“How marvellous! It’s a young team, who are on the top of the world. Some are champions at the age of 19. We did not play a huge game but we showed mental quality. And we scored four goals anyway. They deserved to win. The group worked so hard and we had some tough moments along the way. It hurt so much to lose the Euro two years ago, but it made us learn too. The win is not about me, it’s the players who won the game. For 55 days, we have done a lot of work. It is the supreme coronation. We are proud to be French, to be Blues. The victory in the match belongs to them. Vive le Republic.”
France coach Didier Deschamps

“I don’t want to talk about me but what I remember is my own history and that adventure is linked to these players’ adventure. I had the immense privilege to live through this 20 years ago, and in France, but what the players have just done is just as beautiful, just as powerful. I have a son who is 22 now. When we were champions he was too young to understand. His generation now have this happiness to live through.”
France coach Didier Deschamps, who lifted the World Cup as national team captain in 1998 on home soil

“It’s nice to see the French people joyous, to see them with a smile, to see them with tears. That’s how we like to see our country and football has that power. We can be proud of ourselves. It was a great privilege to have raised the trophy as captain, and I thank all my team mates for allowing the French team to win, for allowing me to lift this trophy that has such rich history.”
France captain Hugo Loris

“I do not know where I am! I am really happy. It was a very difficult match, Croatia had a great game. We came back and we managed to make the difference. We cannot wait to lift the Cup and bring it back to France.”
France striker Antoine Griezmann:

“I’m very happy. The road was long but it was worth it. We are proud to make the French happy. We had this role to help them forget all their problems. We play for that kind of thing. I do not just want to be in football but rather to be world champion. I want to do even better, but world champion is already good.”
France goalscorer Kylian Mbappe:

“We made France shudder. We hope they are proud of us. Thank you! It’s extraordinary. It’s a kid’s dream. I’ve lost my voice! Today, I said we were 90 minutes from going in history for life and we’ve done it. That’s wonderful.”
France midfielder Paul Pogba

“We will celebrate with all the French, millions and millions of French. I hope for only one thing, arriving tomorrow in Paris to see the streets full. Many French people criticised me because they thought that I did not feel French. (Hernandez was born in Marseille but moved to Spain as a child and plays for Atletico Madrid). But as soon as Didier Deschamps called me, I have worn this shirt with pride.”
 France full back Lucas Hernandez

“We have no regrets because we were the better team for much of the game. Unfortunately, some clumsy goals swung it their way. They will be celebrating but we can hold our heads high. When the emotions settle, we will be able to analyse more clearly. I am proud of the (best player) award. The incredible fan support makes me even happier. You know that despite the defeat you’ve achieved something big.”
Croatia captain Luka Modric

“We can’t help feeling that we were the better team today, there were small details today which went for France, as Griezmann said, the important thing is to win. We were so near, we played our best match in the whole World Cup.”
Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic

“We are sad but proud at the same time. We played well but the penalty knocked the wind out of us and after that it was very difficult. I just want to say one sentence about that penalty: You don’t give a penalty like that in a World Cup final. The French did not surprise us, we let in two soft goals coupled with an own goal and a penalty. What we had in terms of luck in this tournament, we lacked today. When you concede four goals you cannot expect to win the game.”
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic

“That I think was a critical moment. We came back to 1-1 and then the penalty. Then 3-1, 4-1. But when you look at it, at 4-1 we never stopped playing football. We still believed. We gave everything and this is why our people are proud now in Croatia.”
Croatia defender Dejan Lovren (on the VAR penalty awarded to France)

“We played our hearts out and have no regrets. What we have accomplished will be remembered forever and we can be proud of ourselves. That includes our overall conduct, our performances and our fans who represented the country in the best possible way along.”
Croatia full back Sime Vrsaljko

“Emotion, emotion, big emotion. Looking at the score now after the game, I think that it’s justice. We need to say congrats to the French players, coach. I think the best team won today.”
Davor Suker, president of the Croatian Football Federation

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