Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic made some history in the World Cup 2018 final against France, but not the kind he will be bragging about any time soon.
The Juventus forward became the first ever player to score an own goal in a World Cup final after inadvertently deflecting an Antoine Griezmann free kick into his own net for Les Bleus ‘ opener at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.
As Griezmann’s free kick was floated into the box, Mandzukic rose highest, but could only make slight contact and that touch diverted the ball away from the grasp of Danijel Subasic into the back of the net.
The own goal was cancelled out soon afterwards, however, with Ivan Perisic levelling matters, but France went ahead once more from the penalty spot after they were awarded a spot-kick with the help of VAR.
Didier Deschamps’ side extended their lead in the second half through Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, but Mandzukic atoned somewhat for his earlier error by capitalising on a Hugo Lloris error to narrow the deficit.
Interestingly, Russia 2018 has actually been a record tournament in terms of own goals, with Mandzukic’s unfortunate deflection taking the overall tally of goals scored in the wrong net to 12.
Remarkably, that figure is double the previous record, which was set 20 years ago at the 1998 World Cup in France, where six own goals were scored.
Mandzukic recovered from the knock he sustained in Croatia’s 2-1 semi-final victory over England to take his place in Zlatko Dalic’s starting XI for the final.
The 32-year-old scored the decisive goal against the Three Lions in that last-four game, finding the net in extra-time to secure Croatia’s first ever appearance in a World Cup final.
The goal against England was his second of the tournament after he breached the net in the last 16 against Denmark, with his strike against France bringing his overall tally to three.
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