Episode 1214: La Gloire, Didier Deux, Precise Pogba, Putin’s poodle, Ref Brain, Croatia Never Ever Die, Ken’s 11
Here ends a bizarre, uplifting, brilliant, outrageous World Cup – France are champions after a 4-2 win against Croatia, in a game where bafflingly they managed to play poorly for large stretches, and still win comfortably.
Emmanuel Macron breaking every protocol! #FRA #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/QqQXg6wMpi
— Rodolfo Landeros (@RodolfoLanderos) July 15, 2018
France always felt out of place in Russia, winning with an air of cultivated detachment, as though it was competing in a completely different tournament. @RorySmith on the World Cup winners. https://t.co/TClUhNdDkm
— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) July 16, 2018
Ken was there to witness Pogba, politicians and a penalty decision that shaped the game. For this latest VAR controversy, Ken peaks into the mind of the ref during the World Cup final.
President Macron gave dabbing a more wholehearted go later on at Benjamin Mendy’s request. pic.twitter.com/57iOrFGXx1
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 16, 2018
We speak to Philippe Auclair about this French team, their cautious, under appreciated, ridiculously-garlanded manager Didier Deschamps, and a beautiful 20 years of success.
if only the 2018 world cup hadn’t seemed quite so easy for the winners it would probably be the best i can remember https://t.co/Ux88adYwi2
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) July 16, 2018
There's a pretty solid argument that Pogba has been player of the tournament.
His pass that unleashed Mbappé to start the move for France's third was emblematic of the way he's moved the ball forward at this World Cup.
Better at these fast progressions than anyone else. pic.twitter.com/6bDbTAcuXP
— John Burn-Murdoch (@jburnmurdoch) July 15, 2018
New @FT World Cup stats briefing: just how good is Kylian Mbappé?@muradahmed and I looked at how Mbappé's stats compare to today's superstars when they were the same age, as well as some young hotshots who never quite lived up to their early promise https://t.co/DkO9Qq8FB9 pic.twitter.com/5v1L8GDm5C
— John Burn-Murdoch (@jburnmurdoch) July 4, 2018
We talk to Dario Brentin in Zagreb about Croatian pride in defeat, Modric’s perjury charges, and how politics has always been a murky force in their football, and will continue to be despite this magnificent month.
This is how you win elections. Kolinda playing the populist game really well. https://t.co/48kzhpOgw2
— Dario Brentin (@DarioBrentin) July 15, 2018
Hats off to President of #Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. She attended each #Croatia match at the World Cup, travelled in economy class & sat with the fans in the stadium. She refused to take any pay for her days not at work. Now that’s leadership. #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/rWm8XsnVw7
— Ronnie ???? (@anas_aleey) July 16, 2018
Plus there’s reaction on the streets of Dublin to the World Cup final, Vladimir Klitschko, Putin’s poodle Conor McGregor, umbrellas, and Ken’s team of the tournament.
In which Conor McGregor hails Vladimir Putin as “one of the greatest leaders of our time”. pic.twitter.com/JnYgVi5Z09
— ? amy o’connor ? (@amyohconnor) July 15, 2018
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