The Croatian media are understandably not pleased with the penalty that Argentina received on Tuesday evening in the semi-final of the World Cup. Despite the elimination, the team of national coach Zlatko Dalic receives all the praise in its own country, especially Luka Modric and Josko Gvardiol.
But like many Croatia players, the way Argentina took the lead in the semi-final leaves a bitter aftertaste. The ball hit the spot after a collision between Julian Álvarez and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, while the Croatians believed they were entitled to a corner. The media therefore has the feeling that FIFA would like Argentina to become world champion. “If you want to give the title to Leo Messi, do it! The boys have won our hearts,” writes 24sata.
Sportske Novosti agrees. “We will wonder a million times why it had to end this way, with Daniele Orsato as our executioner, as his compatriot Massimiliano Irrati did in Moscow.” The newspaper refers to the lost World Cup final four years ago, when Irrati was also the VAR. Again Irrati was the VAR and again he was not heard during the penalty for the Argentines. “The fact that Messi was chosen as man of the match, while Álvarez scored twice, shows how much FIFA promotes Lionel Messi,” said the daily, ignoring the fact that the public determines who is chosen as Man of the Match.
The Croatian media believes their own team was not good enough
In Croatia they also admit that the game of their own team was not good enough to reach the final. “We had nothing with us,” writes Sportske Novosti. “Not the circumstances and unfortunately not Vatreni ‘s game. It was our worst match of the tournament, we conceded goals we should not have conceded.”
24sata also saw that it was not Croatia’s evening. “Happiness runs out at some point. All those misses from Lukaku, the millimeters that saved us against Brazil, it now fell on Argentina’s side,” they wrote.
A second World Cup final was therefore not in it for Croatia. Nevertheless, the players of the national team will soon be welcomed as heroes after the consolation final. The way Modric was comforted afterwards by some Argentinian internationals also received attention. 24sata speaks of beautiful scenes, “Modric played eighty minutes against Argentina. When he left the field, the fans in the stands showed what they thought of the Croatian maestro. Everyone stood up and applauded, Croats and Argentines alike.”
