Resilience, not veteran stars, the key to Croatia beating Japan

AL WAKRAH, Qatar -- In the end, Croatia's triumph connected penalties against Japan came successful the astir brutally unsentimental way. And yet, astatine the aforesaid time, it was each astir sentiment and emotion... but it was the emotion that comes from the reddish and achromatic chequers connected the beforehand of the shirt, not the sanction connected the backmost of the jersey.

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There was a moment, 9 minutes into the archetypal extra-time period, erstwhile you wondered if you were witnessing different milestone. With the people deadlocked astatine 1-1 against Japan successful Monday's Round of 16 clash, Croatia brag Zlatko Dalic had conscionable summoned Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric to the bench, sending connected Lovro Majer and Nikola Vlasic successful their place. In a World Cup that whitethorn good beryllium the past for a fig of bonafide superstars -- from Cristiano Ronaldo to Luis Suarez to Lionel Messi -- you whitethorn person wondered whether you had conscionable witnessed Modric's last moments connected the biggest signifier of all.

Modric is present 37. Four years ago, successful Russia, helium dragged Croatia to the World Cup last and won the Ballon D'Or. He's had his moments for Real Madrid successful the seasons since, but you tin lone flight Father Time for truthful long. He's inactive a cardinal portion of Real Madrid, but arsenic acold arsenic Croatia are concerned, Euro 2024 feels similar a agelong mode away.

When helium realized helium was being subbed off, Modric removed his armband and looked around, his look a blend of disorder and exhaustion. Moments later, Domagoj Vida, the hulking defender who was a mainstay for Croatia astatine Russia 2018, enveloped some players successful a carnivore hug. Modric looked to beryllium sobbing, portion Kovacic seemed apprehensive. For his part, Vida looked similar a dada consoling 2 upset children extracurricular the vet's bureau portion they disquieted astir a sick pet.

Dalic folded his arms and looked astatine the pitch. If Croatia were going to spell out, they were going to bash it connected his terms: nary sentimentality and nary deference to the large names. It wasn't conscionable astir Modric and Kovacic, who didn't play successful the 2018 last but featured heavy successful the erstwhile rounds. Of the 13 players who were progressive successful the 2018 World Cup last against France, conscionable 5 made it to the 2022 squad. Vida was connected the bench; Andrej Kramaric was substituted earlier, Ivan Perisic would travel disconnected later. Then determination was Modric. In total, Dejan Lovren and Marcelo Brozovic were the lone holdovers who lasted until the last punishment against Japan.

There are duplicate narratives astatine play here. One is of Croatia arsenic immoderate benignant of federation of Balkan supermen whose grit and unity and fortitude and tough-as-nails mentality alteration them to regularly punch mode supra their weight. The different is the cinematic communicative of the seasoned superstars joining forces for 1 past large score, riding their acquisition and intelligence toughness to the quarterfinal of a World Cup.

Dalic, evidently, bought the first, and wherefore shouldn't he? Croatia won 2 punishment shootouts astatine the past World Cup (against Denmark and hosts Russia) earlier outlasting England successful extra-time successful the semifinal. They're not fazed erstwhile the crippled timepiece stretches past the 90th minute; their colors don't tally and their knees don't tremble. "They are resilient, they bespeak the quality of the Croatian people," said Dalic, speaking of his players. "We person been done truthful overmuch pain, we bash not springiness up. We are a tiny state with a large heart. We play for our supporters and the anticipation for a amended tomorrow."

But arsenic for the second, helium enactment crushed supra emotion. Modric and Kovacic were spent, portion Kramaric was ineffective. Perisic hung astir until the past 15 minutes, but helium excessively was yanked erstwhile the state began to tally out. And conscionable arsenic important, Dalic had religion successful the replacements adjacent though, frankly, nary are household names oregon are apt to ever beryllium household names, astatine slightest successful the nine game. Mario Pasalic, 27, and Lovro Majer, 24, are successful and retired of the starting lineups for Atalanta and Rennes respectively. Nikola Vlasic, 25, was a bust astatine West Ham and Everton and is present astatine Torino. Marko Livaja, 29, is backmost successful Croatia astatine Hajduk Split. He was erstwhile a highly touted youngster; contiguous you mightiness accidental helium has a superb aboriginal down him.

And yet, connected this time and for this match, these are the men successful which Dalic placed his trust. This quartet replaced a Real Madrid fable and Ballon d'Or winner, a Chelsea mainstay, a feline who scored 91 Bundesliga goals for Hoffenheim and a Tottenham prima whose resume includes Bayern Munich, Inter Mila and Borussia Dortmund. Four guys who had delivered for Dalic before, and who had fixed him their all. Four players who, crucially, would person each been among the punishment takers if they had inactive been connected the pitch, arsenic Dalic confirmed later.

And yet helium was vindicated, though not needfully for what they produced connected the pitch: Croatia were incapable to triumph it successful 90 minutes oregon successful extra-time, but 3 of the 4 (Livaja, Pasalic and Vlasic) stepped up to instrumentality the penalties, though Livaja missed. Majer would person been among those up next, but Japan's misses meant his services weren't needed.

Asked to opposition his newcomers with the players who performed truthful good successful Russia, Dalic said: "I told them that this is their accidental to marque history, similar the ones who came earlier them successful Russia and contiguous they did it."

Asked whether the punishment kicks were astir luck oregon astir preparation, Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu said: "I deliberation it's both... I deliberation it was astir luck, but besides astir training." Yet Moriyasu missed thing there; it's besides astir intelligence toughness and sheer bloody-mindedness. And, supra all, their belief.

"Do not underestimate Croatians, we ne'er springiness up," said Dalic. "We are existent believers. And God is with us."