- Les Bleus fell behind early on
- Had to force reversal in fortune
- Almost paid off before penalty shootout
WHAT HAPPENED? Les Bleus fell two goals down against Argentina early on, with Lionel Messi converting from the spot before Angel Di Maria fired home in the 36th minute. Moments later, Deschamps opted to remove AC Milan striker Giroud and Barcelona winger Dembele – who had been having a nightmare against Di Maria – and that plan almost worked to perfection as Les Bleus battled their way to a 3-3 draw after extra-time before eventually losing in a penalty shootout.
WHAT THEY SAID: Deschamps told reporters of his decision to hook two World Cup winners from 2018 before the interval: "If we had been 3-0 down, we couldn’t have complained. We didn’t do the right things for an hour, but then with a lot of courage, energy and quality, we pushed Argentina to the limit. If I made those changes so early, it’s because I was not satisfied and I felt convinced we could do better. That doesn’t mean the players who went off were more guilty than the others."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani added much needed energy and attacking threat to the French team following their first-half introductions, while Kylian Mbappe became the first man to register a hat-trick in the World Cup final since Geoff Hurst for England in 1966 as he took charge of proceedings after the break.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty
Getty Images
GettyWHAT NEXT? France came agonisingly close to defending their global crown in Qatar, but Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni were unable to convert their efforts in a thrilling shootout and Argentina talisman Messi was left to walk away with the ultimate prize.