Wednesday evening’s World Cup semi-final at Luzhniki Stadium will be the most high profile. But the seven past clashes – four England wins, two Croatia wins and a draw – have seen superstars rise to the challenge and several figures painfully flop.
Here, we picks out a hero and villain from each side:
HEROES
MLADEN PETRIC (CROATIA)
It is a game mired in infamy for England, and glory for the Croats.
The two sides met at a sodden Wembley – more on that later – with qualification to Euro 2008 on the line.
A sensational game followed in November 2007, from which Croatia decisively won 3-2 thanks to Mladen Petric’s strike. In the process, English hearts were broken as they failed to make a major tournament for the first time since World Cup 1994.
The hosts needed just a draw from the final qualifier to proceed, but went 2-0 down as Niko Kranjcar’s shot from distance slipped through Scott Carson’s grasp and Ivica Olic slipped in a second. Frank Lampard’s penalty and Peter Crouch’s sharp finish put England back in dream land.
Then, Petric’s moment arrived. The striker was thrown on with 13 minutes left and soon responded with a rasping, low shot from 25 yards.
This shattered English dreams of advancement and ensured Croatia’s spot in the finals.
For a multitude of reasons, Three Lions manager Steve McClaren would never live this moment down.
WAYNE ROONEY (ENGLAND)
A teenage superstar’s name was written in lights during Euro 2004 at Estadio da Luz.
An 18-year-old Wayne Rooney’s process of transforming youthful promise into a fearsome reality continued at pace against Croatia. The then Everton forward struck twice in a 4-2 defeat of Croatia that confirmed entry into the knockouts.
Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson led the chorus of praise.
“I don’t remember anyone making such an impact on a tournament since Pele in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden,” he said.
Rooney had notched twice in the preceding 3-0 triumph against Switzerland. His emerging legend would be added to.
He first set-up future Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes to level up from Niko Kovac’s early opener. A piledriver then followed from Rooney in first-half stoppage time, prior to a superb run and finish on the break.
Goals at either end from Igor Tudor and Frank Lampard rounded out a 4-2 win for England.
VILLAINS
ROBERT KOVAC (CROATIA)
Sweet revenge was served on a platter by defender Robert Kovac’s misdemeanour.
Less than a year since their Wembley humiliation, Croatia and England met in qualifying for World Cup 2010. Italian icon Fabio Capello was now in charge of the Three Lions and his influence told.
Arsenal’s Theo Walcott struck a brace before the hour mark to put the visitors on course for victory. Kovac’s violent elbow during an aerial challenge with Joe Cole would turn the loss into a rout.
Rooney struck an accomplished third goal, before Mario Mandzukic’s consolation and Walcott’s hat-trick strike made it 4-1.
STEVE MCCLAREN (ENGLAND)
Headline writers were handed a gift on one of English football’s worst nights.
McClaren took over from Eriksson and promised a fresh era, yet erratic decisions – switching formations before a critical loss in Croatia, dropping iconic midfielder David Beckham plus goalkeeper Paul Robinson for the return – and cliched discourse put his nation on track for disaster.
An image to sum up the former No2’s bumbling image was provided on a damp Wembley night, that reflected the country’s mood as entry to Euro 2008 slipped away. As the rain poured down in November 2007 and Petric earned Croatia a devastating 3-2 victory, McClaren’s choice to open up his umbrella would provide the defining image of a bungled era.
“Wally with a Brolly” was the infamous headline produced by the Daily Mail to sum up a pitiful period for the Three Lions.
“If I think about it, I’ve got no regrets about anything I did, any decisions I made throughout,” said McClaren, self-justifying and deluded until the end.
