World Cup 2018: Beneath the chaos and the drama, how France won the tactical battle against Croatia

Kylian Mbappe was this World Cup’s best wide player, but Sunday’s performance shows his future lies through the middle as he sealed France’s World Cup triumph

World Cup 2018 culminated with a fitting final. France’s 4-2 victory over Croatia featured an own goal, a set-piece goal, a penalty awarded via VAR and a couple of long-range strikes. Look beyond the six goals, and this final didn’t produce a single clear-cut chance, in keeping with the minimal number of open play chance creation throughout this tournament.

Somewhere, behind the madness, there was a tactical battle taking place. Both managers named their expected starting XIs, unchanged from the semi-finals. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic continued with his 4-3-3, with Marcelo Brozovic deep, Ivan Rakitic finding space away from Paul Pogba, and Golden Ball winner Luka Modric playing in a more advanced position, typically positioning himself in the precise zone equidistant between his two closest opponents. His footballing intelligence was a large reason for Croatia’s first half dominance.

Another key factor was Croatia’s pressing. For a concept that has become almost mandatory amongst top-level club sides over the past couple of seasons, effective pressing has been almost non-existent at this tournament, for good reason: it’s physically draining and difficult to achieve cohesively without serious hours on the training ground, which international managers simply aren’t afforded.

Almost every side in this tournament has dropped deep without possession, yet here Croatia pressured France high up. This wasn’t the frantic pressing you associate with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool, for example, but Modric and Rakitic pushed forward to support Mario Mandzukic, out wide Ante Rebic and Ivan Perisic demonstrated tremendous energy, and the defence kept a high defensive line despite the threat of France’s speed.

How France conquered Croatia's tactical pressing (www.sharemytactics.com)

The consequence was a succession of France errors. Benjamin Pavard was caught in possession after a Kylian Mbappe throw, Raphael Varane uncharacteristically conceded possession under pressure, Samuel Umtiti was slightly fortunate to win a free-kick on the edge of his own box when attempting to dribble past Modric, with Mandzukic lingering nearby, and N’Golo Kante endured a terrible game, constantly caught out by the type of energetic pressing he’s come to define. Didier Deschamps sacrificed him only ten minutes into the second half.

In possession, Croatia were admirably bold, with both full-backs, Sime Vrsaljko and Ivan Strinic, pushing forward regularly. The runs of Vrsaljko, Croatia’s main threat against both Russia and England, meant Blaise Matuidi needed to mark him, drawing wider than he’s played in previous games, which made Modric the responsibility of the beleaguered Kante. On the other flank, Strinic’s aggressive positioning was more surprising, considering he was up against Mbappe. The PSG attacker switched off in the early stages, letting Strinic past before recovering with his pace, but wouldn’t have been too disappointed to see that Strinic was happily leaving his left-back zone unoccupied.

France should have made this space count midway through the first half, when Pogba’s fine diagonal pass released Mbappe on the break, reminiscent of his runs against Argentina in the 4-3 second round win. Antoine Griezmann, however, had sprinted into the same zone, making life easy for Domagoj Vida, who therefore emerged from the two-against-one situation with the ball.

The goals, of course, stemmed from set-pieces: Mandzukic nodded into his own goal from a free-kick, Perisic’s deflected equaliser also came after a free-kick, and Griezmann’s penalty emerged from a corner. That said, France’s corner had been won after Vida headed behind unnecessarily after Hugo Lloris had looked for one of Mbappe’s searing runs, which was essentially France’s only attacking strategy.

Mbappe's future lies through the middle, not out wide (Reuters) (REUTERS)

Those Mbappe runs, the most obvious factor that might decide this game, became increasingly crucial after half-time. With Croatia chasing the game, they pushed forward more and allowed space to break into. France had started the second half trying to close down higher up the pitch and compete in midfield, but their defence took a surprisingly cautious defensive line, which simply created space in midfield. Eventually they retreated into a deeper block again.

France’s transitions were largely poor, although counter-attacking football only needs a couple of positive moments to prove effective. Mbappe was twice released at the start of the second half, first when Olivier Giroud typically cushioned an aerial ball backwards for a teammate under heavy pressure. Pogba latched onto the ball and slid a pass in behind for Mbappe, who motored through on the outside of Vida, but couldn’t squeeze the ball past Danijel Subasic.

A similar move brought France’s third goal. Pogba arrowed one of his trademark driven, slightly sliced diagonal balls into Mbappe, who dribbled menacingly towards goal before, after a couple of fortunate ricochets, Pogba curled the ball home.

Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe of France celebrate victory (Getty)

The danger man, Mbappe, essentially sealed the victory, although somewhat surprisingly it was after drifting inside between the lines, rather than using his speed on the outside. Receiving a square pass from Lucas Hernandez, he checked over his shoulder to ensure Vida hadn’t followed him inside, then opened out his body as if to bend the ball into the far post, before drilling the ball into the opposite corner. Mbappe was this tournament’s most dangerous wide player, but the 19-year-old’s future might be through the middle.

Even with a three-goal lead, France continued to look nervous in defence. Lloris’ error for Mandzukic’s goal was utterly bizarre, yet also consistent with how France had been rattled: by Croatian pressure high up the pitch. Their pass completion rate here, of 68 per cent, was incredibly low, and owes much to Croatia’s press.

Deschamps, though, is largely unconcerned with style. There’s a feeling this France side could have been more spectacular with such a wealth of attacking options, yet the same criticism can be levelled at Italy in 2006, Spain in 2010 or Germany in 2014. Deschamps has received plenty of criticism in recent years, and over the course of this tournament, but in following Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer to become the third man to lift the World Cup as both player and manager, Deschamps must now be considered amongst football’s most legendary figures.