Didier Deschamps hails 'beautiful' World Cup win but Dejan Lovren says 'France didn’t play football'

Didier Deschamps proclaimed France’s second World Cup triumph “just as beautiful” as their first after leading them to glory again 20 years on, but Croatia defender Dejan Lovren said that Deschamps' team "did not play football."

Deschamps became only the third man to win football’s biggest prize as both player and manager following Sunday’s dramatic 4-2 win over Croatia in Moscow, a feat he and his squad celebrated long into the night.

The 49-year-old was drenched with beer and water by his jubilant players after they invaded his post-match press conference at the Luzhniki Stadium before singing “Didier Deschamps”, hugging him and shouting “Vive la France”.

Deschamps joked afterwards: “They are young and they are happy. They are crazy.”

The man who lifted the World Cup as captain in the Stade de France two decades earlier added: “I don’t want to talk about me but what I remember is my own history and that 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.”

Sunday’s victory was all the more sweet coming two years after France’s shock defeat to Portugal in the final of their own European Championship.

“Two years ago, it was so painful to let pass this opportunity of being European champions,” Deschamps said. “But maybe, if we had been European champions then, we would not have been world champions today.”

Hailing his players as “warriors”, he added: “The players knew why they were there. They had to get that star, that shining star, which is wonderful.”

Deschamps warned his players the scale of their achievement would not have sunk in yet and man-of-the-match Antoine Griezmann agreed, saying: “Frankly and honestly, I don’t really realise yet what it is.

“We did something incredible. We marked history and we are going to enjoy it.

“Tonight, we are going to see our families. We are going to party. And tomorrow, we’ll be in France, the same. We are going to party with all the French people.

“We don’t quite realise it yet but our children will be very proud to have our own names.”

Kylian Mbappe, who became only the second teenager after Pele to score in a World Cup final, said: “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. I do not just want to be in football but rather to be world champion.”

Croatia were left cursing their luck, having twice fallen behind to a freak goal and controversial penalty despite dominating Sunday’s match for almost an hour.

The opener went down as the first own goal ever scored in a World Cup final, before the second came from the penalty spot after the first intervention of video technology in football’s biggest game.

Zlatko Dalic, the Croatia manager, said of the handball decision: “I never comment on refereeing, but let me say one thing: you don’t give a penalty like that in a World Cup final.”

Captain Luka Modric, who won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, said: “We have no regrets because we were the better team for much of the game. Unfortunately, some clumsy goals swung it their way.”

Croatia were the second-smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup final and Modric added: “You know that, despite the defeat, you’ve achieved something big. But it’s hard when you come so close and fall short.”

Defender Dejan Lovren insisted that Croatia had been the better side and said: “France didn’t play football. They waited for their chance and they scored. They had their one tactic and you have to respect it. They played every game of the tournament like that.

‘I’m disappointed because we lost the game but played much better football then them. I am proud of what we achieved, second in the world. I’m proud of everyone and for the country.

“We have regrets now when we look at decisions but it doesn’t make sense any more. It’s hard to describe. Maybe after a couple of months I will have everything straight. It’s hard now as I am some moments sad and some moments happy. Overall I am proud.

“I don’t know what to say about that. I was sure he would not give the penalty. Our player could not react, it’s impossible when you are so close to the ball. It was a critical moment as we had just come back to 1-1.

"Even at 4-1 we still gave everything and did not stop. That is why our people in Croatia are so proud."