'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
4. Mario Mandžukić makes history
England and Croatia defied the odds to get to this point, but sadly only one would play in the biggest game in football.
Trending
For England, it was a chance to finally right the many wrongs of years gone by and win the World Cup for the first time since 1966. For Croatia, it was a chance to finally break through the shadow of 1998.
The game started off with a bang as Kieran Trippier scored a freekick in the opening 5 minutes, but that was as good as it got for the English. As the game went by, Croatia dominated more. England was lucky to stay ahead going into halftime, but their luck was soon about to run out.
Ivan Perišić beautifully steered home a cross on the volley to make it 1-1. Croatia continued to create chances but England hung in, until the second half of extra time.
With penalties looming, both sides would have fancied themselves. But in the 109th minute, a lapse in concentration allowed Mario Mandžukić to score. They had just created history. Little Croatia was off to the World Cup final.
They have not only matched what the 1998 team did, but they surpassed them, forever writing their names in Croatian football history.
