Chapter 635: See You in Four Years, Modric!
The match between Spain and Croatia was the last of the four games in this round, which meant it wasn't just France that was interested in the outcome.
According to the World Cup bracket, England, who had already advanced to the semifinals, would face the winner of the Spain-Croatia match in the next round. This made England's coach, Gareth Southgate, closely follow the game. As he watched Croatia fall behind by three goals before the first half even ended, Southgate couldn't help but frown.
"It's basically confirmed. Spain will be our opponent in the next round."
Even though he had expected this outcome, seeing Spain on the verge of advancing still weighed heavily on Southgate. How he wished Croatia could pull off an upset and beat Spain!
Despite Croatia's outstanding performance in this World Cup, even managing a 3-0 win against Argentina, most people still viewed them as weaker than Spain. If given the choice, most teams would prefer facing Croatia over Spain.
Spain's squad may have aged, but there was one player in their lineup who was truly exceptional. Facing Spain always brought enormous psychological pressure because no team had 100% confidence they could stop Lin Quan. One small mistake, and they could be severely punished.
England's current squad wasn't bad, but Southgate didn't have much confidence in beating Spain.
After watching the first half, he felt Croatia's defense had done quite well. However, those three goals from Spain were unstoppable. If England were in Croatia's shoes, they'd probably concede too.
Seeing Croatia's struggles, Southgate quickly ruled out the idea of relying on defense to tackle Spain. While England's defense was stronger than Croatia's, their midfield wasn't as good. Trying to limit Spain through defense alone would be difficult.
England's real strength lay in their forward line. With players like Kane, Sterling, Rashford, Lingard, and Vardy, they could only show their true abilities when attacking. If they sat back and defended, their talents would go to waste.
So, Southgate began wondering if they should go all out and take the fight to Spain. Even if they ended up losing, at least they'd fall while attacking.
But he hesitated. If Croatia, with such a solid defense, had already conceded three goals, would England suffer an even worse fate if they tried to go toe-to-toe with Spain? Southgate was torn between two equally challenging options—defend or attack.
Just as Southgate was deep in thought about how to deal with Spain, the referee blew the whistle for halftime. The players from both teams left the field and headed to their respective locker rooms.
In the Spanish locker room, coach Vicente del Bosque stood at the entrance, beaming with pride. He hugged each player as they walked past, patting them on the back and saying, "Well done, lads!"
Del Bosque's attempt to motivate the players, however, backfired slightly. His players, drenched in sweat, quickly turned him into a human towel. By the time he'd hugged half the team, his clothes were soaked and dirty.
When Lin Quan entered the locker room, he wrinkled his nose and refused the coach's embrace.
"Coach, you didn't even play, but you smell worse than we do!" Lin Quan pinched his nose and ducked out of Del Bosque's grip.
Del Bosque didn't mind: "If I were a bit younger, I'd definitely be out there fighting alongside you guys!"
Sergio Ramos, a fellow defender, teased him: "Come on, coach, with your skills, you'd just hold us back!"
Del Bosque's face turned red at the jab, but he retorted: "Am I that bad? I'm a Real Madrid veteran, your senior!"
Del Bosque had indeed played for Real Madrid for over a decade, making hundreds of appearances. While he wasn't a star in his era, he certainly wasn't as bad as Ramos joked.
"Really? Then why aren't you in the top 20 for appearances in Real Madrid's history?" Ramos grinned, clearly proud that he had surpassed Del Bosque's record. The debate seemed settled—Ramos was the superior player.
"Alright, alright, let's not tease the coach. Let's hear what the plan is for the second half," Andrés Iniesta said, stepping in to diffuse the situation.
Clearing his throat, Del Bosque started outlining the strategy for the second half:
"The plan is simple. Control the pace of the game and conserve your energy. I'll start making substitutions after the 60th minute based on how everyone is feeling. If anyone is too tired, just let me know. Don't push yourselves too hard; we've got a semifinal in less than four days, so make sure you save some energy."
This prompted immediate teasing from the players:
"Coach, are we popping champagne at halftime?"
"Yeah, how can you be so sure we'll win?"
"Careful, coach! Remember what happened to AC Milan when they celebrated too early?"
Del Bosque, now annoyed, kicked each teasing player in the rear.
"Did I say we've already won? I'm just telling you to manage your energy and finish the game in the most efficient way!"
"Uh-oh, coach is backing down!"
"That's not what you said earlier!"
The players continued their playful banter, filling the locker room with laughter.
