Antoine Griezmann penalty, Hugo Lloris blunder: Five major talking points from France's win over Croatia in the World Cup 2018 final

The World Cup 2018 final was full of memorable moments. A match, which was expected to be a close encounter between two equally matched teams, turned out to be a one-sided affair, at least in terms of the scoreline.

France came out victorious 4-2 against Croatia, but don't let the scoreline flatter you. The World Cup champions were not at their best, and needed a few moments of luck in their favor.

On the other hand, Croatia can feel proud of what they have achieved in this tournament. Though, they will be disappointed, and should feel a bit unhappy with a couple of moments that took place during the 90 minutes.

Let's take a look at five talking points from the enthralling encounter.

1. Mandzukic own goal - A player would love to start a final with a goal. And Mario Mandzukic did exactly that, though, he scored in the wrong end. The Croatian striker unfortunately headed the ball into his own net while trying to deal with a free-kick from Antoine Griezmann. The goal brought France to life, who prior to it looked very lethargic and poor in open play.

2. Penalty call - There is no doubt that the penalty awarded by referee for Ivan Perisic's handball will be debated for days to come. The referee, after a lengthy conversation with VAR, decided that the Croatian was at fault. But to be fair to Perisic, he wasn't much at fault. The winger went to clear the ball from his head. But unfortunately, he headed it onto his own hand. It clearly seemed unintentional, though, the last call is of referee.

3. Lloris' blunder - France skipper Hugo Lloris had a moment to forget, when his lazy attitude allowed Croatia to make it 4-2. The goal came from absolutely nothing, and Lloris wouldn't want to replay it. Under no pressure, and win in sights, the goalkeeper casually tried to play the ball from the back. But Mandzukic read his intentions, and stuck his right feet out. The ball hit his boot, and went in to cause a major embarrassment to Lloris.

4. Mbappe's goal - For the most parts of the first half, Croatia had managed to nullify the threat of Kylian Mbappe. The 19-year-old was finding tough to make an impact, and he seemed frustrated. But in the second half, he came out as a different player, and showed why he is touted as the next big thing in football. With France leading 3-1, Mbappe put the game out of Croatia's reach with a brilliant strike. He became just the second ever teenager to score in a World Cup final after Pele.

5. Kante's substitution - When Didier Deschamps, France's manager, decided to susbstitute Ngolo Kante, most people in the stadium, and back home were stunned. The midfielder had played each and every minute prior to this match, and was one of the best players in the tournament. But in the final, Kante got himself booked early in the first half, and risked getting sent-off. Knowing Croatia will break the minute they get the ball, Deschamps decided to remove Kante so that France don't get a man down.