Croatia are grinding their way towards another World Cup final and have been finding motivation through strange means in Qatar… as Zlatko Dalic insists his side are bound by ‘pride, faith and patriotism’
Here we are again. Just like four years ago, Croatia are grinding their way towards uncharted territory.
And just like four years ago, Zlatko Dalic’s side are mining motivation from rather peculiar sources.
In 2018, it was the words of David Baddiel and Frank Skinner – plus opinions tumbling from TV studios – that lit the flame under Luka Modric and Co ahead of their World Cup semi-final against England. The Three Lions refrain ‘Football’s Coming Home’, a lack of humility and ‘respect’.
Croatia are on the verge of securing yet another appearance in the World Cup final
Zlatko Dalic spoke in confidence when debating his side’s chance of success in Qatar
It all rankled. This winter, another Englishman, another grievance. Canada boss John Herdman, who, in the emotion of a post-game huddle, told his side: ‘We’re going to f*** Croatia.’ Neither Dalic nor Ivan Perisic were happy.
No matter that Croatia had knocked out Canada with a 4-1 win. They couldn’t let go. ‘I want to thank Canada’s coach for the motivation,’ Andrej Kramaric gloated. ‘We demonstrated who f***** whom.’
A bit odd, isn’t it? After all they have achieved, after all the horrors and all of the glory their nation has seen in its short life, why do they find fuel in such trivialities? If they didn’t know better, some might suggest Croatia seem rather… fragile?
But we do know better. We know this is a generation blessed with extraordinary resilience and spirit. A team – representing a nation of fewer than four million – bound by ‘pride, faith and patriotism’, as Dalic put it.
Canada were left confused after being torn apart by Croatia during the group stage
‘We are raised as fighters. We spare no effort,’ said keeper Dominik Livakovic, among the giants of this tournament. So perhaps the precise reason why Croatia continue to ignore reason is because they take everything to heart, because of all that players such as Modric saw during the battle for independence, because of a lingering need to prove their worth and defend their honour.
Four years on, it feels telling that what bothered Modric before the 2018 semi-final was the temerity of pundits to suggest that Croatia might be leggy after two penalty shootouts. Only now is the folly of that theory abundantly clear: Tuesday’s semi-final will be Croatia’s ninth knockout game in the past 14 years.
Not one has been settled in 90 minutes. In fact, Croatia haven’t won a World Cup knockout game in normal time since France 98.
That Modric remains their beating heart is little surprise: even at 37, with 160 caps, he continues to glide just out of reach of both his opponents and Father Time. The midfielder has missed just 25 minutes in Qatar.
Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic has been one of the standout performers in the competition
Around him, and other veterans like Perisic and Dejan Lovren, more unlikely heroes emerge.
‘We demonstrated what it means to never surrender, and demonstrated what Croatia is,’ Dalic said after beating Brazil.
‘They are great fighters and only Croats can do that.’
Between battles, however, this is a ‘family’ that bonds through simple pleasures: table tennis and darts. ‘We don’t need to fear anyone,’ said right back Josip Juranovic, another star of this tournament. ‘We breathe for each other, from the first minute to the last. That is the secret of our success.’
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