina.

Finding themselves 2-1 down in their last 16 tie France raced forward on an attack Lucas Hernández’s cross missed everyone in the box bouncing to the onrushing Pavard on the right edge of the box. The right-back hit it on the half volley sending it into the top left corner of Franco Armani’s goal.

The list of honourable mentions could be as long as a piece of string so I’ve narrowed it down to Toni Kroos’ match winner against Sweden, Belgium’s team goal as mentioned above, Granit Xhaka’s equaliser against Serbia and Lionel Messi’s goal against Nigeria.

Player of the tournament: Luka Modric 

It takes something special to get a country the size of Croatia all the way to the World Cup final and it has been the Real Madrid midfielder who has been their top performer throughout.

While all eyes were on Lionel Messi in the group stages encounter with Argentina, Modric put in a midfield masterclass, topped off by a fine goal from distance in the 3-0 victory.

Croatia actually struggled in the latter stages against Denmark and Russia, but it was Modric’s energy that kept his side in both games all the way to penalties. His second-half performance against England was one of the best we have seen at this tournament.

Scant consolation, perhaps, as Modric was deservedly named Golden Ball winner as player of the tournament.

Coach of the tournament: Didier Deschamps 

Despite a strong challenge from Zlatko Dalić, there is no denying that Didier Deschamps has been the coach of the tournament. The France coach joins a very elite group of just three men who have won the World Cup as a player and a manager. He joins Franz Beckenbauer as only the second man to win the World Cup as a captain and as a coach.

Team of the Tournament:

Goalkeeper – Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)

Thibaut Courtois didn’t have much to do during the group stages but the knockout rounds saw him come to life. He couldn’t do much to stop Japan’s two goals but he showed great awareness to launch Belgium’s game winning counter-attack against Japan. In the quarter-finals against Brazil he was once again at his best. His fingertip save to push Neymar’s dipping shot over the bar in the 93rd minute was simply sublime securing Belgium’s semi-final spot.

Was rarely at fault for any of the goals the Red Devils conceded and consistently turned up when called upon.

Left-back – Diego Godin (Uruguay)

Diego Godin used all of his experience and his guile to help inspire Uruguay to the World Cup 2018 quarter-finals.

He’ll still be kicking himself for missing from close range against France, but that shouldn’t overshadow the monumental impact he has on a South American side punching above its weight on the global stage.

Centre-back – Domagoj Vida (Croatia)

Domagoj Vida’s best moment came as he scored what he thought was an extra-time winner for Croatia in the quarter-finals, although Russia soon burst that bubble before penalties saw Vida and Co. jubilant once again.

He also assisted a goal in the final, was pivotal in keeping a clean sheet against Argentina in the group stage, and he was ever-present in defence as the small nation of Croatia made history on the world stage.

We’ll forget about that video that landed him in hot water with FIFA….

Centre-back – Raphael Varane (France)

France centre-back Raphael Varane is now the top-quality defender that many predicted he would become before his move to Real Madrid in 2011.

He was a rock at the back for les Bleus, and put in a superb shift in the final as France defeated Croatia 4-2, but his most visible impact came in the quarter-finals when he scored a crucial goal to beat Uruguay.

Right-back – Kieran Trippier (England)

One of England’s less heralded but most effective players, Trippier provided the team with plenty of balance and attacking threat down the right, in addition to scoring a beautiful free kick against Croatia. In many ways, he epitomised the resilience of many in the England team.

Deemed surplus to requirements at Man City as recently as 2012, he left the club without having made a first-team appearance. Since then, he has rejuvenated his career at Burnley and Tottenham, becoming one of the best full/wing backs in England in the process.

Centre-midfield – Luka Modric (Croatia)

Croatia’s star man Luka Modric had a star World Cup, finally experiencing an international tournament worthy of Real Madrid’s midfield master.

His goalscoring showings in the group stage against Argentina and Nigeria were followed up by string-pulling in the knockouts, and he was fully deserving of FIFA’s Golden Ball award for best player at the 2018 finals.

Centre-midfield – Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)

It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly where to place Kevin De Bruyne, who excelled wherever Roberto Martinez placed him for Belgium at World Cup 2018.

De Bruyne’s most memorable moment came as his goal eliminated Brazil in the quarter-finals, but his role in Belgium’s last-second, counter-attacking winner over Japan in the last 16 doesn’t deserve to be forgotten. A world-class World Cup attacker.

Centre-midfield – N’Golo Kante (France)

N’Golo Kante played 90 minutes of every match until the final, when the France midfielder was withdrawn in the second half after struggling to deal with Croatia’s midfielders. But he doesn’t deserve to be remembered for his (lack of) impact in the final.

The Chelsea ball-winner was an absolute machine for every minute of the preceding six matches and, if not for his underwhelming 50 minutes in Moscow at the climax of the tournament, he’d have been in contention for best player.

Left-wing – Eden Hazard (Belgium)

Belgium’s best attacker in their joint-best-ever showing at a World Cup, Eden Hazard sparkled with three goals, two assists and an endless number of menacing dribbles.

The Chelsea forward was already one of the most-wanted players in the world, but the likes of Real Madrid will only be more enamoured with him after these showings in Russia.

Striker – Antoine Griezmann (France)

Antoine Griezmann didn’t have the same impact in open play as he did at Euro 2016 for France, but his phenomenal impact in the knock-outs can’t be overlooked. He scored three goals and assisted three times since the group stage.

The World Cup final saw the Atletico Madrid star create one goal and score from the penalty spot in a first half that where Croatia were superior. He earned a World Cup winners’ medal for his efforts.

Right-wing – Kylian Mbappe (France)

The future of French football, and now beyond any doubt a serious successor to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the best player in the sport, Kylian Mbappe had a World Cup to savour.

The newly-crowned World Cup winner was awarded FIFA’s award for the best young player in the 2018 finals and was in contention for the best player of the tournament. An unforgettable five weeks for the Paris Saint-Germain forward who found the net four times including once in the final.

 

This team is far from perfect and many players can make strong cases for inclusion but for me this is the team features the players who turned up when their nations needed them the most.

 

Russia 2018 was a special World Cup. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every reader for visiting the site for match reports and the latest news over 780 people came to the site during the four weeks of the tournament.

As always the game never stops so be sure to keep visiting Marking The Spot for all the latest sports news!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *