Chapter 642: World Cup Final Begins, Lin Quan Leads as Captain
Finally, July 15 had arrived—the day of the World Cup final.
In Moscow, the streets were flooded with fans wearing the jerseys of their favorite teams. They flowed along the Moscow River, heading toward the final's venue—the Luzhniki Stadium. This iconic stadium, which had hosted the opening ceremony of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, was once again welcoming a global spectacle after 38 years.
Fans began their journey early, converging from all directions. Although the stadium had opened multiple entrances, it still wasn't enough to accommodate the crowds. Many fans were left outside, but a large security presence helped maintain order and ensure that everyone could enter in an organized manner.
Even though Luzhniki Stadium had over 87,000 seats, only a few lucky fans managed to get tickets to watch the match live. Many more fans weren't so fortunate, and some scalpers waved their tickets around, taking advantage of the pre-match rush to sell them at exorbitant prices.
Scalpers, a global phenomenon, are universally despised by fans because they hoard tickets that should have gone to genuine supporters. Yet, for fans desperate to watch the game, these scalpers offer a last-minute chance to get in, albeit at a steep cost.
"How much for a ticket?"
A man in a suit, wearing a tie, hurriedly approached one of the scalpers selling tickets outside the stadium.
"2,000 euros!"
The scalper, a master of reading people, sized up the man and quoted a high price.
"Are you robbing me?!"
The man's eyes widened in shock, his anger rising. The official price for World Cup final tickets ranged between $440 and $1,100, which translated to about 400 to 1,000 euros. The ticket in the scalper's hand was an ordinary one, worth around 500 euros, but the scalper was asking for four times that price.
"Every scalper should meet a bad end," the man muttered angrily, frustrated by the greed.
"Look around—where else are you going to find a ticket? You think it's expensive? So do I!" The scalper was unfazed, standing firm on his price. With plenty of time before the final began, he wasn't in a rush. He figured he could get one customer now, and if not, he could lower the price closer to game time. With so many eager fans, he was confident he'd sell out.
"1,000 euros!" the man in the suit offered, realizing he had no other choice.
"1,900!"
"1,200!"
"1,800!"
…
After a bit of haggling, the ticket was finally sold for 1,500 euros—three times the original price. The man, relieved to have secured a ticket, sighed deeply.
"Just made it in time. Good thing I finished my research in South America and returned, or I would've missed this match!" he thought to himself as he quickly checked his backpack to ensure his camera and equipment were still there.
Satisfied everything was in place, he took out his camera to check the battery and functionality before carefully packing it away again. As he did, a badge fell out of his bag. It bore the image of a blue lion holding a scepter, with the name "George Evans" printed beneath it.
…
At 3:00 PM on July 15, the dark blue bus bearing the Spanish team's crest slowly made its way into the stadium, greeted by thousands of cheering fans. At the same time, the French team's bus arrived as well.
Both teams' players began stepping off their buses one by one, met by eager reporters who scrambled to snap photos and prepare pre-match reports. Some journalists pushed forward, trying to get microphones to the players for impromptu interviews.
Meanwhile, the fans erupted into thunderous cheers as they spotted the players.
"Good luck!"
"Bring the trophy home!"
"Beat Spain! / Beat France!"
The players, however, ignored the microphones and cameras, focusing solely on the match ahead. Even the normally lively players had no desire to entertain reporters or respond to the fans. Their minds were entirely on the final, which was about to begin.
Upon entering the stadium and reaching their respective locker rooms, the players began changing into their kits, putting on their socks, shin guards, and boots, preparing for the warm-up.
For Spain, there was good news: the Luzhniki Stadium was familiar territory. They had already played two matches here, giving them a slight advantage over France, who were less accustomed to the venue.
Luzhniki Stadium featured artificial turf, which differed from the natural grass European teams were more accustomed to. It took some getting used to, and the French players, during their warm-up, spent extra time adjusting to the feel of playing on the synthetic surface.
As both teams took to the field for their warm-up, the crowd erupted in cheers. Although the match was still some time away, the fans' excitement was already palpable.
"There are so many people today!" Isco remarked in awe as he looked at the packed stands. While the previous matches here had seen high attendance, this was on another level.
The stadium seemed to be completely full, with not a single empty seat in sight. Isco wondered if the organizers had somehow let in over 100,000 people.
"Yeah, a lot of people!" Lin Quan agreed, scanning the stands. Playing in front of such a huge crowd was something that thrilled big-game players.
And on the French side, Kylian Mbappé was exactly that type of player. The bigger the stage, the more pressure there was, and the more excited he got. He seemed completely fearless in these moments.
When Lin Quan glanced at Mbappé, the French forward looked back at him. The two locked eyes, but there was no tension—just mutual respect. Mbappé smiled and raised his fist in a gesture of encouragement, to which Lin Quan responded with a nod and a smile.
The two were good friends at the club level, and Lin Quan had mentored Mbappé in the past. Mbappé was very grateful for that, but on the international stage, both players were now representing their respective nations. There would be no holding back.
