Time seems to fly by in an instant these days – the weeks, months and years going quicker than the last.

Can it really be two years ago that we all embarked on the summer of our lives as World Cup 2018 lit up the globe.

Sun, soccer, and some serious booze slinging were the order of 2018 – and boy did we revel in it.

It hits home even harder now as we are still locked up in our houses away from friends and family – we had it so good.

Nostalgia is wonderful thing, though, and the fact FIFA have uploaded the official film of the World Cup, hosted in Russia, has brought the good times back.

If you’ve got a spare hour and 20 minutes, it’s worth watching the action all over again, this time narrated by Damian Lewis.

We all remember THAT Kieran Trippier free-kick – who could forget such a moment of ecstasy – but a lot happened in Russia that totally slipped our minds (we’re blaming too much rum and sun).

So kick back and lets look at the incredible moments you might had forgotten about.

A wild opening game – Russia 5-0 Saudi Arabia

Even though it was the first match of the World Cup, a clash between the two lowest ranked sides in the competition didn’t exactly get pulses racing.

What followed though was an incredible rout which showed just what the hosts were going to be all about at the Tournament.

Yuri Gazinsky got the first goal of World Cup 2018 with an unmarked header after 12 minutes but not too long later they suffered a cruel blow as Alan Dzagoev pulled his hamstring, ruling him out of the whole competition.

In Dzagoev’s place came Denis Cheryshev; and he had a game – and tournament – to remember.

The ex-Real Madrid star scored the second of the game, thanks to a dainty flick over a defender, and the fourth which was a stunning outside of the boot strike from the edge of the area.

Spain’s managerial drama

One of the favourites heading into the tournament, things quickly went awry for the Spanish – two days before they had even started their fixtures in Russia.

Following the resignation of Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid were in the hunt for a new boss and it was pretty unexpected when he was named on June 12.

It was even more of a shock to the Spanish football federation (RFEF) that it was the current Spain boss Julen Lopetegui – and they were furious.

Lopetegui was quickly sacked and sporting director Fernando Hierro was placed in charge for the tournament.

“Yesterday was the saddest day of my life; today is the happiest,” Lopetegui said when he was fully unveiled at the Bernabeu just 24 hours on.

It left Spain rocked and they played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with their European neighbours Portugal in their opener, and only just scraped out of Group B, which also included Morocco and Iran.

138 days on from his appointment at Real Madrid, Lopetegui was sacked following a 5-1 loss to Barcelona.

Lionel Messi misses against Iceland

It was meant to be the tournament at which the Argentine would cement his legacy as the greatest footballer who ever lived. Sadly, it wasn’t to be.

But at least his nation gave us a wild ride against the smallest country at the tournament.

Europe had already witnessed the might of the minnows at Euro 2016 and now they were on the world stage. Sergio Aguero soon dampened Icelandic high spirits with a swivel and finish.

Alfred Finnbogason had other ideas though and tapped home an equaliser, stunning Messi and co.

With 63 minutes gone, though, the Barcelona ace was handed the perfect chance to win the game when his side were awarded a nailed on penalty.

It was living legend Messi against part-time football Hannes Halldorsson – and on the biggest stage of all it was the Icelander who won the battle, flying to his right to get a strong hand on the spot-kick.

He would later tell talkSPORT: “It was a best case scenario for me as a goalkeeper going into the first game ever for Iceland at a World Cup and saving a penalty against the best player in the world [Lionel Messi].

“It’s just, I really can’t believe it happened.

“I looked at a lot of penalties and he can go both ways, it’s difficult to read but I had a feeling he would go this way [to the goalkeeper’s right] today.”

Cristiano Ronaldo avoids a red card

After a hat-trick against Spain and a winner against Morocco, the then-Real Madrid ace came back down to earth with a bump against Iran.

Just like Messi, he saw a penalty saved as Ali Beiranvand smartly stopped his shot from 12 yards.

VAR had handed him the chance from the spot and it was VAR which was used in the second period of a heated clash as Ronaldo battled with Morteza Pouraliganji for the ball.

The Iranian hit the deck as a flailing Ronaldo arm caught him in the chops but after a lengthy consultation with a pitchside monitor the superstar was let off with only a yellow card for his crime.

It wasn’t the only drama to be had in the match either as Iran scored from another controversial penalty and then missed a chance to win the match at the death.

France’s dodgy start

They went on to win it all and run around the Luzhniki with the trophy aloft, dancing as they went. It wasn’t all guile and glory from the off, though.

In their opening game against Australia, they traded penalties with the Socceroos before an own goal gave them a victory.

Against Peru it was a solitary Kylian Mbappe strike, a tap-in from a deflected Olivier Giroud effort, which got them a win as the South Americans proved a surprise test.

And they were booed off the pitch in their third and final group game as they played out a dire 0-0 draw with Denmark – the result of both sides knowing they were through to the next stage of the tournament.

Premier League flop Nikola Kalinic goes rogue

Signing on loan for AC Milan in the summer of 2017 following a fine campaign with Fiorentina should have been the start of something really special for the Croatian.

Once on the books at Blackburn in the Premier League, where he netted seven times in the English top-flight in two seasons, Kalinic had rebuilt his career in Ukraine and Italy.

