The raucous welcome for the team began before dawn; an estimated 4 million people were in the streets by Tuesday afternoon.

It was one of the all time World Cup finals, an amazing spectacle.

The runners-up from four years ago secured another medal. It is the second time Croatia have taken third place.

The four-year budget foresees an almost 50% increase in income mainly tied to broadcasting and sponsorship.

Under that format, the top two teams in each group would advance to a 32-team knockout tournament.

Coman, the Bayern Munich winger, had already been forced to miss a training session on Thursday because of a “light viral syndrome

It is unquestionably the strangest, weirdest city to ever stage a World Cup final.

Morocco have already gone further than any other African side at a World Cup

“I’m leaving with the feeling of enormous gratitude,” he said in a video posted on the federation’s website.

Upamecano and Rabiot were unavailable for the 2-0 semifinal win over Morocco after suffering with sickness in recent days.

Fans streamed to the Champs-Elysees in Paris, shooting off firecrackers and red flares, to an unending chorus of honking cars.

France aim to become the first team to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962.

It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament.

Ross was banned for three breaches of his doping whereabouts obligations in less than a year.

Neymar’s high-profile trial got underway in mid-October in Barcelona

He ended the World Cup as a second-half substitute in Portugal’s 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Morocco after which he left the field in tears.

ETchouameni and Giroud scored for the reigning world champions, either side of a Kane penalty equalizer.

In the 42nd minute En-Nesyri leapt above the Portugal defenders to meet a Yahya Attiat-Allah cross and score the only goal of the match.

A World Cup record 18 yellow cards were shown as Argentina defeated the Dutch 4-3 on penalties Friday

Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup.