And then, the rain came. As the dignitaries filed onto the pitch, shoehorning their way into the post-match celebrations, there was an eruption from the Moscow sky - soaking all but Vladimir Putin. The World Cup was over, and France were about to lift the trophy for the second time, after a gripping 4-2 win over Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium. Didier Deschamps' side produced the latest in a string of clinical, cold-blooded performances yesterday, weathering an altogether different type of storm before breaking Croat hearts. They found themselves on the ropes for much of the first half, but took the lead after Mario Mandzukic flicked an Antoine Griezmann header into his own goal. Croatia fought back through Ivan Perisic's left boot but Les Bleus regained the initiative after VAR awarded them a penalty which Griezmann rolled home. In the second half Kylian Mbappe and the outstanding Paul Pogba - France's bright young things - sealed the deal. This morning Ken Early writes the world champions' final display typified their summer - a flash of magic to complement their steel - as they won the Coupe du Monde in third gear. And as the dust settles on the best World Cup for a generation - if not more - our writers have given us their review of the tournament.
The rain fell in Dublin as well as Moscow yesterday, as the opening weekend of the Super 8s reached its conclusion in Croke Park. In the early game Monaghan battled their way past Kildare in a bruising, suffocating encounter - Malachy O'Rourke's side running out 0-15 to 1-10 winners. That preceded a grim battle between Galway and Kerry, with the Tribesmen conquering the Kingdom in the Championship for the first time since 1965. The prodigious David Clifford scored 1-5 from play but was ultimately powerless as the Connacht champions registered a 1-13 to 1-10 victory. This morning Keith Duggan suggests the jury is still firmly out on the new Super 8s format, after a sleepy afternoon at a sodden HQ: "And it is true that this was billed as the All-Ireland championship and it looked like the championship. But for long periods on both days, it felt like the league."
It has been a long road back to the top for Novak Djokovic, but he completed his journey yesterday afternoon as he beat Kevin Anderson in straight sets to win Wimbledon for the fourth time - his 13th Grand Slam title and a first since 2016. After two marathon semi-finals, the tournament's showpiece was a more subdued and decidedly less dramatic affair, with Djokovic securing a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) victory in two hours and 19 minutes. Johnny Watterson was in SW19 to see the 31-year-old cruise past big-serving South African Anderson, before admitting he often doubted if lucky Grand Slam number 13 would ever materialise. Djokovic said: "I had many moments of doubt, I didn't know if could come back to this level to compete. There is no better place to make a comeback, it's a sacred place for world of tennis, it's very special."
Limerick also made their own slice of history on Sunday as they roared to a 0-27 to 1-22 win over Kilkenny in Semple Stadium - the first time they have skinned the Cats in the Championship in 45 years. They will now face Cork in the All-Ireland semi-finals, after fighting back from a late Kilkenny goal in the teeming Thurles rain. And Nicky English writes this morning how victory should provide a major psychological boost for John Kiely's side: "In Thurles Limerick took a significant step forward for this panel of players, irrespective of what happens in the remainder of the All-Ireland championship."
The future of Irish athletics looks bright, after Sommer Lecky secured a high jump silver medal in the World Under-20 Championships in Finland yesterday. Her silver was Ireland's second of the competition following Saturday's women's sprint relay - doubling the number of medals Ireland have won in 32-year history of the championships.
Yesterday's stage nine of the Tour de France was won by German rider John Degenkolb, who tamed the cobbles to secure his first victory in the race on a dramatic day. Ireland's Dan Martin came home in the group 27 seconds after stage winner Degenkolb and moves up seven places to 24th in the overall classification.
And Brandon Stone narrowly missed out on shooting a stunning 59 in the Scottish Open yesterday - the South African missing an eight-foot birdie chance on the 18th and signing for a 60. However, it was enough to give the 25-year-old victory at Gullane, and book his place in this week's British Open at Carnoustie.
