Luka Modric was a deserving Golden Ball laureate



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The 2018 World Cup is over and France is champion. FanSided's football team distributes its awards

The 2018 World Cup was one of the most surprising and exciting since Russia's 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia and Japan. France and the Croatian thriller of six goals in the final. The big teams, and their biggest stars, especially flamed early, while many outsiders ran deep runs. With 64 games finished, it's time to hand out rewards.

Tournament Player: Luka Modric

FIFA has awarded its Golden Ball award to the big name rather than the best player (see: Lionel Messi, 2014), but he took the good decision this year by selecting Luka Modric, who has been the best midfielder in the world for a while, and who finally got world recognition in Russia this summer

. of an individual team – indeed, it's one of Modric's characteristics that he always plays and only for his team – but their captain gave the example, in especially in the three additional consecutive periods that they played on the way to the final. This tournament was very team oriented, but in his ability to raise his team, Modric was above the rest.

Young Tournament Player: Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe was no secret to this tournament, but even though it looked like something from an upcoming party. The 19-year-old scored four goals in total, two behind top footballer Harry Kane, destroyed a torn Argentina in the round of 16 and played a key role in the final against Croatia.

The security approach of Didier Deschamps chained him a bit, but Mbappe still found a way to shine, becoming the top scorer in a World Cup and the first to score in the final of the tournament, since Pele in 1958. Even though there was more competition for this prize, Mbappe would have been

Golden Glove: Danijel Subasic

There were questions about his fitness in the final , when he could not even make a save on two goals from France, but Danijel Subasic was crucial in the unlikely part of his team. He was running, especially in the penalty shoot-out against Denmark and Russia, despite an injury at the end of regulation time.

Subasic also undoubtedly made the tournament stop against England in the semifinals, after denying H arry Kane one-on-one, he recovered to divert the rebound from the post with his foot. Thibaut Courtois, Hugo Lloris (despite the final goaltender) and Jordan Pickford were also excellent, but Subasic got the upper hand

The most enjoyable surprise (team): Croatia

It was the black horse tournament, with a vivacious Dark candidates, Belgium and Croatia, finally, live up to their talent on the biggest stage. While Belgium was among the favorites before the tournament, little attention was paid to Croatia, which finished behind Iceland in qualifying and had to face a scandal.

They started the tournament with a win against Nigeria. broke into life against Argentina and pioneered a way through the final via three overtime (and two shots on goal). They may have had an easy draw, but they showed in the final that they could go ahead with the best in the world. If this is the last we see of this generation on the world stage, it was quite the way out.

The most pleasant surprise (player): Dejan Lovren

"I am one of the best defenders of the world" said Dejan Lovren after Croatia's victory against England in the semi-finals . Liverpool's central defender, who made one or two mistakes in Merseyside, was ridiculed about it, but at least last month in Russia, he was absolutely right.

Lovren joined Modric and Raphael Varane are the only players to have played in the final of the Champions League and World Cup this year, and although he lost both, he is not the only one to play. is significantly improved after a bad first half of the season. That he is as good as he thinks he can remember a superb tournament

Biggest disappointment (team): Germany

World Cup champions have taken this century usually falls to the first hurdle. France did it in 2002, Italy did it in 2010, Spain did it in 2014 and Germany joined the club in Russia this summer. Joachim Low's side was awful – tactically naive, hazy and quality in the last third. The opposite, in short, of everything we expect from Germany.

In Germany, they will certainly learn their lessons quickly. Low will remain for the moment as a manager, and he has as many talented players to choose from as any national team manager in the world, but this outing will sting. They were not unlucky. They were not beaten by big teams. They were just bad

The biggest disappointment (player): Neymar

C was supposed to be the World Cup Neymar, redemption for ] Maracanazo second part, the return of Brazil to the summit of world football. The Paris Saint-Germain striker's tournament will not remember his immense talent, of which there were more than a few flashes, but his diving.

To be honest, Neymar is one of the world's most broke players. world, but there is an exaggerated contact and there is everything he's done against Mexico. Brazil was especially good in Russia, and was perhaps a bit unhappy against Belgium in the quarter-finals, but without a trophy to show, few will remember Neymar's positive contributions.

The Tournament: Nacer Chadli vs. Japan

There were some stunning individual goals at this World Cup. The Cristiano Ronaldo free kick was one of the most spectacular of his career. Nacho struck a superb half-volley for the first time in the same match as Benjamin Pavard scored a better version in the round of 16 against Argentina, while Lionel Messi produced a masterpiece at three keys against Nigeria.

stakes and the level of execution in the highest moment. The Belgian counter-striker against Japan was the best of all. The Kevin De Bruyne pass, the overlap of Thomas Meunier, the race and the model of Romelu Lukaku, the arrival of Nacer Chadli. A beautiful end of one of the best games of the tournament.

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