Zagreb, June 2007, and a European Championship qualifier in the open-bowl Maksimir stadium. The night was humid, the place buzzed. Croatia, the national team as we know it, were less than 20 years old, but they had already lit up Euro 96 and France 98. Now they were leading Group E to get Euro 2008. A country of four million people felt represented by this team and its charismatic manage Slaven Bilic.
Four days earlier Croatia had won in Estonia to give themselves a cushion. But next came a greater challenge: Russia.
Then there was England, Steve McClaren’s England, who were in the same group. You may remember now.
England had already lost 2-0 in Zagreb. The men who shape much of today’s football conversation, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, both started. England were now playing catch-up.
It ended 0-0 in the Maksimir Stadium. Croatia deserved to win but Eduardo da Silva, the Croats’ naturalised Brazilian about to join Arsenal, missed the best chance. Russia and manager Guus Hiddink departed relieved.
Ultimately both qualified. England came third. There was the dramatic exit on a rainy night at Wembley. McClaren’s umbrella and all that.
But as …
- April 16, 2022
