D’Or open for Virgil.. and Messi
ENGLAND’S record against
Croatia in competitive games is tarnished by two dismal defeats in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign – Steve McClaren in the rain at Wembley (above) – and that heartbreaking defeat in Russia.
OUR RECORD:
Played 8, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 3
Croatia 2 England 4
(June 2004) in Lisbon
AN 18-year-old Wayne
Rooney (right) blew
Croatia away as the
Everton teenager struck twice in the Euro 2004 last-16 clash.
Croatia 2 England 0
(Oct 2006) Zagreb
KEEPER Paul Robinson
(below) capped a miserable night for England when his horror miskick allowed Gary Neville’s back-pass to roll into his net.
England 2 Croatia 3 (Nov 2007) Wembley ‘WALLY with the brolly’ Steve McClaren saw his side’s hopes of reaching the Euro 2008 finals – and his hopes of staying on as England boss – disappear on a rainlashed night as Wembley.
Croatia 1 England 4 (Sept 2008) Zagreb
A STUNNING hat-trick from 19-year-old Theo Walcott in a World Cup qualifier gave England a measure of revenge for the Euro 2008 exit.
Croatia 2 England 1 (July 2018) Moscow THREE LIONS fans finally dared to dream it was coming home when
Kieran Trippier’s early free-kick put Gareth
Southgate (right) and his side ahead in the
World Cup semi-final.
But Ivan Perisic’s leveller and Mario
Mandzukic’s extra-time winner gave England more years of hurt.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK has revealed his pride at being on the shortlist for the Ballon d’Or.
And the Liverpool icon believes there will be no losers at the prestigious ceremony in Paris tonight, even if, as expected, Lionel Messi emerges victorious.
The 28-year-old Holland hero has had an incredible year and many believe it is time for a defender to lift the trophy, with the award usually skewed towards attacking players.
But Van Dijk himself is just pleased to be going head to head with such an all-time great and said: “It is just something to be proud of because not a lot of players go there and are up for these kind of things.
“There are no losers – we will see what happens. I’m very proud to be in that bracket, be in there for the way I performed with the team last year, and also with the country.”
Liverpool are likely to have three players in the top five on the night, with Mo Salah and Sadio Mane also nominated, but Barcelona and Argentina superstar Messi is the overwhelming favourite to win the trophy for a record sixth time.
FORMER Tottenham striker Peter Crouch has told Harry Kane he does not need to leave the club to win trophies now Jose Mourinho is manager.
Speculation was rife that 26-year-old Kane would move on in the summer, but the arrival of Mourinho changes things.
Crouch said: “I don’t see why he would leave. People are saying he needs to win trophies. He is 26, has a winner as manager of his club, he is captain there, an incredible stadium, an incredible training ground, he’s from the area.
“If he can win something at Tottenham, which he can under Mourinho, it will mean more to him than winning somewhere else.”