4 Firsts in FIFA World Cup 2018 Finals
The 2018 FIFA World Cup final was a roller coaster match. Mario Mandzukic scored an own goal in the 18th minute to give France the lead before Ivan Perisic equalized it for Croatia. However, just before the half-time whistle, Antoine Griezmann converted from the spot to give France the lead once again.
France would rack two more sublime goals before a goalkeeping howler gave Croatia a glimmer of a hope. However, the goal would turn into just mere consolation as the scoreline remained 4-2.
Amidst all this chaos, some first-time records were also created in the final. So, without any further ado, here are 4 firsts in FIFA World Cup 2018.
#4 First European Country with less than 5 million population to play the FIFA World Final- Croatia
The record for the country with smallest population to play the FIFA World Cup final is held by Uruguay when they defeated Brazil in the 1950 Jules Rimet trophy. Nonetheless, Croatia can be proud of themselves as they are the smallest country from Europe to achieve the feat.
Countries with huge population like China and India fail to qualify for the World Cup despite their vast human resources. Meanwhile, Iceland with a mere population of 330,000 almost knocked out the mighty Argentines from the competition.
Population is an important parameter to judge a country's performance. A country with just 4.2 million humans reaching the FIFA World Cup final is a hallmark of their football federation to successfully discover and nurture the footballing talents from every corner of their country.
So, does that mean players like Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, and Mario Mandzukic also reside in India and China? It's quite possible. But, the football governing bodies have failed to utilize them to the fullest extent.
With the population boom being a distinctive feature of the 21st century, it is highly unlikely that this record can be broken. But, football is full of surprises. Perhaps one day, Iceland can qualify for the World Cup finals and inscribe their names in the history books.