Croatia host England in the second semi-final of the 2018 Russia World Cup at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow tonight in a tie laced with so much history.
The winner of the 9:00PM kick-off match will face France, who edged out Belgium 1-0 yesterday, in the Sunday Final.
This is a semi-final decades in the making. Both sides have waited patiently for their turn, each experiencing heartbreak in prior editions since they last appeared in the final four.
Croatia have ‘only’ had to wait 20 years (semi-finalists at France 1998), while England last reached the semi-final stage 28 years ago at Italy 1990.
Indeed, this first World Cup meeting between the pair will have a historic outcome.
Croatia were defeated by hosts France back in 1998, meaning they have never reached a World Cup Final, while the Three Lions have only reached the Final once before, when they lifted their sole World Cup Trophy more than half-a-century ago – on home soil in 1966.
If both coaches are honest, they will admit that before Russia 2018 started, they would not have anticipated reaching this stage. But both sides have certainly earned their place with valiant performances.
Croatia have endured two grueling 120-minute epics, with nerve-shredding penalty shootout wins in the knockout rounds so far against Denmark and the hosts.
England overcame their own penalty hex in the Round of 16 against Colombia, winning a first World Cup shootout at the fourth time of asking before defeating Sweden in the last eight.
History beckons for both these sides, who have big-name and big-game players amongst their ranks.
Did you know?
Almost three-quarters of England’s Russia 2018 squad (17/23) were not yet born the last time England appeared in the semi-finals (4 July 1990), with Danny Rose born just one day after England’s quarter-final victory against Cameroon at Italy 1990. Croatia’s youngest player in their Russia 2018 squad – Duje Caleta-Car – was just 1 year, 9 months old when Croatia last appeared in the final four (8 July 1998).
Possible line-ups
Croatia: Danijel Subasic; Sime Vrsaljko, Dejan Lovren, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinic; Ivan Rakitic, Marcelo Brozovic; Ante Rebic, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic; Mario Mandzukic
England: Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire; Kieran Trippier, Dele, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young; Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane.
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