Did you spot this?
The answer to that question is, of course, “no”. And frankly, who can blame you? In the moments between the full-time whistle and France eventually lifting the trophy, there was a lot – a hell of a lot – to take in.
Presentations for Kylian Mbappe and Luka Modric, Paul Pogba sending messages to his critics, pretty much every single person on the Luzhniki Stadium’s pitch getting piss-wet through other than Vladimir Putin. Yep, it was a particularly eventful and slightly chaotic few minutes.
Perhaps fully aware that most of us would be distracted, it’s been pointed out on social media that one person standing close to the presentation appeared to ‘steal’ one of the winners’ medals.
Now let’s be clear on this: we’re not saying this definitely is what’s going on here, but a look at the video below does show why people are jumping to such conclusions.
Standing behind soaked FIFA president Gianni Infantino and a bone-dry Mr Putin, the woman can be seen stuffing something which appears to be a winners’ medal into her coat pocket.
Am I the only one who saw this woman steal a medal?! 👀😂🤦🏿♂️
Did she think we wouldn’t see? What don’t I know! #WorldCupFinal #france pic.twitter.com/NPepuHLKjN
— Cosby Siringi (@TheRealCosbo) July 15, 2018
While there may prove to be a perfectly innocent explanation for this, it doesn’t look brilliant, does it?
France were presented with the trophy minutes later, TV coverage missing the exact moment Hugo Lloris held it aloft thanks to a couple of blokes wearing suits wandering in front of the camera at precisely the wrong moment.
Hugo Lloris hoists the World Cup for France who have won the trophy for the second time, following on from their 1998 victory.#RTEsoccerhttps://t.co/6Xl4rm9N4W pic.twitter.com/8L6K1TRbsu
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 15, 2018
Les Bleus’ 4-2 victory over Croatia was enough for them to win their second World Cup, 20 years on from their first triumph on home soil in Paris. Didier Deschamps, now their manager, was their captain that year.
