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World Cup 2018: Best player? Best quote? Worst tackle? Favourite city? Reporters' verdicts
HAVING spent the entire tournament following every kick in Russia, Richard Tanner and Matthew Dunn share some of their favourite moments over the past month.
Best match
RT: Belgium 3, Japan 2, a thrilling comeback by the Belgians after being 2-0 down in their last-16 tie in Rostov.
MD: Spain v Portugal. Thrilling last minute Ronaldo equaliser in a 3-3 draw on only the second day of the tournament. Who knew then neither team would reach the quarter-finals?
Best goal
RT: Kevin De Bruyne’s sweet strike following pitch-length move by Belgium in their quarter-final victory over Brazil.
MD: It may have only been against Panama but Dries Mertens’ volley wins it for technical ability and opportunism.
Best quote
RT: Fabian Delph: “I realised the impact we’d made back home when the midwife asked for a photo while my wife was giving birth!”
MD: “I’m not scared. Not even of the big bad wolf, really,” Gareth Southgate ahead of Saturday’s match against Belgium.
Best day
RT: England v Colombia in Moscow – the Three Lions finally won a shoot-out and a knockout game.
MD: Sight-seeing in Red Square followed by the roller-coaster of the Colombia game. Best day and one of the longest!
Best city
RT: St Petersburg – magnificent buildings, so much history, great restaurants and bars, friendly people.
MD: Once went through Nizhny Novgorod on the train. Glad I stopped this time – unexpectedly beautiful.
Best meal
RT: Beef stroganoff – the house speciality, surprisingly enough, at Stroganoff restaurant in Repino.
MD: The one Neymar made of barely being touched on the ankle in the game against Mexico.
Best player
RT:Luka Modric – the Real Madrid star proved once again to be arguably the best midfielder in the world, aswell as an inspirational captain.
MD: Luka Modric – his elegant simplicity shone bright when the really big stars had burned out.
Best save:
RT: Jordan Pickford’s shoot-out save against Colombia as England ended their shoot-out agony.
MD: Jordan Pickford’s touch round the bar to keep Colombia out at the end of 90 minutes. Briefly.
Worst tackle
RT: Panama got their sports mixed up – some great rugby tackles against England.
MD: Panama wrestling the entire England team to the ground, it seemed, apart from John Stones for England’s opening goal.
Worst moment
RT: Mario Mandzukic’s extra-time winner for Croatia that ended England’s hopes in the semi-final.
MD: The train journey to St Petersburg after the semis – four hours to get head around football not coming home.
My XI of the tournament
RT: (3-4-3): Pickford: Varane, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Kante, Modric, Perisic; Mbappe, Kane, Hazard.
MD: (4-3-3): Courtois; Trippier, Mina, Vida, Laxalt; Cheryshev, Kante, Modric; Mbappe, Kane, Hazard.
Best memory
RT: The visit to the Battle of Stalingrad museum in Volgograd put everything into perspective.
MD: Beating Jamie Vardy at pool in the England media centre despite his incredibly misspent youth.
Best hope for Qatar 2022
RT: That it proves to be half as good as this World Cup and England continue to do us proud.
MD: That, whatever the results, England continue to make the nation proud.