Emmanuel Macron joined heady celebrations in the France dressing room, dabbing alongside star midfielder Paul Pogba and delivering a rousing speech to the team after they won the World Cup in a final befitting a thrilling month-long tournament.
The French president stood on a table inside the VIP box of Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium and fist pumped the air in celebration after his country defeated Croatia 4-2 while the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, seated two seats along, clapped warmly.
The sky above was dark grey with flashes of thunder as the rain-, sweat- and euphoria-soaked French team lifted the trophy during a chaotic presentation ceremony. The winners’ medals were presented by Putin shielded by a black umbrella as an almighty downpour pierced a sticky, humid afternoon in the Russian capital. Macron remained uncovered and was wringing out his navy blue suit jacket on the pitch afterwards.
Cannon shot golden confetti high in the air and a wall of fans waving tricolour flags exploded with joy. As the French manager Didier Deschamps delivered his post-match press conference, he was interrupted by members of his squad who jumped on the table and squirted journalists with sports drinks.
“How marvellous!” Deschamps said, responding to France’s second World Cup win. “It’s a young team, who are on the top of the world. Some are champions at the age of 19. We did not play a huge game but we showed mental quality. And we scored four goals anyway.”
Proceedings had temporarily been brought to a halt in the second half as four people wearing black trousers, black ties and white shirts emerged from behind goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and ran on to the pitch. Stewards gave chase as Croatia defender Dejan Lovren attempted to drag one from the pitch himself. The Russian protest performance group Pussy Riot later claimed responsibility. “Right now, there are four members of Pussy Riot on the pitch,” the group wrote on its Facebook page.
It was the first high-profile breach of security at a World Cup that has been notable for stunning football matches, vibrant bands of fans particularly from south and central America and domestically, England’s unexpected, rousing run to the semi-final. Political tensions and hooligan problems that some feared would overshadow football’s showpiece never materialised in a tournament that will be chalked down as a major success.
Croatia, its players hailing from a nation of just four million, had beaten England in the semi-final and will point to a controversial refereeing decision in the first half of the final as the moment their chances evaporated. France rarely put a foot wrong during the tournament and at the start of the afternoon were hot favourites to win for the first time since lifting the trophy at home in 1998.
Will Smith added a touch of hip hop glamour to the occasion as he performed the official World Cup anthem Live It Up before kick off, while Brazilian footballing legend Ronaldinho was cheered loudly as he played drums with local performers.
There were raised eyebrows when the World Cup trophy flanked by German player Philipp Lahm, who lifted the World Cup four years ago, and Russian supermodel Natalia Vodionova arrived in its new Louis Vuitton travel case. In Fifa-land, everything has a price it seems.
Putin took his seat next to the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, with Macron and Croatia’s president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, nearby. After 18 minutes, Croatia’s Mario Mandžukić earned himself an unwanted place in football history with the first own goal scored in a World Cup final. At the other end, Croatia found an equaliser 10 minutes later with an unarguable left-footed strike by Ivan Perisic. France’s Antoine Griezmann converted from the spot to put his side ahead again after the referee controversially awarded a penalty.
After half time, Paul Pogba added a third for France and 19-year-old superstar Kylian Mbappé added a fourth, becoming the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pele in 1958. There was a consolation goal for Croatia in the 69th minute as Mandžukić capitalised on a brief lapse in concentration by Lloris.
For 60 minutes on Wednesday evening as England led Croatia in the semi-final, it seemed they might make it to the final, but ultimately they were defeated. The squad, manager Gareth Southgate and a support team of 58 were landing back at Birmingham airport just as the biggest game on the planet was kicking off.
Nevertheless, they played their part in a tournament that will be remembered for packed stadiums, a riot of colour and noise from enthusiastic fans around the world, sensation football and, by those that were here, for the kindness of the Russian people.