END OF THE ROAD FOR OUR LIONS

FROM BACK PAGE reaction at the end – I can’t ask any more from the players.

“By the end, several players were out on their feet. That shows you everything.

We have come an incredibly long way in a short period of time. We are probably beyond where we thought we might be able to go. The team will be stronger for that.

“There weren’t clear changes that we thought could change it. There was a period for 20 minutes in the second half where we stopped playing. As we reflect there will be a lot more positives, but tonight it is difficult to take.

“The players have to look at the reaction of the supporters. You don’t get that if you haven’t given everything.

“In the six or seven weeks we’ve been together, we could not have given any more.”

The killer blow came when John Stones failed to spot Mandzukic’s run behind him and the Croatia forward buried a left-foot shot beyond the reach of Jordan Pickford to leave England with only a third-place play-off to come.

England were in command in the first-half with Kieran Trippier giving them the perfect start with a superb 25-yard free-kick after just five minutes.

But they were unable to build on that lead and Ivan Perisic levelled in the 68th minute.