Chapter 648: Master of Trash Talk or Prophet?
As the two teams rested at halftime, their fans weren't taking a break. Instead, they were engaged in heated online and offline debates.
"Spain is unbeatable! We're crushing France!"
"Three-peat! Three-peat!"
"Spain: France is the weakest opponent we've faced in a final!"
With Spain holding an absolute advantage, both in terms of gameplay and the score, their fans were dominating the conversation.
French fans, on the other hand, could only grit their teeth and swallow their frustration. With a 0-2 scoreline, any argument they tried to make seemed weak and garnered no support from neutral fans.
"Just wait! You'll see how strong France is in the second half!"
In the end, all the French fans could do was throw out this defiant statement, secretly hoping their team would pull off a comeback in the second half and slap those doubters in the face.
"Heh, are you French fans just broken records? Can't you say anything else?"
"France is strong in the second half? Does that mean Spain is made of paper in the second half?"
"Exactly! If things keep going like this, I'm starting to wonder if Lin is going to pull off a free-kick hat-trick in the World Cup final!"
"Heh, don't jinx it—it might actually happen!"
"No way! Absolutely not. If Lin really scores three free-kicks in the final, he'll be a living legend!"
The two free-kick goals Lin scored in the first half had already left everyone stunned. Many found it hard to believe that Lin could keep creating miracles.
Such a thing was unheard of. A hat-trick in a World Cup final is extremely rare—let alone a hat-trick made entirely from free kicks.
It sounded like a fairytale!
In Sky Sports' commentary booth, Manchester United legend Gary Neville, after reading the fan arguments online, said in confusion:
"Wasn't this result expected before the match even started? Spain dominating the first half, and France known for their strong second halves—I thought everyone knew that. Why is there so much debate?"
Martin Tyler jumped in:
"But from the way the first half played out, France looked very passive. Spain had complete control, and that's made people worry whether the second half will be as one-sided as the first."
Tyler's point reflected the concern of many fans who hoped to see a more balanced match where both sides had chances, instead of Spain constantly bombarding the French goal as they did in the first half.
Neville shook his head:
"That's impossible! Players' stamina won't allow them to keep attacking like that. Spain's first-half energy was like they were on a sugar rush. That kind of intensity can only last for a while, but not the entire match.
I think everyone should calm down. France will definitely step up in the second half, and they're bound to score. Who knows? They might even tie the game or take the lead before the final whistle!"
Andy Gray, surprised by Neville's confidence, asked:
"You really believe in France that much? Don't forget, Spain has Lin!"
Neville dismissed the concern:
"Football is a team sport. No matter how good one player is, they can't change the final result!"
As expected, Neville's comments sparked huge controversy. French fans praised his insight, thinking he spoke the truth. On the other hand, Spanish fans believed he was just trying to stir things up and gain attention.
Inside Spain's locker room, the players were unaware of what was happening outside. Most of them were still riding the high from the intense energy of the first half, feeling fired up and ready to go.
"Take it easy, guys. Don't get too worked up!"
Coach Vicente del Bosque smiled as he gestured for the players to calm down, reminding them to conserve energy.
"Coach, I don't think we need to rest—we're feeling great right now!"
Fueled by adrenaline, some players wanted to ride this wave and overwhelm their opponents while they still had the momentum.
"Heh, there are still 40 or 50 minutes left in the second half. Now, sit down and rest. Use this time to recover your energy, and listen to what I have to say."
While the players' excitement was a good thing, it also posed risks. If there were no halftime break, Spain could have kept up their momentum and perhaps widened their lead even more. But with the break, they needed to calm down and avoid burning out.
If they didn't rest now, they might find themselves exhausted in the second half, just when the opposing team starts their counterattack.
Del Bosque's authority was undisputed, and with team leaders like Lin, Ramos, and others staying quiet and resting, the younger players gradually settled down too.
Following Del Bosque's orders, the team's medical staff rushed to give massages to veterans like David Silva to help them maintain their condition for the second half. The older players' stamina couldn't compare to the younger ones, so it was crucial to keep them in good shape; otherwise, they'd have to be substituted early in the second half.
"You played brilliantly in the first half. You perfectly executed our game plan, and I'm proud of you all!"
Del Bosque looked around, his gaze sweeping over each player as he offered a controlled but encouraging compliment. His tone was deliberately calm to avoid getting the players too worked up again.
"But the match isn't over yet. We can't let our guard down. Only when we maintain our advantage until the final whistle can we truly celebrate."
"Until then, I want you to keep up the momentum from the first half. Keep pushing, and don't give the opponents any opportunities."
After the brief praise, Del Bosque turned to a more serious tone, reminding the players to stay vigilant and avoid underestimating their opponents.
France was a team that started slow but grew stronger as the game went on, and the second half was sure to be tougher than the first.
