Maximum intensity, a relentless atmosphere in the stands, and excitement from start to finish: Toronto Stadium bade farewell to the on a high note.
But when the dust settled, all that remained for one team was a feeling of emptiness. Croatia found their a bitter pill to swallow and needed time to let it all sink in, with most of the squad remaining in their dressing room for close to two hours after the final whistle.
“Of course, disappointment is the overriding feeling,” said a dejected Marin Pongracic after his side’s Round of 32 exit. “But we’re very pleased with our performance in the second half. We can be proud of the way we played football.”
Captain Luka Modric brushed aside questions about his international future after the match – “Today is not the right time for that” – and affirmed that “we can go home with our heads held high".
The 43,036 fans inside the stadium surely felt the same way about ’s performance – and so, too, did . “We knew, of course, that they had so much fighting spirit,” said matchwinner Goncalo Ramos. “They gave us a really hard time after the break.”
With Germany having been knocked out early for the third time in a row, the unofficial title of 'ultimate tournament team' is up for grabs and the Croatia had put themselves in a strong position to claim it with their performances at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, when reaching the final and last four respectively. Their ability to rise to the occasion when their backs are against the wall is a defining characteristic of the Vatreni.
“We showed them what we’re capable of and just how strong we really are, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough today and we were unlucky as well,” said full-back Josip Stanisic, who struggled with Rafael Leao’s pace in the first half but then dug in. “Our response in the second half was really good but if you don’t have a bit of luck, it’s all for nothing, unfortunately.”
“We went down fighting,” added coach Zlatko Dalic, who clearly struck the right note at half-time as his team returned to the pitch with a completely different mindset.
“We told ourselves that we need to play with more determination and more character,” said Petar Sucic in an interview with FIFA. “We knew we could compete with them on equal terms and that’s exactly what we did. I’m convinced we could have made it to the final. Now I believe that Portugal are capable of it, because they’ve managed to beat us.”
Sources: FIFA Official
