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Say that there is a solid wall. It is said that he is unbreakable. You're not sure whether it's true or not, but the thing is made of brick and looks damn hard. And say that you told Mario Mandzukic that he had to run head-first through this wall for Croatia to win a game. Before you could finish your sentence, Mandzukic would have his head through that wall and scream of victory as the blood ran down his face.
Mandzukic limped heavily at the end of Croatia's quarter-final against Russia, a thrilling match that they won in a penalty shootout. Everyone on Croatia was exhausted because it was their second consecutive match that was extended. But Mandzukic, who runs himself in tatters and is beaten every game, was visibly hurt and tired. He could barely move at the end of the game.
Yet he started in the semifinal against England a few days later, a match that Croatia won thrillingly (again) in overtime . It can not be said that he ran or worked harder than usual against England, because he always runs and works as if we are in a post-apocalyptic world and he is a servant of Immortan Joe. And at this point, I believe it totally indestructible. He may feel pain and he may be hurt and hurt, but he will continue to stand up and fight.
But he kept running. For 90 minutes. In overtime, the third (!) Right match that Croatia played was tied at the end of the settlement.
Before Mandzukic scored the winning goal, he had a close opportunity that came from a cross on the left wing. Mandzukic made a run in the middle of the defense and the curling ball found him right in front of Pickford. He touched a bit, but Pickford managed to block the shot. Pickford's right foot also crossed Mandzukic's thigh during the rescue. Mandzukic stayed a while, the coaches came, he was blessed with the magic throw, but he seemed that he should substitute. He was caught on the side of the field, limping, and a few minutes later he ran inside to continue the match.
When he scored his goal deep in the third consecutive time that Croatia played, with his tired legs and his body bruised by the previous mistake, in a game that Croatia was legitimately called to lose, I could not not believe [Mandat:19659007] Mandzukic is the most visceral representation of the spirit of Croatia in this World Cup, but the same courage that is in it runs through the entire team. All their victories in the knockout stages have been returns. They won two shots on goal. They took everything their opponents had to offer, and they remained on the ground with their hands on their knees, tired and frustrated, and yet they went through each time.
Beyond Mandzukic, Danijel Subašić suffered a hamstring injury against Russia, and played the final minutes of the match in visible pain. Whenever he made a stop, he was coming down and was almost in tears. Because Croatia was out of submarine by the time he was injured, he had no choice but to play through the injury. And he did, and he even continued to make a stop in shots on goal. He also played the whole match against England.
Ivan Strinić is injured in the last three games. His departure against England was as surprising as Mandzukic and Subašić. Luka Modric had his hands on his lap for most of the extra time against England after giving everything he had against Russia. Ante Rebić and Ivan Rakitić were everywhere. Domagoj Vida and Dejan Lovren were fired and spread everywhere, and managed to contain the England strikers. Ivan Perišić continued on his defenders and scored his goal after England dominated the first period, and if it was not for the post, he would have got a second well-deserved goal.
England was so comfortable in the first period against a visibly tired Croatia that there seemed to be a second goal and that the match would be over before the second half. And if there had not been missed shots a few inches, they would have done it. But as the game progressed, Croatia came alive. When they should have been on their last legs, Croatian players started running, pushing, dribbling and shooting more.
In the final stages of the World Cup, matches become wear games. Everyone is hurt and tired. The trick for teams is to make sure that players stay healthy enough to complete a game. The tournament comes at the end of a long and grueling club season, and it's ridiculous to expect players to be at their best at this point, especially after another grueling tournament campaign that sees them go into the semi-finals.
But what's more wonderful about this Croatian team is that when tactics and physical bodies have fallen by the wayside, when players are reduced to nothing more than their want to continue, they become even stronger.
Ideas of spirit and bravery are often overestimated in the sport, but this group of Croatian players just do not stop. They fight through when the game comes into players standing with their hands on their knees or their hips. Modric will be on the ground, trying to catch his breath, after failing to intercept a pbad from Jesse Lingard, to take the ball 60 meters ahead to launch an attack for his team.
In addition to the team's super talented tactics and players, Croatia has reached its first World Cup final because it has crossed all the physical and mental barriers that it has encountered. They are so brave that it's impossible not to be happy and inspired by seeing them come back against team, dragging their failing bodies and each other to the promised land. No matter what they do in the final, Croatia was the most beautiful surprise of this tournament.
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