GOALS: 163

SHOTS: 1,594

PENS: 28

REDS: 4

YELLOWS: 216

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE: 46,607

QUICKEST GOAL: 57 sec (Mathias Jorgensen, Denmark)

LATEST GOAL: 96m, 49s (Neymar, Brazil)

OWN GOALS: 10

Awards are not handed out for the sides who collectively score the most goals, of course (sorry Belgium!), but the Golden Boot race is one that carries plenty of acclaim. It is looking increasingly likely that Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Harry Kane will bow out as the tournament's leading scorer, having notched six goals in six matches.

Kane may have fired blanks in his last three matches, culminating in yesterday's third-place playoff defeat to Belgium, though unless Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric or Ivan Perisic can net a hat-trick today then it will be the English striker who takes the award.

1930: Guillermo Stabile (8 goals)
1934: Oldeich Nejedly (5)
1938: Leonidas (7)
1950: Ademir (8)
1954: Sandor Kocsis (11)
1958: Just Fontaine (13)
1962: Florian Albert, Valentin Ivanov, Garrincha, Vava, Drazan Jerkovic, Leonel Sanchez (4)
1966: Eusebio (9)
1970: Gerd Muller (10)
1974: Grzegorz Lato (7)
1978: Mario Kempes (6)
1982: Paolo Rossi (6)
1986: Gary Lineker (6)
1990: Salvatore Schillaci (6)
1994: Hristo Stoichkov, Oleg Salenko (6)
1998: Davor Suker (6)
2002: Ronaldo (8)
2006: Miroslav Klose (5)
2010: Thomas Muller (5)
2014: James Rodriguez (6)

Not to be mistaken with the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball is awarded to the player who has performed best across the duration of the tournament. Lionel Messi was the last player to lift the trophy in Brazil four years ago, while Diego Forlan, Zinedine Zidane, Oliver Khan and Brazil striker Ronaldo have also triumphed over the past two decades.

Two men are way out in front in terms of the 2018 award - France striker Kylian Mbappe and Croatia playmaker Luka Modric. Both men have impressed over the past month, although Modric has arguably been the more consistent with his displays. Mbappe, on the other hand, has truly come to life in the knockouts, particularly with his display in the 4-3 win over Argentina a couple of weeks back.

Croatia were one of three sides to pick up maximum points in the group phase, however, and they then went on to beat Denmark and Russia on penalties, before seeing off England in extra time for a place in their first ever final. You have to wonder, though, just how much the additional 90 minutes of playing time has affected them.

Alternatively, they could become the eighth team to lose in more than one final, having suffered defeat to Italy 12 years ago. Germany are out in front in that regard, losing the showpiece match four times, while Argentina (3), Netherlands (3), Brazil (2), Italy (2), Czechoslovakia (2) and Hungary (2) complete the list.

France turned on the attacking style in the first knockout round, though, as they saw off Argentina 4-3 in arguably the game of the tournament so far. Uruguay were meant to be a far more resilient opponent in the last eight, but Les Blues produced a professional display to prevail 2-0, before then knocking out Belgium with a 1-0 victory earlier this week.

Les Blues' most experienced players on the world stage, Fabian Barthez and Thierry Henry, are long retired, yet in Luka Modric their opponents have a player with 11 finals games under his belt - only Davor Suker can match that. Some have even suggested that should Modric inspire his side to victory today, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's decade-long stronghold on the Ballon d'Or will come to an end.

Kickoff at the Luzhniki Stadium in the 21st World Cup final is now just three hours away. The excitement levels are building in Moscow as both sets of supporters, as well as thousands of Russians and other neutrals, join in with the party atmosphere.

Didier Deschamps: "It's true Croatia has players with strong club experiences and who have reached a level of maturity on the pitch together, but we have met teams with more experience than us all through the tournament."

Hugo Lloris: "They have shown incredible mental and physical strength to get to the final, having come through three extra times. Of course, they have had great individual talent for many years but they now have this collective strength and we are going to have to be at a very high level to be able to win."

Zlatko Dalic: "This is the World Cup final. Simply the players know what that is. One thing that brings me happiness is that all my players tell whether they are not 100% fit. We have a such a good relationship that they will concede and say that I am not fit, I'm going to miss the final. They know what is at stake in the final."

