Euphoric France dreams of World Cup glory after 20-year wait

The Croatian team is now set to face off the French squad in the final match of the football championship in Russian Federation at the Luzhniki Stadium on July 15 at 6:00 p.m. local time (15:00 GMT).

This is the exact outcome Sault Ste.

“I’m feeling excellent, excellent”, said Saric.

With a population of just over four million, Croatia is the smallest nation to reach the final match of a World Cup since Uruguay lifted the title in 1950.

The event was backed by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who said: “World Cup fever has gripped London and the rest of the nation and we have all been swept away by the fantastic exploits of Gareth Southgate’s team”.

“We have a good opportunity to give them something back for 20 years ago when they reached the final”, Croatia defender Dejan Lovren said.

He said: “I don’t read what is going on in England, I am reading about my own country after each game”. “It’s going to be a great day on Sunday”.

“We adapt a bit the way we play against our opponents and this is to his credit”.

The goal prompted wild celebrations, after fighting back from 1-0 down, having looked gone for all money in the first half after England’s Kieran Trippier curled home an exquisite free kick.

England’s resurrected Euro ’96 campaign song by the Lightning Seeds was even performed by the band ahead of the game to a rapturous reception from the largely youthful crowd decked out in England shirts and flags.

The Croatians went into Russian Federation as the 20th-ranked team in the world, but in particular their midfield talents of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic meant they were fancied by many as dark horses for a decent run.

“It’s 28 years since England made it to the semi-final, so it’s hard to get people to come to a basement”, said Jacobs. In the 68 minute, Šime Vrsaljko curled a pass into the far post, finding Ivan Perisic, who slid the ball into the net to get the equalizer. Today, England and Croatia will do battle for the right to face the Frenchmen on Sunday in the last game of the tournament.

“Nobody believed this could happen at the beginning of the World Cup, but this team has really shown something in recent weeks”.