MODRIC BLASTS ENGLISH MEDIA
‘You underestimated us - and that was a huge mistake,’ says Croatia captain
LUKA Modric issued a withering rebuke to English journalists and pundits who had ‘underestimated’ Croatia after his team’s World Cup semi-final victory over the Three Lions.
The skipper said detractors ‘should be more humble’ and show greater respect after his side’s 2-1 extra-time win shattered England’s dreams of glory in Russia.
Modric, who will on Sunday lead Croatia into their first-ever World Cup final, suggested his team had set out to prove a point after noting unfavourable views aired by critics prior to Wednesday’s match.
“Especially English journalists, pundits from television, they underestimated Croatia tonight and that was a huge mistake,” Modric told ITV Sport.
“All these words from them we take, we were reading and we were saying, ‘OK, today we will see who will be tired’.
“And like I said they should be more humble and respect more opponents.
“But we showed again that we were not tired, we dominated the game physically, mentally, in all aspects.”
The Real Madrid midfielder, 32, has dazzled in Russia and is now just a victory over France away from lifting the biggest prize in world football.
It would be a momentous occasion for Croatia, whose previous best performance was a semi-final loss to France in 1998.
“This is an amazing achievement for us,” he said.
“It's a dream come true after such a long time.
“We are in the final. It is the biggest success in Croatian history in sport and we have to be proud.” ZAGREB: Tears and cries of joy, hugs and chants, firecrackers and flares — Croatia was on fire late Wednesday after their victory against England set up a first ever appearance in a World Cup final.
“Croatia in World Cup finals! It is so beautiful! Miracle of all miracles in Russia!” the state-run HRT television commentator Drago Cosic shouted ecstatically.
Croatia beat England 2-1 in extra-time thanks to a Mario Mandzukic goal in the second period of extra-time to book a date with France in Moscow on Sunday.
Thousands of fans gathered at the country’s largest fan zone in Zagreb’s main square, braving intermittent rain to cheer on the “Fiery Ones” (Vatreni) on a giant screen.
“We can be proud and happy ... we don’t want to stop here,” Croatia’s star player Luka Modric told HRT
“Only great teams can be so courageous and make a comeback afer trailing 1-0 against England,” Mandzukic said.
“We were losing and we returned, we were like lions.”
Local media praised the players as heroes.
“Perisic and Mandzukic heroes — Miraculous Croatia shocks England and makes it to the World Cup final for first time in history!” said the Tportal website.
“Bravo! Everyone should celebrate... Dalic’s Fiery Ones achieved the biggest success in Croatian football history!,” commented Sportske Novosti paper online
“We brought down the English! Croatia is in World Cup final! Bravo our heroes, bravo! Deep bow!,” said the Vecernji List paper online.
The paper noted that in a “drama of extra-time Croatia beat England and on Sunday it will decide with France who plays the best football on the planet.
“Well, that’s Croatia, don’t have any doubt about it.”
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of fans throughout the country, from the northen port of Rijeka to Dubrovnik in the south, or in the eastern city Osijek, celebrated the victory on the streets and squares, singing popular fans songs and waving Croatia red-white-blue flags.
“This is a highly emotional evening! I’m so proud, a big victory for all of us!” said Fran Kulic, 23, celebrating with friends in downtown Zagreb.
“Play my Croatia, when I see you my heart is on fire!,” a popular song was played all day long on radio stations while waiters, shop workers, TV presenters and nurses donned red-and-white jerseys.
Some stores closed early to enable employees to watch the match, with various concerts, plays and cinema screenings cancelled.
For the past few weeks Modric’s side have been feted as national heroes for their run to the last four in Russia.
They matched the feat of their predecessors in 1998 who reached the semi-finals in the country’s first World Cup as an independent nation.
But on Wednesday night Dalic’s players did even better, securing a historic first World Cup final for the country of about four million people.