Home › Sport › Football › Honours › World Cup › 2018 World Cup

World Cup 2018

Winner

France

Highlights

The 2018 World Cup, held in Russia, was the first to use video assistant referees. Holders Germany finished bottom of their group after a 2-0 defeat by South Korea: it was the first time since 1938 that they had failed to get past the first round. Hosts Russia knocked out Spain on penalties, and Belgium came from 2-0 down to beat Japan 3-2 before finishing third, their best ever result. England's Harry Kane was top scorer with six goals.

France grew stronger as the tournament went on. In the round of 16 they beat Argentina 4-3 thanks to two goals from 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé and a volley from Benjamin Pavard, then saw off Uruguay and Belgium without conceding. Croatia, led by Luka Modrić, later named player of the tournament, reached their first final after three consecutive matches that went to extra time.

In Moscow, France won 4-2 in the highest-scoring final since 1966. Mbappé became the first teenager to score in a final since Pelé in 1958, and Didier Deschamps the third man to win the World Cup as both player and coach.

Statistics

Total goals
169
Matches played
64
Goals/match
2.64
Best attack (goals scored)
16
Belgium
Best defense (goals conceded)
2
Denmark

First round

Qualified for the next round

Group A

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Uruguay 9 3 3 0 0 5 0 +5
2.Russia 6 3 2 0 1 8 4 +4
3.Saudi Arabia 3 3 1 0 2 2 7 -5
4.Egypt 0 3 0 0 3 2 6 -4
Match results
Russia - Saudi Arabia5 - 0
Egypt - Uruguay0 - 1
Russia - Egypt3 - 1
Uruguay - Saudi Arabia1 - 0
Uruguay - Russia3 - 0
Saudi Arabia - Egypt2 - 1

Group B

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Spain 5 3 1 2 0 6 5 +1
2.Portugal 5 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1
3.Iran 4 3 1 1 1 2 2 0
4.Morocco 1 3 0 1 2 2 4 -2
Match results
Morocco - Iran0 - 1
Portugal - Spain3 - 3
Portugal - Morocco1 - 0
Iran - Spain0 - 1
Iran - Portugal1 - 1
Spain - Morocco2 - 2

Group C

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.France 7 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2
2.Denmark 5 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1
3.Peru 3 3 1 0 2 2 2 0
4.Australia 1 3 0 1 2 2 5 -3
Match results
France - Australia2 - 1
Peru - Denmark0 - 1
Denmark - Australia1 - 1
France - Peru1 - 0
Denmark - France0 - 0
Australia - Peru0 - 2

Group D

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Croatia 9 3 3 0 0 7 1 +6
2.Argentina 4 3 1 1 1 3 5 -2
3.Nigeria 3 3 1 0 2 3 4 -1
4.Iceland 1 3 0 1 2 2 5 -3
Match results
Argentina - Iceland1 - 1
Croatia - Nigeria2 - 0
Argentina - Croatia0 - 3
Nigeria - Iceland2 - 0
Nigeria - Argentina1 - 2
Iceland - Croatia1 - 2

Group E

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Brazil 7 3 2 1 0 5 1 +4
2.Switzerland 5 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1
3.Serbia 3 3 1 0 2 2 4 -2
4.Costa Rica 1 3 0 1 2 2 5 -3
Match results
Costa Rica - Serbia0 - 1
Brazil - Switzerland1 - 1
Brazil - Costa Rica2 - 0
Serbia - Switzerland1 - 2
Serbia - Brazil0 - 2
Switzerland - Costa Rica2 - 2

Group F

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Sweden 6 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3
2.Mexico 6 3 2 0 1 3 4 -1
3.South Korea 3 3 1 0 2 3 3 0
4.Germany 3 3 1 0 2 2 4 -2
Match results
Germany - Mexico0 - 1
Sweden - South Korea1 - 0
Germany - Sweden2 - 1
South Korea - Mexico1 - 2
South Korea - Germany2 - 0
Mexico - Sweden0 - 3

Group G

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Belgium 9 3 3 0 0 9 2 +7
2.England 6 3 2 0 1 8 3 +5
3.Tunisia 3 3 1 0 2 5 8 -3
4.Panama 0 3 0 0 3 2 11 -9
Match results
Belgium - Panama3 - 0
Tunisia - England1 - 2
Belgium - Tunisia5 - 2
England - Panama6 - 1
England - Belgium0 - 1
Panama - Tunisia1 - 2

Group H

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Colombia 6 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3
2.Japan 4 3 1 1 1 4 4 0
3.Senegal 4 3 1 1 1 4 4 0
4.Poland 3 3 1 0 2 2 5 -3
Match results
Poland - Senegal1 - 2
Colombia - Japan1 - 2
Japan - Senegal2 - 2
Poland - Colombia0 - 3
Japan - Poland0 - 1
Senegal - Colombia0 - 1

Knockout stage

Round of 16

France - Argentina4 - 3
Uruguay - Portugal2 - 1
Spain - Russia1 - 1 a.e.t. (3-4 p)
Croatia - Denmark1 - 1 a.e.t. (3-2 p)
Brazil - Mexico2 - 0
Belgium - Japan3 - 2
Sweden - Switzerland1 - 0
Colombia - England1 - 1 a.e.t. (3-4 p)

Quarter-finals

Uruguay - France0 - 2
Brazil - Belgium1 - 2
Sweden - England0 - 2
Russia - Croatia2 - 2 a.e.t. (3-4 p)

Semi-finals

France - Belgium1 - 0
Croatia - England2 - 1 a.e.t.

