After a whole month of action, the French prevailed as they won their second World Cup title.
Some came as mere mortals, and they left as heroes. Players who didn’t have much fan following left with millions of admirers. Even the big names didn’t disappoint.
Today, we look back at the best eleven players who have proved themselves on the grandest stage of them all.
Goalkeeper:
Hugo Lloris (France)
Many didn’t think France had leadership materials in their team. The French shot-stopper has been nothing short of a giant, guarding the French goal. Thanks to his exceptional keeping, the French kept clean sheets against the likes of Uruguay and Belgium.
Defenders:
Thomas Meunier (Belgium)
Deployed mainly as a right wing back, the Paris Saint Germain defender has been immense for the Belgians as they enjoyed their best ever World Cup, finishing third. An absolute mainstay for Roberto Martinez, Meunier combined defence with attack in a way every fullback would dream of.
Raphael Varane (France)
With all the spotlight on the Pogbas, the Griezmanns, the Mbappes; it’s easy to not have seen the improtance of Varane in the French defence. Throughout the tournament, he’s been an absolute rock in the heart of Didier Deschamp’s defence
Diego Godin (Uruguay)
If you’ve been following La Liga for the last few years, there shouldn’t be any doubt in your mind about Godin being among the top defenders in world football. And in Russia, the world got to know about his prowess.
Šime Vrsaljko (Croatia)
On the right side of the defence, Vrsaljko did his job quietly but extremely effectively. He pocketed players like Aguero, Di Maria, Eriksen, Sterling as they reached the final. Vrsaljko’s resilience was on full display against Russia when he continued till his last breath after suffering an injury.
Midfielders:N’golo Kante (France)
They have players like Pogba, Griezmann, Mbappe in their ranks. But after winning the World Cup, the French players were seen singing a song about Kante at the top of their lungs. Indeed, any sensible football fans would know the importance of the Chelsea man in this French side.
Luka Modric (Croatia)
Coming to this World Cup, the Croatian captain knew that this might very well be his last World Cup for his country. In his prime at least. With that in mind, Modric gave it all & the results were magnificent. He scored against Nigeria & a absolute thunderbolt against Argentina. Despite missing a guilt-edged penalty in extra time against Denmark, Modric proved he’s not the one to shy away from steep challenges as he once again came to take a penalty in the shootout against Denmark.
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Coming to the World Cup on the back of an unforgettable campaign with Manchester City, Kevin De Bryune’s time to shine at the world stage had come. And boy did he do that and some! With performances worthy of winning the man of the match almost every match, KDB, as he’s mostly known to his teammates, was the main orchestrator of the Belgian midfield.
Forwards:
Kylian Mbappe (France)
The heir to the throne has arrived. Such was the vibe after Mbappe burst onto the scene with Monaco. Within one season, he became the most expensive teenager ever as he signed for PSG. And in the world cup, Mbappe truly proved he’s here to stay. In the group stages however, he was relatively quiet to his extremely high standards. But it was against Messi’s Argentina that Mbappe truly came to the fray.
Antoine Griezmann (France)
Mbappe may have taken almost all the spotlight, but Antoine Griezmann’s heroics shouldn’t go unnoticed. He scored the opener against Australia in the first match. After a relatively quiet group stage, much like his fellow teammates, Griezmann stepped up to the plate in the knockout stages.
Eden Hazard (Belgium)
The little magician of Belgium wasn’t always known to scoring goals. But in the World Cup, he finished as the third top scorer with 3 goals. He scored the goal that ensured Belgium’s best ever finish in a World Cup. But it’s not just about goals.Against Brazil, Hazard showed the world his other side of the game.