And Lin Quan felt the same. He wasn't going to go easy on Mbappé just because he was younger.
Time flew by, and soon, three hours had passed.
The match was drawing near!
Before the final began, Spain's 2014 World Cup-winning captain, Iker Casillas, appeared on the field, holding the World Cup trophy. He lifted it high, showing it off to the crowd—it was the real thing. Then, with great care, he placed it on a stand by the side of the pitch, right by the player tunnel. As the players came onto the field, they would pass by the trophy, each casting a glance at it.
After this, Casillas made his way toward the Spanish team waiting in the tunnel.
"Good luck, play well!" he said, hugging each Spanish player in turn. Although he couldn't be on the pitch with them, his heart was still with the team.
Casillas' appearance with the trophy only heightened the already electric atmosphere in the stadium. The fans' cheers and shouts grew even louder.
The match was about to begin—the showdown everyone had been waiting for!
At that moment, the 22 players, led by their coaches and holding the hands of young mascots, began their walk onto the pitch. As the first player stepped out of the tunnel and onto the field, the stadium erupted with explosive cheers!
"Go, Lin Quan!"
"Go, Mbappé!"
"Spain for the win!"
"Vive la France!"
Fans from all over the world, speaking in various languages, shouted their support, their voices blending together to form the grand chorus of the World Cup final.
During the pre-match captain handshake and coin toss, Spanish fans were surprised to see that today, the captain's armband was not being worn by Sergio Ramos, as expected, but by Lin Quan.
"Huh? Why is Lin wearing the captain's armband?"
Lin Quan was Spain's vice-captain, and usually, the armband would be passed to him only if Ramos wasn't on the field. With Ramos present, it was expected that he would lead the team.
"Has Del Bosque officially made Lin the captain?"
"Maybe, but Ramos hasn't retired from the national team yet. Stripping him of the captaincy seems a bit harsh."
"Lin has what it takes to be captain. If I were Ramos, I wouldn't mind at all if Lin took over."
"True, but it still feels a bit rushed. The captaincy is Lin's eventually—it's not going anywhere, so there's no need to rush it."
"Maybe this is just temporary, with Lin wearing the armband for this match only."
"That could be it. Lin is the heart and soul of this Spanish team, and giving him the captain's armband is a huge motivation for him and the other players."
Whether Lin Quan's role as captain motivated Spain or not was unclear, but it certainly had an impact on France's captain, Hugo Lloris.
When Lloris saw that Lin Quan, not Ramos, was the one shaking hands and exchanging pennants with him, his heart sank. Something didn't feel right.
"Why is he the captain all of a sudden? Is Spain trying to pump him up?"
Lloris had faced Lin Quan before, back in 2013. It hadn't been a pleasant experience—Lloris had not only lost, but had been embarrassed, as Lin Quan had dribbled past him before slotting the ball into an empty net. For a goalkeeper, that kind of humiliation stings deeply.
"Stay calm, stay focused," Lloris told himself. "He's strong, but my team is stronger. I can't let him get in my head."
Football was a team sport, and individual talent could only go so far. Only the stronger team could win in the end. And France, with their powerful lineup, clearly had the advantage.
All Lloris needed to do was keep his composure and perform his duties. The rest would be up to his teammates.
He looked around at his fellow players—Mbappé, Griezmann, Pogba, Kanté, Giroud…
Seeing them gave him confidence.
However, Lloris' attempt to maintain his composure faltered when he lost the coin toss to Lin Quan.
Lin chose to take possession, leaving the choice of sides to France.
For Spain, a team that thrived on possession football, controlling the ball was crucial. With possession, they could dictate the tempo of the game and launch their attacks, aiming to score early in the first half.
Del Bosque had warned his team before the match that although France was known to start games slowly, they couldn't rule out the possibility that France might try to surprise them with an early attack.
If Spain assumed that France would ease into the game, they might leave themselves vulnerable to a quick opening goal.
For Spain, winning possession was the safest, most advantageous choice.
France quickly claimed the left side of the pitch, leaving the right side to Spain.
After the sides were settled, the captains returned to their teams. The players gathered, arms outstretched, hands stacked on top of each other.
Lin Quan led the chant:
"Spain!"
"Let's go!"
On the other side of the field, the French team's rallying cries could also be heard. Though the words were in a different language, they carried the same intensity.
After the pre-match formalities, at exactly 6:00 PM, the referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the 2018 World Cup final between Spain and France!
Diego Costa gently tapped the ball to Lin Quan, who didn't immediately pass forward but instead sent the ball back to Busquets.
As Lin passed, the French players naturally pushed up past the halfway line, pressing the Spanish players.
Busquets passed back to Piqué.
Giroud, refusing to give up the chase, bypassed Busquets and rushed toward Piqué.
Seeing how far up France's players were pressing, Piqué was delighted.
France was definitely more aggressive than England—they weren't parking the bus in their own half!
If they had done that, this match would've been a lot harder to play.
(End of Chapter)