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The golden generation of Croatia made history on Wednesday when they beat England 2-1 in the second semi-final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia to reach their first ever major tournament final.
The game began with The Three Lions taking an early lead as Right-back Kieran Trippier fired home a spectacular free-kick in the fifth minute.
The first half saw plenty of chances being created by England but Croatia was able to resist the pressure and were only a goal down at half-time.
Croatia began the second half more positively and were rewarded with an equalizer in the 68th minute as Ivan Perišić scored from a close-range shot. The regulation time ended with both sides tied at one goal apiece.
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The extra-time saw a dominating Croatian side as they continued to attack and took the lead for the very first time when Mario Mandžukić scored in the 109th minute. In the remaining time, there wasn't any significant pressure being created by England and the one-goal lead was enough for Croatia to reach their first ever World Cup final.
They now play against France in the all-important final on Sunday at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow and we shall look at three reasons why Croatia can upset tournament favourites France and go all the way to clinch their maiden World Cup title.
#3 Golden generation's golden opportunity
The Croatian team of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France was dubbed as the golden generation due to their third-place finish but this 'second' golden generation has overshadowed the former by going a step further and reaching the final.
The Croatian camp is well aware that unlike traditional football playing countries such as Germany, Argentina and Brazil they can't build a strong squad every four years to become title contenders.
Croatia had to wait 20 years to reach the World Cup knockout stage and will look to take full advantage of this opportunity. It is safe to say that the East European nation will never get a better chance than this to etch its name in footballing history and for the players to become instant legends if they get their hands on the coveted prize.
Croatia will enter the final as underdogs but at the same time, they will be full of confidence as they have achieved unprecedented success in the past one month.
Every player will play to his full potential so that there are no regrets when the final whistle is blown. The team shall not make any tactical changes and play according to its strength.
Eight years ago in 2010, the Dutch team was very close to creating history but apparently, the pressure of playing a World Cup final got to them as they diverged from their traditional Total-football tactics and played a very rough game and lost 1-0 in extra-time to Spain.
The Croatians will take a lesson from the past and ensure that they don't let the nerves get to them.
#2 Croatia's never-say-die attitude
Croatia began their World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Nigeria following which they hammered South American heavyweights Argentina 3-0 to ensure a Round of 16 spot. They won their group with nine points and were clear favourites to win the Round of 16 tie against Denmark.
The game against Denmark got off to a surprising start as Croatia conceded early. However, a couple of minutes later Croatian striker Mandžukić scored to bring his side level. The regulation time ended at 1-1 and extra-time followed.
Croatian skipper Luka Modrić had a chance to give his side the lead in the 116th minute from the penalty spot but was denied by the Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and the game had to be decided on penalties.
The psychological advantage was with Denmark as they had fought their way back into the match after saving Modrić's spot kick. However, Croatia showed a positive mentality and won 3-2 on penalties.
In the quarter-final match against Russia, Croatia once again conceded first but restored parity before half-time.
The 90 minutes weren't enough to find a winner and once again Croatia headed to extra-time.
Domagoj Vida scored a header in the 100th minute and it looked Croatia were heading to their first World Cup semi-final in 20 years; however, Russia equalized with five minutes of extra-time to go and took the game to a penalty shootout.
Croatia won by 4-3 on penalties and became only the second team in World Cup history to win two consecutive penalty shootouts after Argentina in 1990.
The semi-final game against England saw a similar story unfolded as Croatia conceded first and made a comeback in extra-time.
After an exhausting knockout World Cup stage till now in which Croatia have played for 120-minutes in three consecutive matches, they have experienced every scenario but refused to give up.
This experience of making a comeback in three consecutive matches will surely come in handy in the final match against France.
#1 The Midfield Prowess
Croatia have reached great success in recent times due to their formidable midfield. Players such as Ivan Rakitić, Ivan Perisić, Mateo Kovačić and skipper Modrić have been vital in building a strong midfield that has been the essence of this Croatian golden generation.
The transitional play of Croatia has been one of its greatest strengths and the midfield has played an absolutely pivotal role in that.
Historically, it has been evident that a strong midfield is absolutely vital for a team's success. The golden era of Spain saw midfielders such as Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso taking their team to great heights.
The German side that won the World Cup in Brazil four years ago also boasted a set of strong midfielders such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Mario Götze who were all crucial members of the German squad.
Croatia's midfield prowess can become their greatest strength on Sunday in the grand final against France as each player has the ability to stand out and take his side to the ultimate World Cup glory.
Can Croatia secure their first World Cup? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!
