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Luka Modric hit out at the English media saying journalists and pundits “should be more humble” after Croatia defied many predictions to reach the World Cup final for the first time in the country’s history, while his team-mate Sime Vrsaljko accused England of being a long-ball team.
Croatia came through two penalty shootouts, against Denmark and Russia, to get to the semi-finals and were expected to show fatigue, but as the game went to extra time it was England who appeared to tire.
“We proved everything differently that people were saying, especially English journalists, pundits from television, they underestimated Croatia tonight and that was a huge mistake,” said Modric. “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 their opponents.
England vs Croatia: Story of the gameShow all 190 1 /190England vs Croatia: Story of the game England vs Croatia: Story of the game England and Croatian fans pose in Red Square ahead of the match
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Fans in the stands before the semi-final
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Mario Mandzukic in action with John Stones
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kieran Trippier Goal
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Raheem Sterling battles for the ball
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kieran Trippier of England celebrates
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Jordan Pickford makes a save from Croatia's Ivan Perisic
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Kieran Trippier celebrates scoring
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kieran Trippier after the first goal of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic dives
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Jordan Pickford celebrates
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Kieran Trippier celebrates scoring their first goal with Harry Kane
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Mario Mandzukic in action with John Stones
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England Celebrate
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Jordan Pickford in action with Croatia's Ante Rebic
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Up and over for Pickford
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Danijel Subasic of Croatia makes a save on Harry Kane of England
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia attempt to fight back
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford save
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kyle Walker goes for the head
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Jordan Pickford of England collides with Ante Rebic of Croatia
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Jordan Pickford takes a stroll
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Danijel Subasic of Croatia makes a save on Harry Kane of England
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Referee Cuneyt Cakir talks to Kyle Walker
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Ashley Young takes a throw
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kyle Walker and John Stones in action with Croatia's Domagoj Vida
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Raheem Sterling in action with Croatia's Ivan Rakitic
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia's Ivan Rakitic in action with England's Kyle Walker
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Jordan Pickford of England during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Semi Final match between England and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia team group. Top Row (left to right) Dejan Lovren, Ivan Strinic, Mario Mandzukic, Ante Rebic, Danijel Subasic and Ivan Perisic. Bottom Row (left to right) Marcelo Brozovic, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Rakitic, Sime Vrsaljko and Luka Modric
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game General view inside the stadium
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Rakitic of Croatia confronts referee Cuneyt
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game hairman of the Football Association Greg Clarke, Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the match
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Rakitic of Croatia and Luka Modric of Croatia confront referee Cuneyt Cakir
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Fans in Millennium Square, Leeds
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Zlatko Dalic, Head coach of Croatia looks on
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia's Luka Modric at half time
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Luka Modric concerned for Croatia
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Rakitic of Croatia confronts referee
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Television monitors inside the stadium
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Harry Kane in action
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Harry Kane in action with Ivan Strinic
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England fans in Moscow
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Harry Kane falls
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Dele Alli header
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate looks on
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Marcelo Brozovic heads it
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia fans in Zagreb
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Kyle Walker sit on the floor
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Sterling v Strinic
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kyle Walker of England lies on the pitch injured
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Harry Kane in action with Croatia's Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Rakitic
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Harry Maguire and Croatia's Luka Modr
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Kieran Trippier and Croatia's Ivan Rakitic battle
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Dele Alli of England looks on
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Jordan Pickford of England kicks the ball away
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ashley Young of England looks on
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Sime Vrsaljko of Croatia challenges Raheem Sterling
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Jordan Pickford during the match
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Gareth Southgate leads
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia fans
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Strinic of Croatia is challenged by Kieran Trippier
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game ngland's Harry Kane in action with Croatia's Dejan Lovren
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England's Raheem Sterling in action with Croatia's Sime Vrsaljko
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Harry Kane of England lies on the pitch
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Modric in peril
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Vrsaljko with Sterling
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford directs
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kyle Walker of England clashes with Ivan Perisic
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Throw in by Ashley Young
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Luka Modric of Croatia pleads
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane fights for the ball
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ref stops play
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic goal
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane gets thirsty
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic celebrates the equaliser
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Walker injury time
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic gets round Pickford
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Right through Pickford
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic gets Croatia's first
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic celebrates his goal
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic scores
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Strinic skills
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Crouching PIckford
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Perisic celebrates
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia hit the post
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Three lions roar from the stadium
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game It all falls down
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Catch by Pickford
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate enthusiasm
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate unsure
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Birdseye view
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane anxious
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic of Croatia scores his team's first goal
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Vida slides along
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate contemplates the outcome
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Ivan Perisic of Croatia scores
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia celebrates a goal
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia at half-time
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate checks the clock
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate watches his team
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane looks on
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford jumps for the ball
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford holds out his arms
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane from behind
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia Manager
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia go for the ball
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate applauds the teams
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Extra time is upon us
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane battles
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Brozovic flies
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Brozovic and Kane battle
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Modric takes the ball
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Perisic in action
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Captain Modric takes command
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford shouts it out
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Despair form the fans
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate considers his team
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Injury time
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Sub time
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Injury checks by the ref
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatian fans
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Danny Rose tackled
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Dier gets ready
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Dier gets steady
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Dier comes on
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Zlatko Dalic directs
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game FIFA President attends the matchDier
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford in action
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Dalic fury
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Vrsaljko clears the ball off the line
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Stones heads the ball
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Dele Alli challenged
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia's second goal
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia takes the lead
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England huddle
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England desperate
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate team talk
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Crotia huddle
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Crotia Score
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Crotia celebrate
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Crotia in action
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate calls out
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England chance
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Trippier injury
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia 2 up
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England unsure
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford dejected
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Vardy in despair
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatian joy
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia celebrate 2-1
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatian fan looking tense
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia celebrates going ahead
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England lose 2-1
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England abandon hope
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England loss
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Final whistle
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane is coming home
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game They think it's all over
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia win 2-1
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate consols
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England and Croatia managers pay their respects
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane upset
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Pickford gives up
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Kane dejected
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Rashford out
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game England fall
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatian pride
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Southgate huddle
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia celebrate a 2-1 win
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Croatia celebrate
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England vs Croatia: Story of the game Going home, goodbye Moscow
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“We should against we were no tired, we dominated the game, physically, mentally in all aspect, we should have killed the game before extra time. It’s an amazing achievement for us, it’s a dream come true after such a long time. The biggest success in Croatian history, in sport, we have to be proud.
“I would say one of the best [moments in my career], if not the best. Hopefully if we manage to win the final then it’s going to be for sure by far the best.”
Luka Modric celebrates Croatia’s winner (Reuters) (REUTERS) Croatia’s right-back Vrsaljko, who impressed throughout the match, was scathing of England’s style of play , saying they resorted to punting “long balls”.
“The all-round perception was that this is a new-look England who have changed their ways of punting long balls upfield but when we pressed them it turned out that they haven’t.”
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