World Cup 2018 was ended on Sunday (15/7) and when France became a champion champion after silencing Croatia 4-2 in the final. But the top party is not the only exciting thing that has entertaining soccer enthusiasts around the world.

There are at least six unique trends happening in Russia in the last one month span. Here Sepakbola.com describes for you.


1. VAR seize a lot of attention

FIFA's decision to introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology aimed at easing the task of the referee in playing the game will always be a memorable thing at this World Cup. The recording of an incident is meant to reduce drama and controversy but apparently the intensity is maintained or even possible for you to grow.

Many complained that the VAR was responsible for the number of delays in the course of the game with the old tempo. Some of the refereeing decisions are also considered the public remains wrong even though it has undergone a re-observation with handball ending Ivan Perisic penalty that occurred in the final may be an example.

Although not yet completely eliminate human error but worthy of admission if VAR brings decision making to a more positive direction. For example, the second goal of South Korea in the third matchday group phase when facing Germany that could have been disallowed if the black shirt corps not to evaluate in the decision.


2. Penalty Rain

World Cup 2018 is also very attached to the penalty kick. The 12th execution by Antoine Griezman in the top party is the 29th and this record is far beyond the record in previous editions.

There were only 13 penalties in Brazil 2014, 15 in South Africa 2010 and 2002 South Korean editions that previously held the record with 18 penalties were still lost. Surely this is thanks to the introduction of VAR that makes duel action in the penalty box more easily invite tension.


3. Dead ball to be a dangerous weapon

Penalty is not the only dead ball situation that makes the hearts of the fans beat faster than usual. The reason 43% or 73 of total 169 goals that occur in Russian soil is the fruit of the dead ball.

The most dangerous team in this situation is England because they were able to maximize the total of nine executions of their dead ball. This is a new record after Portugal became number one in the 1966 edition. The most recent of The Three Lions is a free kick goal from Kieran Trippier in the semi-final against Croatia.


4. Lonely red card

World Cup high prestige usually makes the players who compete to be more aggressive than usual when competing. As a result the number of red cards that the referee pulls from the pocket is usually not small.

But the 2018 World Cup is really an anomaly. Until the final is held there are only four players who have been expelled in the middle of the game either with a straight red card or indirectly. They are Carlos Sanchez, Jerome Boateng, Igor Smolnikov, and Michael Lang.

This is the number of red cards terminim since the 1978 Argentine edition that only had three. In comparison there are 10 in Brazil 2014, 17 in South Africa 2010, and 28 in Germany 2006.


5. Crowded tight action and late goals

A total of 169 goals in the country led by president Vladimir Putin over the past month have not been more than those created in the 2014 Brazil edition (171), but that does not mean the World Cup is not exciting this time. Quite the opposite.

Because a lot of drama that occurs in the final minutes of each phase. If ruled out the extra time round there are 13 goals created in the 90th minute and thereafter. The details are nine late goals and four winning draws.

Eleven of them occurred in the group stage while the rest were in the knockout phase. Belgian breakthrough goal headed into the last eight by Nacer Chaldi to the Japanese goalkeeper and equalizer Yerry Mina for Colombia to England goal in the same phase were the last two created.


6. Guarantee goals

One more element that proves if the 2018 World Cup is one of the most exciting in history. It is none other because there is only one game that ends 0-0 in the finals.

Only France counter Denmark in party ultimate Group C which presents spectacles score on the audience. This record is the best since the 1954 Swiss edition where all the songs must be colored goals from the opener to the final.

Perhaps this record is created thanks to the number of goals also suicide. Until the final there are 12 goals scored players into the net themselves or surpass the record six goals in the 1998 edition of France. (Source: Sky Sports, Opta)

SOURCE: Football.com