France deserve their title, but didn't play spectacular football while the general level at the tournament was average, with few new developments. Only the hosts set new trends, says DW columnist Kevin Kuranyi.
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First, one needs to congratulate France on their World Cup title. They weren't bad as a team. But all in all, the football that the French produced wasn't particularly interesting. I didn't like their performance against Belgium in the semifinal at all.
Throughout the entire tournament, everyone in the French team defended together and then gave the ball to their quick players, such as Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann. I didn't think it was especially nice to watch. The play of Equipe Tricolore appeared unimaginative and uninspired. But the triumph at the end was deserved.
It was also a World Cup that wasn't that hard to win. There were only a few games at the highest level of quality. Spain against Portugal, for instance, was end-to-end. Besides that, the level of play was okay, but it wasn't the best football. The entertainment factor was not very high in many games.
The Croatians are proud of their team
I didn't notice a new, progressive trend either. The only things of note were the many set piece goals and the defensive playing styles. There have always been these destructive playing styles and I could not recognize any new innovations. In this vain, the World Cup leaves me somewhat baffled.
At least the Croatians tried to prioritized tactics and only just missed winning the title. They can be proud of their performance at this World Cup but were totally exhausted after all of their knockout games went into extra time. The physical stress was too high for the players, at least in comparison with other teams because Croatia didn't have many quality options coming off the bench. Most of the time, it was the same 11 players on the pitch.
My wife Viktorija is Croatian and she is, just like the whole country, proud of the team. Frustration stemming from the loss in the final naturally exists, but that will pass quickly. The whole of Croatia is buzzing about this team.
The Russian population will profit from the World Cup
One positive takeaway is definitely the great atmosphere that was all around Russia during the World Cup. The people there were really welcoming hosts, everything was excellently organized, all of the visitors felt safe and the country will profit from this World Cup. Many fans will definitely come back, maybe for vacation and to get to know the cities better.
After an intense period of plane rides, I am happy to go home. Now I just have to pack my bag, meet up with a few friends in Moscow and bid farewell. On Tuesday I will be back in Germany.
Kevin Kuranyi is covering the World Cup in Russia as a columnist for DW and a television pundit for public broadcaster ARD. Kuranyi is a citizen of three countries represented at the World Cup: Germany, Panama and his native Brazil. He made 52 international appearances for Germany and was part of the team that reached the final of Euro 2008. After a rift with coach Joachim Löw, which he has described as "the biggest mistake of my career," Kuranyi was kicked off the national team. Towards the end of his playing career, Kuranyi spent five years in Russia before hanging up his boots in 2017.
The alternative World Cup awards
Golden Boot? Golden Ball? Golden Glove? Those are the awards everyone knows about, but they don't cover all the terrific moments and performances of a World Cup. Here are DW's alternative gongs for Russia 2018.
Image: Getty Images/C.Ivill
Best individual performance: Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Spain
Cristiano Ronaldo provided an early example of the spectacular at the World Cup when he dragged Portugal to a 3-3 draw with Spain. The superstar, who would sign for Juventus soon after the tournament, scored a terrific hat trick to earn his side the draw, capping it with an eye-popping free kick in second half stoppage time.
Image: Reuters/M. Sezer
Most entertaining team: Belgium
With a squad stuffed with elite players, Belgium played the most attractive brand of attacking football at the World Cup. Eden Hazard (left) and Kevin De Bruyne (center) dazzled spectators with their skill. Hazard's 40 successful dribbles was the most at the World Cup and De Bruyne had the second most key passes with 23 (England's Kieran Trippier had 24).
Image: Reuters/T. Hanai
Grittiest player: Mario Mandzukic
The Croatian striker does not hide the fact that he wears his heart on his sleeve. He showed up all over the field for Croatia, winning balls in midfield and banging in goals in the box. His grit is best exemplified by Croatia's 2-1 win over England, where he scored the winning goal in the second half of extra time and had to leave moments later after appearing to suffer from cramp.
Image: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
Weirdest moment: Milad Mohammadi
Iran's Milad Mohammadi tried to bring Sunday league football to the World Cup when he tried a front flip throw-in against Spain. The attempt failed miserably, and the Iranian defender had to regroup and settle for a more traditional throw-in. His side still lost.
Image: Getty Images/J. Finney
Biggest internet phenomenon: Neymar's 'injury'
Neymar's embellished an ankle injury to the nth degree after Mexico's Miguel Layun stepped on him. The moment was rather embarrassing for a sport frequently accused of having "soft" sportsmen. But it was a gift for the internet as users re-purposed Neymar's "roll" into memes, GIFs and other media.
Image: picture-alliance/CITYPRESS 24/T. Bernardes
Biggest overachievers: Russia
The hosts were the lowest ranked team entering the World Cup, but ended up being the tournament's biggest surprise. They finished second in their group after scoring eight goals, which tied England for second most in the group stages. They also triumphed over 2010 champions Spain before losing to eventual runners-up Croatia on penalties in the quarterfinals.
Image: Reuters/C. Recine
Biggest underachievers: Germany
Germany are not the first defending champion to exit in the group stage — four of the last five have done so. That said, hopes were high that the Germans would buck that trend after winning the Confederations Cup the year before without many of their 2014 stars. That hope disappeared quickly after Germany lost to Mexico and South Korea — teams they had never lost to before at a major tournament.
Image: Reuters/M. Dalder
Unluckiest team: Senegal
Senegal were the unfortunate losers of a competitive Group H, which included Colombia, Japan and Poland. After the three group games concluded, Senegal were tied with Japan on points, goal difference and goals scored. But Japan had picked up two fewer yellow cards than the Senegalese, which made the coastal African country the first to be sent home because of their place on the fair play table.
Image: Reuters/M. Rossi
Neutral's favorite: Croatia
Croatia's population of just over 4 million people were passionately supporting their side throughout the tournament, and they were not alone. Their gutsy efforts captured the hearts of many watching the World Cup, and they received many ovations when they lost to France in the final. Their second-placed finish was their best ever performance at a World Cup.
Image: Reuters/M. Shemetov
Largest rise in transfer value: Benjamin Pavard
The assumption going into the tournament was that Benjamin Pavard would be a bench player for France. But Didier Deschamps gave the 22-year-old defender his chance, starting him six times. Pavard rewarded his coach's trust, even scoring a goal in the last 16. Purchased by Stuttgart for €5 million in 2016, Pavard now reportedly has several top clubs, including Bayern Munich, interested in him .
