World Cup Final: France vs Croatia, July 15 [R]

Croatia were down 1-0 to Denmark 1-0 to Russia and 1-0 to England. Yet somehow they found a way to comeback to advance against each nation. That shows great character and a never say die attitude. Even the finals they came back again but this time it was to much against France. They gave it everything they had and nearly won the World Cup. That is why the people in Croatia have fallen in love with this team with there never say die attitude. They were Za Dom Spremni.

 

Never a penalty according espn pundits but i guess there biased to.

 

LOL, Espn pundits are the be-all and end-all now ? As I said before it would have been ever more controversial to not award the penalty, after a slow motion review.

 

Yes because former top class players like shearer keane giggs have all said not a pk but obviously you know better then them lol

 

Of course the Brits are outraged with the PK. They wanted Croatia to win, so they could say they almost beat the champ, to prove they deserved to be in final 4...

 

I feel sorry that they don't have the title. I feel sorry France 1998. In some details, corrections, Croatia might have 2 World Cup titles and EURO 1996, 2008, maybe 2016. Now that's an ambition...

 

The problem with these teams is that they don't have great attacker, who can really shoot great. Transition was great, warlike duels, aggression, maybe often dirty battle...but it was interesting to watch. I noticed that Croatia became finally more aggressive...Spain and Portugal were hanging against Iran, Morocco...that's why they were not so said after they lost in the knock out stage. Maybe some political reasons in Spain: Catalonia, Basque, Madrid...no passion.
Now you see how it's terrible to retire Xavi and Iniesta in short period. Same thing was with Totti, Pirlo, del Piero, also with Sneijder, van der Vaart, van Persie, van Nistelrooij...
But France recovered well after Trezeguet, Ribery, Henry, Zidane...which is amazing award for French school of football, no other explanation. Since they started to play, I liked to watch them. Even in South Africa, when they fought together, they had great individuals. Also, how many great players was not even present in French NT: Govou, Gomis, Luyindula, Micoud, Carriere, Laurent Robert, Cygan, Clichy, Sagna, Sagnol, Rabesandratana, Gignac, Sakho from PSG earlier, Daniel Moreira, Anelka...they were short in the team...or without any major presence.

 

Why no one mentions him in media. Obviously, he isn't from Dinamo Zagreb incubator. It's still the same, only new face came through the coach. He is their guy. All others are on their positions. I think that only Dinamo players will flourish in the NT, same old story. One of the reasons why Kalinic left, impossible to replace Mandzukic. He could serve well against teams like Russia, Denmark.

 

That's the way how Croats think and feel. Only what's the best. No satisfaction with less or small gain. In work, they are not diligent, but in sports, they find unusual motivation. In ordinary lives, mostly lazy people, too relaxed, but in sports it's different. These players don't visit gym, they drink, smoke, like majority, no sporting life. The same was with the team in France 1998. It's normal to have photos publicly, with cigars, cigarettes, alcohol. Croats are too critical to each other, they ask from others best editions, the beauty in all sports. Why do you think, that Croatia has great teams in water polo, handball, tennis players, semi-final of Davis Cup, alpine skiing with 2 weeks of snow in one year, rowing, sailing, some disciplines in athletic, swimming, futsal, basketball, shooting, martial arts, K1, boxing, UFC, tae kwon doe, karate, gymnastics, chess..very competitive people, who seek the challenges, without thoughts that someone is better. Challenges through Summer, Winter Olympics, European and World competitions...
I feel sorry only that Croatia is weaker in Rugby. If they had won this World Cup title, the country would live in some fanatical emotion for months.
You should see fans of Hajduk Split, this club is religious denomination. This club can be the last in world, but it's an religion for them. They had one quarter-finals in Champions League 1995, lost against Ajax, title holders.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994–95_UEFA_Champions_League

0-0 at home, but bad thing in Amsterdam.

Fans already ask European title in 2020. No matter how or with who, just the title. The pressure will be huge, but it always was present. In matter of sports, Croats are much similar to South Americans. All Mediterranean are similar. Fans climbed on the buildings, roofs, they would rather die, but they want to see their players, never seen such thing in any country.

This celebration was before the final.


No one cares about sleeping, resting...only beer, wine and guitar...

If it's not burning, it's not celebration

 

For those who aren't happy that we won, it's your own personal problem.

Whining is the weapon of the weak.

 

For those that said his left arm, (the one that made contact with the ball), moved towards the ball because he moved it down... so did his right arm move down and to the same extent. So unless he was also intending to 'handball' an imaginary ball on the other side of his body, it's unlikely he was moving his left hand for that reason.

Watch it again and pay attention to his other arm, not just his left.

As they said on that vid, nobody jumps with their arms pinned to the side of their body... they move them to maintain balance.

 

Only 2010 was a worse final because it was boring

This final felt... staged for lack of a better word. Just felt, empty. Croatia definitively deserved to go through

 

Dalic went to go see him play in Benfica and he was mentioned in the media just a few days ago how the entire Benfica fan base gave him a standing ovation when Krovinovic came out to greet the fans at practice.

 

It must be an intentional handball or it must be judged an obvious error by referee. How that can be judged intentional or an obvious error by the ref well is beyond me. The ref was also looking at this review forever going back twice as he was not sure himself. I knew France would get the pk well because there a big country and Fifa almost always favors big countries. I still remember the terrible pk call on Lovren against Brazil in WC 2014 but not surprised the ref called a pk though.

 

Nobody?

 

Yeah, I mentioned that before. I suspect the ball may have hit the guy in front of him but at an angle that wasn't shown on the video we've normally been shown. I'd like to see an angle directly ALONG the flight of the ball but can't find one

Has anybody got one?

 

If the Perisic case wasn't a penalty, then all the defenders who routinely put their arms behind their backs in the box (or at least hold them within the frame of their torsos) are doing it for nothing. This type of situation is exactly why you do it.

As for needing to put his arm out because without it he wouldn't gain lift, try it some time. You will still get lift. Perhaps not quite as much lift as you would with your arms sticking out, but you also won't get a penalty called.

 

Who said anything about 'gaining lift'??? I certainly didn't. I said he did it to 'MAINTAIN BALANCE'.

Also, they always stick their arms behind them when they're JUMPING??? Really? Not that I've seen they don't.

 

It blows my mind that people can argue accidental. His eyes are on the ball, and his left arm literally has a quick jerk and slap movement on the ball. I've seen a million accidental contacts where it can be argued whether or not their arms were in an unnatural position..those are difficult and sometimes given and sometimes not. Reflex or not the sudden split second change of direction of the left arm is clear from some replays and certainly not natural.