Final Standings
Individual Awards
Tournament Overview
France won their second World Cup title in Moscow with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, with teenage forward Kylian Mbappé becoming only the second teenager after Pelé to score in a World Cup final. Croatia's journey to the final — through extra time in three consecutive knockout matches — is one of the great underdog stories in World Cup history. VAR was introduced at the World Cup for the first time, generating both improved accuracy and extended controversy. England finally reached a semi-final for the first time since 1990, driven by Harry Kane's 6 goals.
Defining Moments
Mbappé: A Star is Born
Kylian Mbappé was 19 years old. He won a penalty in the final, scored France's fourth goal, and was named the best young player of the tournament. In the round of 16 against Argentina, he scored twice and was so fast that Argentina's experienced defenders could not live with him. In the space of one tournament, he went from promising teenager to confirmed world superstar. He was about to become, with Messi, the face of global soccer.
Croatia's Three Extra Time Matches
To reach the final, Croatia had to play extra time against Denmark (after a 1-1 draw), Russia (1-1 draw), and England (1-1 draw), winning all three on penalties or in extra time. By the final, they had played the equivalent of an extra match's worth of football more than France. Despite that exhaustion, they went 2-1 up in the first half of the final before France's quality eventually told. Modrić's Golden Ball was universally deserved.
VAR's World Cup Debut
Video assistant referee technology was used at a World Cup for the first time in Russia. It saved several clear errors, overturned three offside decisions, and awarded two penalties via review. It also slowed the game down, created new controversies, and introduced the freeze-frame offside lines that have divided opinion ever since. Love it or hate it, VAR at the World Cup was here to stay.
France are the defending 2018 champions entering WC26 and the losing 2022 finalists — they are the most consistent elite team of the modern era. Croatia's Luka Modrić, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner, plays at what is expected to be his final World Cup at WC26. England's Harry Kane, whose 6-goal Golden Boot run in 2018 set the platform for his career, leads their attack again.
