In an exciting final match, France beat Croatia to win the 2018 FIFA world cup yesterday, 4-2. French fans are celebrating wildly, while Croatians must console themselves with second place and a valiant effort by their team.
The Croatian team did outplay France in many key ways:
Shots on goal 15 to 8.
Corner kicks 6 to 2.
Tackles 13 to 12.
Pass attempts 547 to 271.
Passing accuracy 83% to 75%
Fouls 13 to 14.
Yellow cards 1 to 2.
Time of possession 61% to 39%.
By all these measures, Croatia dominated the game. Yet, it is the French team that hoisted the trophy, and the French team that will be remembered as the winners of the 2018 world cup.
Why? Because the score is what matters. Because the victory is decided by the rule that the team to put the most goals into the other team’s net wins. No one can question the legitimacy of France’s victory.
So, next time someone asserts that Hillary should be President because she won the popular vote, remind him that popular vote in a Presidential election matters as much as time of possession does in soccer.
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