2018 FIFA World Cup Final
Croatia started the match at 6 pm local time (3 pm UTC) when it was 27°C (81°F) and 51% humid. There were 78,011 people in the stadium and about 1.12 billion people watching on TV around the world. The weather at Sheremetyevo International Airport, which is 30 kilometres (19 miles) away, was partly cloudy when the match began. The game was played during a small thunderstorm with visible lightning strikes. The Guardian's Barry Glendenning said that Croatia played better in the first 15 minutes. He noticed that France had trouble getting out of their own side of the field, while Croatia was in control. But, France scored first in the 18th minute. They got a free kick around 30 yards (27 metres) from the goal because Marcelo Brozović fouled Griezmann. Griezmann took the free kick and passed it into the penalty area, where Mandžukić tried to head it away, but it accidentally went into the goal. This was the first own goal in a World Cup final. N'Golo Kanté got a yellow card in the 28th minute for a foul on Perišić. A minute later, Croatia scored when Perišić was fouled 40 yards (37 metres) from the goal. Modrić kicked a free kick to the far goalpost, Vrsaljko headed it back across the goal, and Perišić kicked it low into the corner for a goal.