England, Croatia look to join France in football World Cup final

  • 12/07/2018
England, Croatia look to join France in football World Cup final
Photo credit: Reuters

The last time England made a FIFA World Cup final, they won. That was in 1966 though and it's been 52 long years since they’ve been back on football's biggest stage.

Hopes are high around England that this is the year the Three Lions finally break their hoodoo.

The English will come up against a Croatian side equally desperate to make this tournament one to remember.

Playing as Croatia, their best finish was third at the 1998 tournament, the only previous time they've made it out of the group stages.

They'll rely on Luke Modric as their main creative outlet, the Real Madrid star is one of the classiest midfielders on the planet. Modric completes all the tasks of a midfield playmaker with elite execution.

England will turn to Harry Kane as their talismanic figure to lead them through to Monday's final. Kane's six goals this tournament have seen him all but lock up top goalscorer, the next best players still in the tournament are Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann of France on three – and they only have one more game to play.

England's always had their share of elite footballing stars but Kane has been able to do what the likes of Rooney, Beckham and Gerrard couldn't, he's put England on his back  and powered them towards footballing history.

Admittedly, England have one of their best lineups in many years but Kane's been a true go-to man, turning up when they've most needed him.

He scored a vital stoppage time winner in their opener against Tunisia, then put three past a hapless Panama side and stepped up to calmly slot home a penalty in the shootout win over Colombia.

One more goal for Kane would put him past Gary Lineker's 32 year England record of six goals in a World Cup tournament, and would go a long way to booking their spot in football's biggest match.

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