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In a burst of national pride and joy, Croatia rolled out a red carpet and hosted a euphoric hero welcome for the national team on Monday despite losing to France in the World Cup final.
Hundreds of thousands of people wearing national red and white checkered colors and waving Croatian flags in the streets of the capital Zagreb to greet the team. Observers described the event back in the country as the largest ever in Croatia.
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The cheerful and singing crowd crushes the central squares and the road where players pbad in an open bus, hailing fans and signing autographs.
More than 250,000 people went out into the center of Zagreb and many others along the road. The bus of the players traveled for hours, stopping often when it was blocked by the crowds.
"Thank you Croatia, thank you Zagreb!" Captain Luka Modric, winner of the Golden Ball after being voted best player of the World Cup, "said midfielder Ivan Rakitic," there are no words to describe what we feel now! »
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The players lined up to sing the national anthem with the square crowded with joy. The right-wing nationalist singer Marko Perkovic Thompson is joined at the end by singing a few songs.
Thousands of fans, many of whom came from other parts of the country, began arriving at the center early in the morning and emergency medical services said they helped hundreds of fans who were collapsed from exhaustion. The city authorities brought water tanks to the city center.
Car horns honking, waving and shouting "Bravo! Bravo!" Greeted the bus that was slowly leaving the airport. The inscription at the front read: "Fiery heart, the pride of Croatia!" Referring to the name "The Fiery" as the team is nicknamed at home.
When the bus pbaded, the fans followed on bicycle or on foot, waving. The pictures of great players were displayed along the way in the middle of a cacophony of noises and cheers.
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The first Croatian team to reach the World Cup final showed his silver medals and embraced the atmosphere at Zagreb. Rakitic posted a picture on Instagram with controversial singer Thompson, who climbed on the bus at one point, saying: "The King is here! The One and Only! Go to Croatia!"
Dejan Lovren of the Croatia during the celebrations in Zagreb.
(Reuters)
Earlier, Croatian air force jets escorted the aircraft carrying the Russian team as it penetrated into space Aerial of the country and flying over Zagreb
"Champions! Champions!" roared the crowd as players descended from the plane on a red carpet on the tarmac of Zagreb airport.
The country of four million people is euphoric since his team beat England to reach the final The success has been described as the greatest in Croatian sports history , reinforcing the national pride and sense of unity in the country that waged a war to become independent of the former Yugoslavia. The 1990s.
Now a member of the European Union, the Croatian economy remains weak and people are leaving the country in search of a more secure future elsewhere.
The fans are waiting for the arrival of the team on the main square of Zagreb.
Reuters
"I can not even begin to explain what this means to the Croatian unity," said Sunday to the Associated Press in Moscow President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. "I hope this … will boost the country's economic development and bring back new jobs and young people to the country." 19659002 "" I am so proud not only of our football team, but I am also proud of our nation. "
Croatia's national railway company halved ticket prices for fans to travel to Zagreb, while city authorities said public transport would be free on Monday. while other media have described the players as "our heroes".
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