While England fans suffered quarter-final heartbreak at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it arguably doesn’t quite match the pain felt four years earlier in Russia.
Gareth Southgate’s side were just one game away from a first World Cup final since the Three Lions lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966, with an experienced and robust Croatia side standing in their way.
Zlatko Dalic’s side possessed technical intelligence in midfield, a range of attacking threats and two Champions League winners in their XI that day.
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It was always going to be a tough test, but England opened the scoring from a free-kick after just five minutes.
If there was ever an occasion where it was too early to score a goal - if you believe in that sort of thing - maybe this was it.
Croatia grew in confidence after half-time, and the equaliser did seem inevitable - until it arrived.
Then came extra-time heartbreak, denying England the opportunity of winning their second penalty shootout of the tournament after the heroic scenes against Colombia in the last 16. On to Qatar, then, where England bid farewell to the competition in the quarter-finals after defeat to France.
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In this SPORTbible quiz, we’re asking you to name the starting XIs from the England that contested the semi-final against Croatia in Moscow.
We’re looking for surnames only.
Topics: Croatia, England, Football, Football World Cup, Gareth Southgate, Quizzes, Football Quiz
Ryan Smart