At Milan, though, he stalled once more and at World Cup 2018 he pressed the self-destruct button.

Called upon by Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic against Nigeria, he refused to make an appearance off the bench, having made a similar claim in a pre-tournament friendly against Brazil.

Stating he only needed fit and ready players, Dalic sent Kalinic home on the fifth day of the tournament leaving the eventual runners-up with just 22 players.

He was offered a silver medal but refused to accept it.

Hirving Lozano causes an earthquake

The Mexican was already impressing in Europe when he went to Russia and he rocked the world when he bagged a brilliant strike against Germany.

El Tri robbed their attacking opponents in the first half and then burst down the pitch with tremendous speed; Lozano picked up the ball just outside the area before cutting inside and slotting the ball beyond Manuel Neuer. Cue bedlam.

And just as fans in the stadium went wild, their supporters in their homeland did too. So much so their joyous bounding registered as a tremor!

A statement released by SIMMSA, a monitoring and analytic network, read: “The earthquake detected in Mexico City originated artificially. Possibly by massive jumping during the national team’s goal at the World Cup. At least two sensors inside the City detected it at 11:32.”

Toni Kroos’ free-kick

The tournament wasn’t a classic for the then reigning world champions (you’ll see that below) but there was one absolute moment of magic

The Germans had gone a goal down to Sweden in their second group match, with Ola Toivonen netting a lovely lob before Marco Reus bundled home an equaliser.

Jerome Boateng then saw red, causing huge problems for the defending champions.

Deep into stoppage time, though, from an obscene angle, Toni Kroos rifled home after a one-two-with Reus at a free-kick.

South Korea rock world champions Germany

That Kroos moment was the only high for Joachim Low’s men.

Against the Asian nation, with their qualification hopes on the line, they just couldn’t break down their opponents – although it should be noted Korea did have good early chances too.

Timo Werner, Mats Hummels, and Leon Goretzka all missed golden opportunities to give themselves a lead, while Jo Hyeon-Woo was impressive between the sticks.

In added time, though, their worst nightmare came alive as Kim Young-Gwon rammed home at the back post from a corner. VAR threatened to rule it out but a German player got the final touch on the ball as it ran through to the Korean defender.

Throwing caution to the wind, Neuer then moved forward as an extra outfield player and was robbed in the final third just a minute later. The ball was lashed forward and Tottenham ace Heung-Min Son nudged the ball home.

Nacer Chadli’s incredible late winner as Belgium and Japan play out thriller

The round-of-16 threw up some intriguing ties but the clash between the Europeans and the Asians looked to be a little one sided on the surface.

A goalless first-half ensued, which was unsurprising given we were into the knockout stage, but what happened in the final 45 was truly astonishing.

Japan grabbed a shock lead after 48 minutes when Genki Haraguchi lashed home and four minutes later it was 2-0 as Takashi Inui thumped the ball in from range.

With 21 minutes left, the Belgians were handed a lifeline when a Jan Vertonghen header somehow looped into the goal from out wide on the left side of the box, and five minutes on the much-maligned Marouane Fellaini, on as a substitute, nodded in the equaliser.

The game was all set for extra-time but when the Japanese should have held onto the ball at a corner they attempted one last attacking set-piece and it failed.

Thibaut Courtois rolled the ball quickly to Kevin De Bruyne, who galloped up field, a superb run from Romelu Lukaku dragged defenders inside, allowing Thomas Meunier to pick the ball up with space ahead of him. Lukaku dummied his pass across the penalty area and Nacer Chadli, after a torrid season with relegated West Brom, was free to lash home. Breathtaking.

Russia shock Spain

The Spanish had already had their fair share of the the World Cup 2018 – or so we thought.

Surely the technically excellent Iberians would brush aside the plucky hosts in the round-of-16? Wrong.

It had looked like it was going to plan when Sergei Ignashevich flicked the ball into his own net while wrestling with Sergio Ramos after 12 minutes but soon Russia were level when Dzyuba netted from the penalty spot after his own header was handled by Gerard Pique.

Spain passed the ball well for the rest of the match, keeping it away from their opponents but they just couldn’t create clear chances and after 120 minutes the game went to penalties.

Igor Akinfeev, to some, had become known due to his 11-year and 43-game run without a Champions League clean sheet but this was his day to be the hero.

He saved efforts from Koke and Iago Aspas to see himself lauded and compared to Russian legend Lev Yashin.

Hugo Lloris’ World Cup final howler

In truth, France won the contest at a canter as a tired Croatia – who had gone to extra-time in all three of their other knockout stage matches – couldn’t cope in the final.

A Mario Mandzukic own goal put Les Bleus ahead before Ivan Perisic equalised. It was the same Croatian, though, who handled to give France a penalty and Griezmann duly slotted home.

Pogba finessed in a third and Mbappe lashed in a fourth – but to blot the copybook, step forward Lloris.

With 21 minutes still to play he dallied on a back pass and attempted to swerve beyond Mandzukic. Instead the Tottenham goalkeeper knocked the ball into the striker and the ball rolled home.

Still, the French were able to raise the trophy aloft in the pouring rain – an adequate consolation for Lloris.

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