Del Bosque had stressed this before the game and was repeating it now to make sure no player let their guard down, thinking the game was already won.
Fortunately, Spain's key players were level-headed and hadn't let pride cloud their judgment. Players like Lin and Iniesta, for example, knew full well that while Spain had two goals, they hadn't completely broken France's defense in open play.
Despite their dominance, the fact that they hadn't put the game to bed was dangerous. France had a counter-attacking strategy, and with players like Mbappé, they were more than capable of striking back.
If not for Lin's two crucial goals, Spain might have struggled to maintain their composure after failing to score during their prolonged attacks. One well-executed French counter could've easily led to a goal.
Reflecting on this, many Spanish players began to break out in a cold sweat. France was far stronger than they had anticipated.
As the adrenaline wore off, some players even began to wonder whether it might be better to switch to a more defensive, counter-attacking strategy for the second half.
However, upon reflection, that didn't seem like a great idea either. France didn't just have Mbappé—they also had Giroud, a tall striker who could dominate in the air. Plus, France was physically stronger overall, which would give them an advantage in a more physical, defensive game.
Most of Spain's players were more comfortable with the ball at their feet. Playing without possession and sitting back to defend didn't suit them.
Del Bosque understood all of this, which is why he didn't make a drastic change to their tactics. Instead, he made small adjustments.
The key was to maintain safe possession, keeping the ball as much as possible without taking unnecessary risks unless a clear opportunity presented itself.
With a two-goal lead, Spain's main objective in the second half was to make sure they didn't concede.
That said, they couldn't completely stop attacking, either. If they failed to pose any threat to the opponent's goal, France's defenders would feel confident enough to push forward and join the attack, putting even more pressure on Spain's defense.
So, when the opportunity arose, Spain would push forward to keep France on the back foot and reduce the pressure on their own defense.
Possession football was, after all, a defensive tactic at its core. By keeping the ball, the opponent couldn't threaten Spain's goal. And if France pressed too aggressively, Spain could exploit the gaps left behind and hit them on the counter.
This strategy was known as possession-counterattack!
Meanwhile, in the French locker room, Deschamps was giving detailed instructions to his key attacking players, particularly Griezmann and Mbappé. He spent a long time explaining his tactical ideas, almost as if he wanted to pour all his thoughts directly into their heads.
France's primary goal in the second half was to score, and the responsibility for that fell squarely on Griezmann and Mbappé.
With France trailing by two goals, they needed to pull back at least one goal and ideally take the lead before the final whistle.
Otherwise, they'd have to watch Spain lift the World Cup trophy right in front of them.
For any team that made it to the final, their goal was always to win. Nobody came to finish second.
It had been 20 years since France last won the World Cup, and winning it this year would be the perfect way to announce their return to dominance.
"Our opponent's defense isn't that strong. We created chances in the first half, but we didn't finish them. In the second half, we can't afford to make any more mistakes. We must seize every opportunity. Understood?"
Deschamps' tone grew more serious as he emphasized that wasting chances was no longer an option.
Time was running out, and they couldn't afford to throw away any more opportunities.
"Understood, coach!"
Mbappé, Griezmann, and the others nodded seriously, committing their coach's words to heart.
Even without Deschamps' instructions, they knew they had to make the most of every chance.
Who didn't want to be the hero for their team? Especially in the World Cup final, watched by billions around the world. Scoring here would mean more than scoring 10 or even 100 goals in regular league or international matches.
On the flip side, a poor performance here would cement the image of a player who crumbles under pressure, no matter how well they performed later on.
The 15-minute break flew by, and both teams returned to the field.
As they passed through the tunnel, many Spanish players kept an eye on their French counterparts. They vividly remembered how dejected France had looked at the end of the first half.
But after the break, it seemed the French coach had given them a morale boost. The defeated looks were gone, replaced by a focused, determined energy that had been building up.
Seeing this, Lin, Busquets, Piqué, and Ramos exchanged glances. They all understood: the second half was going to be tough.
Beep!
With the referee's whistle, the second half of the 2018 Russia World Cup final between Spain and France officially began.
The teams switched sides, and France gained possession.
Giroud passed to Griezmann, who wasted no time, immediately passing the ball to Mbappé on the wing.
Even though Spain's defensive positioning was solid, Mbappé didn't care. He took the ball and charged forward.
David Silva, facing Mbappé, remained calm. Knowing he couldn't match Mbappé for speed, he positioned himself carefully, backing off slowly while waiting for help from his teammates.
But Mbappé hit the gas, sprinting down the wing with long, powerful strides, heading straight for Spain's baseline.
At the same time, France's entire formation pushed forward aggressively. Giroud, like a tank, bulldozed his way toward Spain's penalty area, while Griezmann, Pogba, Kanté, and Matuidi followed closely behind in a line, launching an all-out charge into Spain's half.
France was raising the pace right from the start of the second half!
(End of Chapter)