France beats Croatia to win World Cup for the second time

[sandensea]

Last edited Sun Jul 15, 2018, 07:36 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: USA Today

France powered its way to the second World Cup title in its history on Sunday, storming past Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium in a dominant 4-2 triumph.

An early own goal from Croatia's Mario Mandzukic - the first ever in a World Cup final - set France on its way, with Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe also getting on the scoresheet.

After suffering the disappointment of losing the 2016 European Championship semifinal on home soil, the result gave Les Blues redemption, 20 years after capturing its first World Cup crown.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2018/07/15/france-wins-world-cup-final-croatia/786415002/

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Les Bleus celebrate their World Cup victory. They defeated Croatia 4 to 2.

[dogknob]

1. Le Yay! n/t

[sandensea]

3. Ah, bon!

[ananda]

2. Could they get a hotter team if they tried?

Whoa!

[nycbos]

4. Pogba's goal I think was the best.

Mbappe brilliantly drew everyone away, he then made a great pass to Griezmann. Griezmann then passed to Pogba who scored after his first shot was blocked.

[T_i_B]

7. Mbappe is scarily talented

The only other teenager to score in a World Cup Final was Pele in 1958!

[luvtheGWN]

8. I'm guessing France isn't complaining about immigrants

ruining their culture after so many of them are on the winning team! Trump, go f*** yourself.

[paleotn]

5. Vive le France!

[Scurrilous]

6. K&R

[jcgoldie]

9. Everyone standing out in the rain to congratulate and give medals except...

Putin has a guy holding an umbrella over him which is actually draining onto Macron and others lol.

[bdamomma]

10. maybe he will melt

[DFW]

11. We watched it from a small Croatian enclave on Cape Cod

In the town of Wellfleet, there is a small restaurant called The Lighthouse. We first found it in 1984.

Recently, the current owner has a small group of Croatian students that come over to work every summer. This year, they had some T-shirts made up at a local store with one side saying "Croatia" and the other side was an image of a lighthouse with the "SVJETIONIK"
written on the back That's not a name of one of their heroes. It's just Croatian for "Lighthouse."

They lost, but their team played a respectable game. No one was in tears.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. I have a friend of Croatian ancenstry

He was stunned when they made it to the semifinals and didn't expect them to win. Getting to the finals was the bonus round. He's disappointed, but not heartbroken.

[El Supremo]

13. So the Croats got croaked by the Frogs?

[dalton99a]

14. Emmanuel Macron reacts:

[sandensea]

15. Photo - and moment - of a lifetime, no doubt.

I noticed Uncle Vlad sitting there on the far left. He seems perplexed that someone would show that much emotion.

Or any emotion, really.

[Snellius]

26. If you look closely, you can see Pussy Riot waiting in the lower right.

Kind of weird to have premium box seats in the arena and watch it on little TVs

[oberliner]

16. Griezmann posted a photo of himself in blackface on his social media a few months ago

He said it was a tribute to the Harlem Globetrotters, of whom he claimed to be a fan.

Edit to add link to article on the subject:

Antoine Griezmann deletes blackface picture on Twitter after being accused of racism

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/antoine-griezmann-blackface-twitter-racism-atletico-madrid-transfer-news-a8115921.html

[sandensea]

17. He did? Mon Dieu!

I wonder how all his Afro-French team mates feel about that.

Thanks for letting me know, Oberliner. I think I'll replace that photo on the story above.

[oberliner]

18. Hopefully he learned something from that experience

Though it is pretty disturbing that people still think it's OK to post photos of themselves in blackface in this day and age. Especially someone as prominent as him.

[sandensea]

19. C'est bien dit!

[GulfCoast66]

21. Got to be careful not to place Americans history on other nations.

Not saying it is ok. But need to know what that means in the context of French culture. I always think of all the black Americans who found refuge in France after WWI. I think you may have more insight than I on this subject.

I recently watched a documentary on WWI. Pershing would not allow American troops to serve under French generals. Oh wait, I mean white American soldiers. He was perfectly happy to allow black Americans to be replacement troops for the French. According to the documentary the way the French soldiers treated them, as equals, open these men’s eyes to what could be and indirectly led to the civil rights movement. I have gained respect for your opinion on these issues. Am I off base?

[oberliner]

22. Good point

That being said, I do think he recognized, after the fact, that what he did was offensive to many. As I wrote above, it was hopefully a learning moment for him (and others).

[ansible]

20. I have an online friend from the Ukraine who bet his entire life savings on Croatia winning

Feel really sick to the stomach right now for him. He really, really needed Croatia to win.

[oberliner]

23. Are you serious?

[ansible]

24. Yep, he spent 7 years saving it up

Wouldn't say exactly how much but since he's poor it's probably several thousand dollars worth. The odds for Croatia winning the WC was pretty good so I can't blame him entirely. But I guess this is why sports betting is banned here.

[nolabels]

25. France again proves its second to none in ways to spend idle time in winning at leisure activities

Btw. isn't the word 'leisure' of French origin?

Importance of Leisure & Recreation for Health
BY RACHEL MORGAN SEPT. 11, 2017
https://www.livestrong.com/article/438983-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-leisure-recreation/

The whole sports world seems antithetical to which it was born from, but what else would you expect billionaires to do with it?