Luka Modric: "I've repeated several times that I'm focused on the team's success. When you're mentioned in that context, it's very nice, it's pleasing, but I don't worry myself about that. I want my team to win and hopefully we win. Other things are outside my control. What I want is success for the national team. Individual awards are not a priority for me."

As a bit of fun, we have compiled our own Team of the Tournament, although there is still some room for movement depending on the outcome of today's game. Turn it on in the final and you'll instantly slot into the side.

GK: Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
LB: Diego Laxalt (Uruguay)
CB: Domagoj Vida (Croatia)
CB: Yerry Mina (Colombia)
RB: Benjamin Pavard (France)
RW: Denis Cheryshev (Russia)
CM: N'Golo Kante (France)
CM: Luka Modric (Croatia)
LW: Eden Hazard (Belgium)
ST: Kylian Mbappe (France)
ST: Harry Kane (England)

Croatia have two players, Luka Modric and defender Domagoj Vida in our Team of the Tournament, while Benjamin Pavard, N'Golo Kante and Kylian Mbappe make the cut from the French side. That could all change this afternoon, though, as Hugo Lloris may keep a clean sheet to overtake Thibaut Courtois, for example, and Antoine Griezmann could net a brace to edge out one of Kylian Mbappe or Harry Kane.

I'm at risk of welling up here as we look back at some of the 63 previous games to have taken place in Russia this summer. Does it all really have to end? Anyway, here is a selection of our top five goals*...

DENIS CHERYSHEV (RUSSIA VS. CROATIA, QUARTER-FINAL

BENJAMIN PAVARD (FRANCE VS. ARGENTINA, LAST 16)

DRIES MERTENS (BELGIUM VS. PANAMA, GROUP STAGE)

CRISTIANO RONALDO (PORTUGAL VS. SPAIN, GROUP STAGE)

NACER CHADLI (BELGIUM VS. JAPAN, LAST 16)

*These have been compiled from memory so please direct any angry messages to the site's Editor and not me personally.

• France are unbeaten in their five previous games with Croatia, winning three times. They have met twice before at major tournaments

• The French are the sixth nation to reach three or more World Cup finals, following in the footsteps of Germany (eight), Brazil and Italy (both six), Argentina (five) and the Netherlands (three)

• This will be France's sixth final at a major tournament (including three at the European Championship). They have won three of the previous five

• Croatia are the first team to have reached the World Cup final despite trailing in all three of their knockout games

• Croatia have scored 12 goals and have had eight different goalscorers (excluding own goals) - only Belgium boast higher figures (14 goals and nine goalscorers, prior to the third-place play-off)

ZAGREB

PARIS

MOSCOW

1.1bn
Global TV audience for the final four years ago between Germany and Argentina

3.4bn
The number of people around the world who have watched some of the World Cup this year – nearly half the total world population of 7.6bn

29million
The prize in pounds the winners receive from FIFA

747
Cost in pounds of the most expensive ticket available to the public for Sunday

4.6bn
How much money in pounds FIFA are expected to generate in revenue from this World Cup

8.9bn
The bill in pounds of hosting the World Cup, two-thirds of which has been met by the Russian Government

Cristiano Ronaldo: "I don't have to show anything to anyone. There is nothing to prove. I think I have improved from last year. I am always trying to improve my game and improve myself."

Harry Kane: "I think self-belief is a massive thing in football. If you don't believe in yourself, not many others will. Work hard and believe in yourself, and I think you'll go as far as your body will take you."

Neymar: "I have never been concerned about winning the Ballon d'Or or being the best player in the world. The best player is already here and that's Messi. And now I can see him from close up."

Diego Costa: "Goals are what count for me. It's not about a battle with defenders. Fighting hard, giving everything and working hard on the field you have to combine with the goals you score. It doesn't matter if defenders want to battle with me or not; I will just be trying to do my job as well as I possibly can."

• Barney Corkhill's full preview

•
Olivier Giroud on scoring in the final

• Zlatko Dalic on any possible fatigue

• A look at the final referee, a certain Nestor Pitana

Live coverage of events from France vs. Croatia can be followed here, and be sure to check out this in-depth preview ahead of kickoff at 4pm. All that is left for me to say is enjoy, and thank you for joining me for the past two hours!