World Cup

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Attendance: 78,011

World Cup | Semi-Finals

Jul 11, 2018 at 7pm UK

Croatia
2-1
England

Perisic (68'), Mandzukic (109')

FT
(aet)

Trippier (5')

Croatia captain Luka Modric: 'English press underestimated us'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 12 July 2018

Croatia captain Luka Modric accuses the English media of underestimating his team ahead of Wednesday's 2018 World Cup semi-final with England.

Croatia captain Luka Modric has accused the English media of underestimating his team ahead of Wednesday's 2018 World Cup semi-final with England.

England were seen as the favourites to progress to the final of the competition, and took an early lead in the semi-final when Kieran Trippier's free kick found the back of the net.

Ivan Perisic equalised for Croatia before Mario Mandzukic won it in extra time, however, and Modric has accused "English journalists" of not respecting his nation's team in the build-up.

Modric told ITV: "We proved everything differently that people were talking. Especially English journalists, pundits from television, they underestimated Croatia tonight and that was a huge mistake.

"All these words from them we take, we were reading and we were saying 'OK, today we will see who will be tired.' As I said, they should be more humble, and respect opponents more. That's it."

Croatia will take on France in the final of this year's World Cup on Sunday afternoon.