So there we have it, Vive La France! World champions for the second time in their history following a victory over a brave Croatia - a triumph earned more by solid, obdurate organisation rather than by Gallic flair.
A World Cup final that was effectively a microcosm of the entire tournament with defensive formation the order of the day, an emphasis on no mistakes (ignoring Hugo Lloris' 69th-minute "moment of madness"), performances based on team rather than individual effort, and set pieces the preferred way of breaking the deadlock (47 per cent of goals in the competition came from this route).
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
