Chinanews.com, Beijing, December 10th (Liu Xingchen) It was another penalty shootout, and the Croatian won again.
In the early morning of the 10th Beijing time, when the Brazilian and Croatian players walked to the 12-yard point for the final battle, the former was even more nervous.
When the teenager Rodrygo's shot was saved by the brave Croatian goalkeeper Livakovic, Neymar, who was over thirty years old, did not dare to open his eyes to face the cruel plot.
The picture shows Modric comforting the lost Neymar after the game
As Marquinhos' penalty kick hit the post and popped out, the Croatian team eliminated the championship-winning Samba Army and advanced to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar.
Before starting the knockout round, Croatia coach Dalic predicted the team's performance, "We have a chance to become the World Cup champion, and we will work hard for it."
The Croatian needs two more victories to reach their goal.
Do you still think what they said earlier was a lie?
The picture shows the scene of the game
group stage, open low
In the group stage, if you ask which team has the championship, I believe most people's answer will not be Croatia.
As the runner-up of the last World Cup, although the Plaid Army ranked second in the group with 1 win and 2 draws, but the team's aging lineup will give people a sense of being a hero.
After the 0-0 draw with Morocco in Qatar's World Cup debut, captain Modric said pragmatically, "The team's primary goal is to qualify for the group."
Four years later, the core players of the Croatian team are still veterans during the World Cup in Russia, and the traces of the years are hard to hide.
After Mandzukic and others left the national team, the Plaid Army is undergoing a change of old and new.
Who can form a new iron triangle with Modric and Perisic is the answer that the outside world has been seeking.
Croatian midfielder Luka Modric
knockout, high walk
In two penalty shootouts, the dark horse Japan team and the favorite Brazil team were eliminated, and the Croatians once again amazed the world.
In Qatar, the 27-year-old Croatian goalkeeper Livakovic exploded overnight.
He saved 4 penalties in two games, and some people even turned him into a lucky charm that can block troubles.
The memory goes back to 4 years ago. Also in the 1/8 finals and 1/4 finals, the 34-year-old Croatian goalkeeper Subasic saved 4 penalty kicks from his opponent.
Dragging an injured leg, he held the last line of defense.
At that time, the 23-year-old Livakovic witnessed the wonderful performance of his predecessors "high and low gear" on the bench.
Like most Croatian players, Livakovic started his career in Zagreb.
It was not until the age of 21 that he was selected by the domestic giants Dynamo.
In the past six seasons, as the team's main goalkeeper, Livakovic began to appear in the public eye.
After Subasic left in 2018, Livakovic officially guarded the national team's goal.
The picture shows Croatian goalkeeper Livakovic flying to save.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
Before the start of the 1/8 final penalty shootout with the Japanese team, Livakovic seemed very relaxed.
That night, he became a nightmare for Japanese football at the Janub Stadium.
Behind the goal guarded by Livakovic, there are stands with a large number of Japanese fans.
Amid the cheers for the Japanese players, he successively saved penalties from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Misaki, and Maya Yoshida, puncturing the Japanese team's dream of reaching the quarterfinals.
"This is one of the happiest moments in my career. I became a hero of Croatia." Livakovic, the God of World War I, defended the glory of the Croatian "King of Overtime".
small country big dream
Facing the five-star Brazil, which is aiming to win the championship, the Croatians were not favored before the game.
Everyone knows the story after that.
Livakovic continued his magic in the penalty shootout and tried to keep the team into the semi-finals.
Behind this is the true portrayal of the current Croatian team.
Pictured: Croatia goalkeeper Livakovic saves Rodrygo's penalty kick
In the knockout stage, the Croatians have always been the first to concede the ball.
Especially in the game against Brazil, Neymar scored a goal in the 105th minute of overtime, and they were cornered.
After that, the 37-year-old Modric ran more tirelessly, and the Croatian defended, passed, and attacked frantically.
In the 116th minute, Petkovic, who came off the bench, pushed and scored.
At that moment, perhaps the scale of victory had tilted towards the Grid Army.
Tenacity and fighting spirit are words commonly used to describe Croatian football.
Among the top 16 teams, Croatia is the smallest and smallest country with a population of just over 4 million.
And when the praise of the "King of Penalty Kicks" became a prominent label of the Croatian team, its tenacity and courage on the court can be seen.
The picture shows the players of the two teams in the game.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
"Never underestimate the Croatians. Maybe we look small, but we are brave, full of fighting spirit and belief in victory." After defeating the Japanese team, Dalic once commented on his players.
In his opinion, the tenacity of Modric's generation of players has long been integrated into the blood.
"When the sun kisses his fertile soil, when the wind blows his oak trees, when heaven calls his beloved, his heart still beats for Croatia." This is what the Croatian national anthem "Our Beautiful Motherland" wrote .
Today, the Croats continue to set out to pursue their lofty dreams.
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