Croatia’s exhausted and battered players set their sights on the World Cup final against France on Thursday as England reflected on a missed opportunity to end more than half a century of pain. Luka Modric’s team were taken to extra-time for the third consecutive match in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday but somehow found the energy to overcome England 2-1. Croatia have now played the equivalent of a whole match more than Didier Deschamps’ team ahead of Sunday’s final in the Russian capital but must gird themselves for one final push for glory. In beating Gareth Southgate’s young team, Croatia have surpassed the achievement of the heroes of 1998, who reached the semi-finals in France in their first World Cup as an independent nation.
The victory sparked wild celebrations in Croatia, where tens of thousands of fans poured onto the streets and squares, singing, letting off flares and waving red-white-and-blue flags. “Dream, Dream, Dream! Croatia are in the World Cup final,” said the Sportske Novosti newspaper, adding that coach Zlatko Dalic “has entered into legend” after bettering the achievement of the 1998 team. “The Fiery Ones are in the final, the nation is in a trance — one more step to the title!” said the Jutarnji List, using the team’s nickname.
Dalic said there would be no excuses from his team despite their exertions over the past two weeks. “This is fantastic. Two players played with half a leg, but it didn’t show. In extra-time nobody wanted to be substituted. This shows character and is what makes me proud. Nobody gave up,” said Dalic. “We prepared to get to the final and we want to play it,” he said. “Going to extra-time might be a problem along with the fact France have had an extra day to recover but there will be no excuses.”