Third place

Belgium - England2 - 0

Final

France4
Croatia2

Top Scorers

Rank Player Goals Penalties Goals/match
1 Harry Kane 6 3 1.00
2 Cristiano Ronaldo 4 1 1.00
2 Denis Cheryshev 4 0 0.80
2 Romelu Lukaku 4 0 0.67
2 Antoine Griezmann 4 3 0.57
2 Kylian Mbappé 4 0 0.57
7 Yerry Mina 3 0 1.00
7 Diego Costa 3 0 0.75
7 Edinson Cavani 3 0 0.75
7 Artem Dzyuba 3 1 0.60
7 Eden Hazard 3 1 0.50
7 Mario Mandzukic 3 0 0.50
7 Ivan Perisic 3 0 0.43
14 Mohamed Salah 2 1 1.00
14 Wahbi Khazri 2 0 0.67
14 Ahmed Musa 2 0 0.67
14 Mile Jedinak 2 2 0.67
14 Son Heungmin 2 0 0.67
14 Takashi Inui 2 0 0.50
14 Sergio Agüero 2 0 0.50
14 Philippe Coutinho 2 0 0.40
14 Luis Suarez 2 0 0.40
14 Neymar 2 0 0.40
14 Andreas Granqvist 2 2 0.40
14 Luka Modric 2 1 0.29
14 John Stones 2 0 0.29
27 Youssef En Nesyri 1 0 1.00
27 Felipe Baloy 1 0 1.00
27 Adnan Januzaj 1 0 1.00
27 Kendall Waston 1 0 1.00
27 Dylan Bronn 1 0 0.50
27 Khalid Boutaib 1 0 0.50
27 Nacho 1 0 0.50
27 Keisuke Honda 1 0 0.33
27 Milan Badelj 1 0 0.33
27 Paolo Guerrero 1 0 0.33
27 Marco Reus 1 0 0.33
27 Marcos Rojo 1 0 0.33
27 Shinji Kagawa 1 1 0.33
27 Mbaye Niang 1 0 0.33
27 Gabriel Mercado 1 0 0.33
27 Victor Moses 1 1 0.33
27 Renato Augusto 1 0 0.33
27 Iago Aspas 1 0 0.33
27 Josip Drmic 1 0 0.33
27 Michy Batshuayi 1 0 0.33
27 Ricardo Quaresma 1 0 0.33
27 Karim Ansarifard 1 1 0.33
27 Ferjani Sassi 1 1 0.33
27 Moussa Wagué 1 0 0.33
27 Mathias Jorgensen 1 0 0.33
27 Jan Bednarek 1 0 0.33
27 Angel Di María 1 0 0.33
27 Genki Haraguchi 1 0 0.33
27 Steven Zuber 1 0 0.33
27 André Carrillo 1 0 0.33
27 Alfred Finnbogason 1 0 0.33
27 Aleksandar Mitrovic 1 0 0.33
27 Yussuf Yurary Poulsen 1 0 0.33
27 Aleksandar Kolarov 1 0 0.33
27 Fakhreddine Ben Youssef 1 0 0.33
27 Grzegorz Krychowiak 1 0 0.33
27 Gylfi Sigurdsson 1 1 0.33
27 Kim Younggwon 1 0 0.33
27 Sadio Mané 1 0 0.33
27 Salem Aldawsari 1 0 0.33
27 Salman Alfaraj 1 1 0.33
27 Toni Kroos 1 0 0.33
27 Juan Quintero 1 0 0.25
27 Lionel Messi 1 0 0.25
27 Aleksandr Golovin 1 0 0.25
27 Hirving Lozano 1 0 0.25
27 Javier Hernández 1 0 0.25
27 Juan Cuadrado 1 0 0.25
27 Xherdan Shaqiri 1 0 0.25
27 Christian Eriksen 1 0 0.25
27 Roberto Firmino 1 0 0.25
27 Iury Gazinsky 1 0 0.25
27 Yuya Osako 1 0 0.25
27 Carlos Vela 1 1 0.25
27 Blerim Dzemaili 1 0 0.25
27 Granit Xhaka 1 0 0.25
27 José Giménez 1 0 0.25
27 Pepe 1 0 0.25
27 Radamel Falcao 1 0 0.25
27 Isco 1 0 0.25
27 Thomas Meunier 1 0 0.20
27 Ola Toivonen 1 0 0.20
27 Mario Fernandes 1 0 0.20
27 Marouane Fellaini 1 0 0.20
27 Paulinho 1 0 0.20
27 Dele Alli 1 0 0.20
27 Emil Forsberg 1 0 0.20
27 Ludwig Augustinsson 1 0 0.20
27 Thiago Silva 1 0 0.20
27 Kevin De Bruyne 1 0 0.17
27 Dries Mertens 1 0 0.17
27 Nacer Chadli 1 0 0.17
27 Jesse Lingard 1 0 0.17
27 Kieran Trippier 1 0 0.17
27 Domagoj Vida 1 0 0.17
27 Paul Pogba 1 0 0.17
27 Benjamin Pavard 1 0 0.17
27 Jan Vertonghen 1 0 0.17
27 Samuel Umtiti 1 0 0.17
27 Ante Rebic 1 0 0.17
27 Harry Maguire 1 0 0.14
27 Andrej Kramaric 1 0 0.14
27 Raphael Varane 1 0 0.14
27 Ivan Rakitic 1 0 0.14