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The Les Bleus are the World Champions. They defeated a spirited Croatian side in the final on Sunday to win their second World Cup title. Didier Deschamps became only the third person to win the title as a player and as a manager.
With six goals, Harry Kane lifted the Golden Boot Award. The Golden Ball award for the Best Player of the Tournament went to Croatia’s Luka Modric. He deserved every bit of that award with some great performances throughout the World Cup.
The 32-year-old scored two goals and assisted one more in the tournament. He was one of the most influential players in the World Cup and played a huge role in Croatia’s run to the finals. He has created a total of 18 chances in the tournament and made 11 successful tackles.
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There were quite a few players who stood out in the 2018 World Cup but narrowly missed on the opportunity to win the Best Player of the Tournament Award.
On that note, let’s take a look at the five players who missed out on the Golden Ball Award.
#5 Antoine Griezmann
One of the consistent performers in world football for quite some time, Antoine Griezmann has not done any harm to his reputation at the 2018 World Cup. In fact, he was one of their best players in the tournament.
Though he was not at his best in the group stages, he produced his best football in the knockout games. The 27-year-old scored four goals in the World Cup and assisted two more. His work rate was exceptional throughout the tournament and was calm under pressure.
He scored the crucial penalty against Croatia in the final and played the role of a no.10 to perfection. He created opportunities for his teammates and also helped the defenders at the back. He won the Golden Boot award in Euro 2016 but missed out on an individual award at the 2018 World Cup.
#4 N’Golo Kante
Unsung hero of France’s World Cup campaign. Though he was substituted early in the second half on Sunday against Croatia, he was phenomenal all through the tournament. Kante is an old-fashioned defensive midfielder who work really hard on the pitch. He never stops running and his work rate is simply outstanding.
Though he did not score a goal or create one, he was mighty effective in the midfield and allowed France to control the game. His greatest attributes are his positional awareness, ability to read the game and intercept opponents passing rhythm.
He does not afraid to go into tackles and averaged 2.1 tackles per game in the tournament. He has also made three interceptions per game. He may not be an exciting player to watch but the Chelsea star brings a lot of value to the team.
#3 Ivan Rakitic
Ivan Rakitic is one of those players who may not score many goals but his overall value to the team is irreplaceable. When Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic, and Ivan Perisic stole all the attention, Ivan Rakitic silently did the job for his country.
Deployed mostly as a defensive midfielder in the tournament, Rakitic has played 638 minutes of intense football in the World Cup. His only goal in the tournament came against Argentina in a group stage game.
He scored Croatia’s vital penalties in the shootout against Denmark and Russia in the round of 16 and quarter-final respectively. The 30-year-old is not a flashy player but works hard with or without the ball and rarely makes mistakes.
#2 Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard finished second to Luka Modric in the race for the Golden Ball. The Belgian was brilliant throughout the tournament and played a stellar role in their third-place finish. He was phenomenal in the quarter-final game against Brazil and also in the third-place playoff game against England.
The 27-year-old scored three goals and assisted two more in the 2018 World Cup. He was ruthless with his dribbling (40 - most dribbles completed in the 2018 World Cup) and often demolished opponents defense with his accurate passing and menacing runs.
His partnership with Kevin de Bruyne was simply outstanding and the duo wreaked havoc at the World Cup. Though he was not able to help them qualify for the finals, he had a perfect tournament in Russia.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is definitely the next big thing in football. The 19-year-old took the World Cup by storm with some stunning football over the last few weeks and helped France win the tournament. He was one of the most exciting players to watch in Russia and showed a lot of maturity for a 19-year-old.
The Paris Saint-Germain star finished the tournament with four important goals. He scored a goal against Peru on matchday 2 and then struck a crucial brace against Argentina in the round of 16 games.
He also became the second youngest footballer to score in a World Cup final when he scored a superb goal against Croatia on Sunday. Deployed primarily on the right wing, Mbappe troubled the opponents with his pace, power, and direct approach to the game. He named the Best Young Player.
