2018

Notes

France's second title under Deschamps (who joins Zagallo + Beckenbauer as players-and-coaches who won the WC). Final: France 4-2 Croatia, Mbappé 19yo became the youngest scorer in a WC final since Pelé. Mbappé won Best Young Player; Modrić Best Player despite losing final; Kane Golden Boot. First WC with VAR (Video Assistant Referee). Defending champs Germany crashed in groups (lost to Mexico + South Korea). Russia hosts reached QF after 0/0 expectations. Most own goals in any WC: 12. Iceland and Panama made debuts (Iceland's smallest-population WC qualifier ever).

📚 Trivia

• finalsKylian Mbappé scored in France's 4-2 win over Croatia in the 2018 final at age 19 — the youngest scorer in a World Cup final since Pelé in 1958. He won Best Young Player.
• firsts2018 was the first World Cup with VAR (Video Assistant Referee). 2018 also set the record for own goals in a single tournament — 12 — partly because VAR's involvement created more deflected/handball decisions.
• contextDefending champions Germany crashed out in the group stage at 2018 — losing to Mexico, beating Sweden, then losing 0-2 to South Korea in their final group match. The third reigning champion in four WCs to exit in groups (after France 2002 and Italy 2010).