Russia 2018
The 2018 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Russia, marked a significant moment in football with the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, aimed at improving refereeing decisions. France emerged victorious, securing their second World Cup title, demonstrating a blend of youthful energy and strategic prowess under the management of Didier Deschamps. The competition was replete with surprises, including the early exit of former champions Germany in the group stage and the remarkable run of Croatia to the final, surpassing expectations with a team driven by midfield maestro Luka Modric. The event was punctuated by memorable performances, such as England's Harry Kane securing the Golden Boot and the enduring image of Russia's goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev's penalty shoot-out heroics.
Knockout stage
group stage
| Group A | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1  Uruguay | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
2  Russia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
3  Saudi Arabia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
4  Egypt | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Group C | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1  France | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
2  Denmark | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
3  Peru | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
4  Australia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Group D | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1  Croatia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 9 |
2  Argentina | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
3  Nigeria | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
4  Iceland | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Group E | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1  Brazil | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
2  Switzerland | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
3  Serbia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
4  Costa Rica | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Group F | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1  Sweden | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
2  Mexico | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
3  South Korea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
4  Germany | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Top scorers
Harry Kane (6)Denis Cheryshev (5)Antoine Griezmann (4)
Romelu Lukaku (4)
Cristiano Ronaldo (4)Kylian Mbappé (4)Mario Mandžukić (4)Ivan Perišić (3)Eden Hazard (3)Edinson Cavani (3)