The 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar is almost here, so HITC Sport have taken a look back at the Team of the Tournament from Russia 2018 – with Kylian Mbappe and Kieran Trippier.
Russia hosted the football family between June 14 and July 15, 2018 for the 21st edition of the Fifa competition. It was also the 11th time that the tournament was held in a European country, and saw France win at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to claim their second title.
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Les Bleus will now defend their crown in Qatar, who host the first World Cup in the Middle East between November 20 and December 18, 2022. The tournament will see 32 countries from five confederations compete over 64 games across eight venues from five host cities.
England striker Harry Kane will also look to claim his second Golden Boot at a World Cup at Qatar 2022. The Tottenham Hotspur talisman had top-honours during Russia 2018 with six goals, but his form up to the semi-final did not yield a spot in the Team of the Tournament.
There was also no spot available for the Golden Glove winner, Thibaut Courtois, in the best XI at Russia 2018. The 30-year-old took three shut outs as Belgium finished third, losing 1-0 to France in the semi-final before they beat the Three Lions 2-0 to claim the bronze medal.
Mbappe took the Best Young Player award for the 2018 World Cup, after helping France to global glory. Fifa named Croatia star Luka Modric as the Golden Ball winner ahead of Eden Hazard of Belgium, meanwhile, as the Real Madrid midfielder took his nation into the final.
Modric, Hazard and Mbappe’s efforts through the competition helped them clinch spots in the best XI. So, with that in mind, who made the Team of the Tournament at the last World Cup and what would become of their careers after their showcase summer at Russia 2018?
Hugo Lloris (GK): Tottenham goalie captained France to 2018 Russia World Cup
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris captained France through Russia 2018 and led Les Bleus to win the World Cup and seal his spot in the Team of the Tournament. The 35-year-old took three clean sheets over six appearances, and will play at a fourth World Cup at Qatar 2022.
Kieran Trippier (RB): Newcastle star shone brightly for England at Russia 2018
Kieran Trippier shone at Russia 2018 as the right-back helped England exceed expectations to reach the semi-finals. He was a particular threat at the tournament from set-pieces, and scored a stunning free-kick against Croatia, and created the most goalscoring chances (24).
No player throughout the 2018 World Cup carved out more chances than Trippier, then of Tottenham. He would later leave the north Londoners for Atletico Madrid in July 2019 for £20m, before returning to the Premier League at Newcastle United this January for £12m.
Raphael Varane (CB): France anchor now at Manchester United after World Cup win
Raphael Varane helped lock down France’s defence as they won the World Cup in Russia to make the 2018 Team of the Tournament. The 29-year-old arrived for the 21st edition of the Fifa competition after winning a fourth Champions League with Real Madrid that year, too.
He would later add a third La Liga winners’ medal in 2019/20, before leaving Los Blancos a year later. Manchester United paid the Galacticos £41m, including add-ons, to sign the 86-cap international in 2021, and he will now look to win his second World Cup at Qatar 2022.
Dejan Lovren (CB): Zenit captain helped Croatia to World Cup final in 2018
Dejan Lovren helped Croatia reach the 2018 World Cup final and earn a place in the Team of the Tournament. His exploits in Russia preceded him winning the Champions League and a Premier League title with Liverpool, whom he left in 2020 to join Zenit – where he is captain.
Ashley Young (LB): Veteran Aston Villa star played key role for England
Ashley Young played a key role with England at Russia 2018, as the 37-year-old earned the final five of his 39 caps. He made his last international appearance in the semi-final loss to Croatia, before leaving Manchester United for Inter Milan in 2020 then Aston Villa in 2021.
Paulinho (CDM): Former Brazil international now back at Corinthians
Paulinho made the Team of the Tournament for Russia 2018 as Brazil reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup. He would only make one further outing for the Selecao after the tournament ended, but the 34-year-old has continued to enjoy a long domestic career.
The midfielder started his club career with GO Audax in 2006 before a string of loan spells and moves within Brazil. His first taste of European football came at Tottenham from 2013 to 2015 before joining Guangzhou FC in China, then returning to Europe with Barcelona.
Paulinho’s time at the Camp Nou would only last a season, before returning to Guangzhou on loan after the 2018 World Cup. A permanent transfer back to the Chinese Super League followed in 2019 before two months at Al-Ahli in 2021 and re-joining Corinthians this year.
Luka Modric (CDM): 2018 World Cup Golden Ball winner took Croatia to the final
Fifa handed Team of the Tournament inductee Modric the Golden Ball at Russia 2018 after Croatia made the final, despite beginning the World Cup ranked 20th. The Real Madrid star pulled the strings during the 21st edition, and he will now captain his nation at Qatar 2022.
Eden Hazard (RW): Belgian dazzled on route to bronze medal in Russia
Hazard dazzled on route to Belgium taking third at the 2018 Russia World Cup. The winger played six games with three goals and two assists, and created 15 chances, took 17 shots, won 27 fouls and made 40 take-ons over his games with a 74% success rate, per Squawka.
The summer of 2019 would then see Hazard leave Chelsea for Real Madrid in a deal worth in excess of £150m. Los Blancos paid an upfront £89m, with at least a further £60m in add-ons, for the 31-year-old – who has since been plagued by injuries – on a five-year contract.
Antoine Griezmann (CAM): Bronze Ball winner with World Cup title success
Antoine Griezmann won the Bronze Ball in line with his form to help France win the World Cup in Russia. He also took the Silver Shoe after striking four goals along with three assists across seven games. The 31-year-old scored and assisted in the quarter-final and the final.
Barcelona would later buy Griezmann from Atletico Madrid for £107m after triggering his release clause in 2019. Yet the 108-cap playmaker returned to the Metropolitano in 2021 on loan until 2023, having only offered 35 goals and 17 assists across his 102 appearances.
Neymar (LW): Paris Saint-Germain winger influential as Brazil reached quarters
Paris Saint-Germain winger Neymar was influential as Brazil reached the 2018 World Cup quarter-finals. He struck two goals and laid on two assists over his appearances, but could not help the Selecao beat Belgium, and will now target global glory a third time in Qatar.
Kylian Mbappe (ST): Best Young Player made 2018 Team of the Tournament
Fifa named Mbappe as the Best Young Player at the 2018 World Cup, as he fired France to glory and took his spot in the Team of the Tournament. The forward was just 19 years old in Russia, yet took to the global stage with four goals and an assist over his seven outings.
His goal to put France 4-1 up in their 4-2 final win over Croatia also made Mbappe just the second teenager to score in a World Cup final after Pele at 17 years old in 1958. Mbappe will now look to go again as a 57-cap France forward with 27 goals and 21 assists in Qatar.
The past four years have also seen Mbappe’s star grow at domestic level with Paris Saint-Germain. He initially joined Les Parisiens on loan from Monaco in 2017 before making the move permanent for £166m, and now boasts five Ligue 1 titles – four for the capital club.
Real Madrid also offered PSG £172m on deadline day in August 2021 to sign Mbappe at a time he had one year left on his contract. But the Parc des Princes natives rejected it, and convinced Mbappe to sign a new deal this May worth £4m-a-month, plus a £100m bonus.
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