While the atmosphere in Spain's locker room was light and optimistic, Croatia's locker room had an entirely different mood. Their players left with serious expressions, carrying a tense, heavy energy.
At the start of the second half, Croatia launched a full-force attack. They didn't have much time left, and the challenge of scoring three goals was overwhelming. They couldn't afford to wait for Spain to tire; they needed to attack now to wear down their opponent's stamina.
Despite their aggressive approach, Croatia struggled to create genuine threats. Mario Mandzukic fought hard against Spain's defenders Piqué and Ramos and held his own in physical duels, but his teammates couldn't consistently deliver the ball to him.
Spain's defense, well-prepared, made it nearly impossible to break through in open play. Croatia then shifted to a strategy of launching high crosses from the wings, hoping Mandzukic could use his exceptional heading ability to score.
Mandzukic, known for his aerial prowess, posed a serious threat in the air. Spain's center-backs, Ramos (who was only 1.84 meters tall) and Piqué (who was taller but struggled against Mandzukic's physicality), found it hard to contain him.
In the 55th minute, Croatia managed to score. While it wasn't Mandzukic who netted the goal, he provided the assist by heading the ball to an unmarked teammate, who calmly slotted it into the net. The score was now 3-1, with Croatia still two goals behind.
This goal energized Croatia, giving them hope that they could still turn the game around.
Sensing danger, Del Bosque immediately substituted the exhausted Iniesta for Koke to bolster the midfield and protect the flanks. The change had an immediate effect, with Koke's stamina and defensive work improving Spain's defense.
Croatia's attacking momentum began to fade, and despite their best efforts, they couldn't score again. Their coach made substitutions, but they didn't have the desired impact. The game stagnated, with Croatia creating fewer and fewer chances as time wore on.
Mandzukic, worn out from the constant physical battles, could no longer sustain the intensity of his play. Though he pressed on, his energy was spent.
Seeing that Croatia's offensive threat had diminished, Del Bosque made another substitution, bringing on Nacho for Carvajal. Though this was a like-for-like swap, Nacho's fresh legs brought renewed energy to Spain's defense. He aggressively marked Croatia's players and frequently surged forward to support Spain's attack.
With Nacho's help, Lin Quan began to dominate his flank, forcing Croatia to retreat into their own half. Unable to attack effectively, Croatia was now stuck on the defensive.
As the match neared its end, Del Bosque made another bold substitution, replacing David Silva with Marco Asensio. The crowd gasped at this unexpected move—Spain, already in the lead, was still focusing on attacking!
Many expected Spain to adopt a more conservative approach and bring on a defensive player to protect their lead. But Del Bosque was not one to play it safe. His aggressive tactics saw Spain continue to press forward, and Croatia had no choice but to fall back and defend.
In the end, the match concluded with a 3-1 victory for Spain, sending them into the semifinals. After the final whistle, Croatia's players collapsed to the ground, exhausted. They had given everything, but it wasn't enough.
For them, reaching the quarterfinals was an achievement, but they couldn't shake the disappointment of falling just short of the semifinals.
After the match, Luka Modric approached Lin Quan to exchange jerseys.
"I'm not ashamed to have lost to you guys. You deserved this win," Modric said.
"Thanks. You guys put up an amazing fight. I hope we meet again in the next World Cup!"
Modric smiled. "At my age, I'm not sure I'll be at the next World Cup. But if I do go, I hope I don't have to face you guys again, whether in the group stage or the knockout rounds!"
Modric was 33 years old, and by the next World Cup, he'd be 37. For most players, 37 was already past retirement age, and even Modric wasn't sure if he'd still be playing, let alone make it to the national team.
"You? You're only getting better with age. I think you can easily play until you're 40. So, I'll see you at the next World Cup!"
After exchanging jerseys, Lin Quan gave Modric a hug and walked away, leaving the Croatian star to reflect on his words.
"Better with age, huh?" Modric thought to himself. "Is he calling me an old monster?"
Still, Lin Quan's comment struck a chord. Though Modric was already 33, he was in great form. He felt he could keep playing for another two or three years. But keeping up this level for four more years until the next World Cup? That would be tough.
Considering Croatia wasn't a traditional football powerhouse, this team's success was largely due to this generation of talented players. If Modric and his teammates retired, the team might fall apart, reverting to its former weaker self. As one of the team's leaders, Modric knew he couldn't leave the national team easily.
If he was still playing in four years, there was a real chance he'd be back in a Croatia shirt at the next World Cup! (End of the Chapter)