July 6 - Quarter-FinalFrance vs Uruguay - Nizhny Novgorod
Uruguay without Cavani—injured in the previous round. But still dangerous. Godín, Giménez, Suárez. Warriors.
Deschamps started his best XI. Ethan on the left, Mbappé on the right, Griezmann behind Giroud.
The match was tight, tense, defensive. Uruguay's back line was impenetrable—Godín marshalling everything.
In the fortieth minute, Griezmann scored from a free kick. 1-0.
France defended deep in the second half. Uruguay attacked desperately but couldn't break through.
Final score: 1-0.
France into the World Cup semi-finals.
July 10 - Semi-FinalFrance vs Belgium - St. Petersburg
The match everyone anticipated. France's golden generation vs Belgium's golden generation.
Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois. World-class talent everywhere.
Deschamps set up defensively. Absorb pressure. Hit on the counter. Trust the defense.
Belgium dominated possession: 64%. Shots: 19 to 9.
But France were clinical.
In the fifty-first minute, Umtiti headed home from a corner. 1-0.
Belgium pushed for an equalizer. Created chances. Hit the post. Forced incredible saves from Lloris.
But they couldn't score.
Final whistle.
FRANCE IN THE WORLD CUP FINAL.
July 15 - World Cup FinalFrance vs Croatia - Moscow
The Luzhniki Stadium. Eighty thousand fans. The World Cup final. The biggest match in football.
Croatia—the underdog story. Extra time in all three knockout matches. Exhausted but determined. Modrić, Rakitić, Mandžukić. Technical brilliance.
France—the favorites. Young. Fast. Powerful. Hungry.
Pre-Match
In the changing room, Deschamps was calm.
"Gentlemen, we're ninety minutes from history. From immortality. From joining 1998's legends."
He looked at the young players. "Mbappé, Loki, Pavard, Hernández—you're nineteen, twenty years old. You have your whole careers ahead of you. But you might never get another chance like this. Leave everything on that pitch."
Ethan felt the weight of the moment. This was it. The World Cup final. At nineteen.
The Match
Croatia started aggressively. Pressed high. Controlled possession. They wanted to prove they belonged.
In the eighteenth minute, France took the lead. Griezmann's free kick was headed into his own net by Mandžukić. 1-0.
Croatia equalized ten minutes later. Perišić smashed home. 1-1.
Then VAR drama. Perišić handled in the box. Penalty to France. Griezmann converted. 2-1 at halftime.
The second half was French domination.
In the fifty-ninth minute, Pogba scored a brilliant goal. 3-1.
In the sixty-fifth minute, Mbappé made it 4-1—a stunning strike from outside the box.
Croatia pulled one back through Mandžukić. 4-2.
But it wasn't enough.
Final whistle.
FRANCE - WORLD CHAMPIONS 2018
Ethan collapsed to his knees, crying, laughing, screaming. Mbappé grabbed him, lifted him up, both of them jumping together.
"WORLD CHAMPIONS, BROTHER! WORLD CHAMPIONS!"
The French players formed a circle, jumping together, singing La Marseillaise. Lloris lifted the trophy. Twenty years after 1998, France were world champions again.
Post-Tournament
Ethan's World Cup statistics:
6 appearances (3 starts, 3 substitute) 3 goals (Australia, Argentina, one friendly beforehand) 2 assists World Cup winner at 19 years old
Mbappé won the Young Player of the Tournament. Four goals. Superstar performance.
But both Princes had their winner's medals. Both had conquered the world.
At the team hotel celebration, Griezmann pulled Ethan aside.
"You know what this means, right?"
"What?"
"You're a world champion at nineteen. Champions League winner at eighteen. You're going to Barcelona this summer. The pressure is going to be insane. Everyone will expect you to be Messi immediately."
Ethan nodded. He'd been thinking the same thing.
"Can you handle it?" Griezmann asked.
"I have to. This is what I've worked for my whole life."
Griezmann smiled. "Good answer. And hey—maybe I'll join you at Barcelona someday. We'd make a hell of a team."
End of Chapter 24