Bid to foil Modric

him in Liverpool’s Champions League Final defeat to Real Madrid in May, but he will not have expected to face him again on this stage, at this stage of the tournament. It has been an astonishing season for the 28-year-old who may not even have been in the England squad, never mind the fulcrum of the team, had Southgate not been the manager and invested so much trust and belief in him.

Sam Allardyce had been underwhelmed by England’s midfield options after Euro 2016 to such an extent that he openly talked about the possibility of trying to bring in Steven Nzonzi, who is now in the France squad that has reached the final. Allardyce clearly felt that Henderson was not good enough. Well that, at least, has been disproved and was again demonstrated as he blocked early in the second half, when Ante Rebic appeared to have the space to shoot. That space soon disappeared and it did so again when Maguire barrelled forward, overran the ball and suddenly it seemed Croatia could break. But Henderson hunted it down and then did it again.

He pressed and pressed and pressed once more. The anxiety

Allardyce thought Henderson was not good enough but that has clearly been disproved

was inevitably a concern, although Henderson played a superb through-ball to Sterling that almost gave him a sight of goal. It was interesting that while his team-mates began to snatch at the ball more, Henderson grew calmer and looked to play a more measured pass while not relinquishing his role.

Even so, Croatia’s pressure told and the outstanding Ivan Perisic equalised. Now what? England were up against it; holding on, but extra-time came.

Extra-time for the third successive time for Croatia and for the second time in three matches for England but, soon into it, Henderson was inevitably spent and gave way to Dier. He had given everything and England missed him when he went off.