Silver medalist four years ago, Croatia leave this time with the bronze of Qatar.
Fireworks in the sky of the capital, Zagreb, and cries of joy in the streets came to greet the victory of Croatia in the match for the 3rd place of the World-2022 in Qatar, Saturday against Morocco (2 -1).
«Croatia is on fire! Tears, songs, pride and joy across the country“, summarized the daily Vecernji List on its website, at the end of the match of Luka Modric and his teammates.
«Croatia are going to have a long and happy night“Adds the newspaper, with supporting photos of supporters, in several cities, waving the tricolor flag of this country of four million inhabitants.
Three podiums in six World Cups
After 3rd place in 1998 and the 2018 final in Russia, lost against France, this is the third time that Croatia has finished on the podium of a World Cup since its independence in 1991.
«Croatia is again the third country in the world“, shouted the commentator of the match on the public channel HRT, at the end of the match in Doha. “We are delighted, proud, happy! Well done Croatia, well done the Vatreni !”, he added.
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For coach Zlatko Dalic, quoted by HRTit’s a “bronze that shines like gold“, and he has “dedicated this victory to the man who started it all: (Miroslav) Ciro Blazevic“. Aged 87, Blazevic led the Croatian team in France in 1998.
Several thousand fans had gathered in Jelacic Square in central Zagreb to watch the match on a giant screen, including proud Ana Polic, in her 20s, wrapped in a flag Croatian.
«Three world medals for our small country is a huge achievement. I’m so proud. Well done the Vatreni“, rejoiced Marin Lovric, 32, who had chosen a bar in Zagreb to watch the match on Saturday.
Modric’s team will be welcomed on Sunday in Zagreb by a crowd of supporters, as in 2018 on their return from Russia, when more than 550,000 Croats applauded them between the airport and the central square. Since independence, the only event to bring more people together was a visit by Pope John Paul II in 1994.
