Croatia cabinet meets in soccer team jerseys

 Croatia and Morocco are the surprise guests in the World Cup's final four but, as the Croatians discovered in 2018 and many other long-shot semi-finalists have before them, the two remaining steps to become world champions can be the steepest.

In the 21 editions of the World Cup over 92 years featuring 79 nations, there have still been only eight winners and only 13 have made it to the final. Spain were the last to join the elite group of champions in 2010 after France in 1998 and Argentina in 1978.

Since then there have been a sprinkling of "outsiders" who made it to the last four, with almost all of them failing to go any further.

Poland and Belgium lost to eventual winners Italy and Argentina respectively in 1982 and 1986 and while as former winners England would not like to be included in the "long-shots" group, it was still a surprise when they made the semis in 1990, where they lost to West Germany.

It was in 1994 though that the apple cart really looked to have been overturned. Bulgaria arrived in the United States having never won a World Cup match in 16 attempts and duly chalked up an 11th defeat in their first game.

They then turned things around utterly, winning two group games, beating Mexico on penalties in the last 16 and then memorably stunning holders Germany in the quarter-finals.

On the other side of the draw Sweden arrived after a last-16 shootout win over Romania.

Normal service was resumed in the semis though as Italy ended Bulgaria's dream run and Brazil edged out Sweden.

Bulgaria, with their Hristo Stoichkov-inspired golden generation ageing, went out in the group stage with one point four years later and have not qualified for the finals since.

Yugoslavia made the semis in 1930 and 1962 but after the country broke up, Croatia appeared as an independent nation for the first time in 1998.

The highlight of their emotional run to the last four was a superb 3-0 quarter-final victory over Germany, before they were eventually beaten 2-1 by hosts France in the semis.

The 2002 tournament was another where two total outsiders made the last four but were eventually stopped in their tracks by tournament juggernauts.

Joint-hosts South Korea grew in confidence after topping their group and then stunned the world by beating Italy in the last 16 with an extra-time golden goal and then Spain on penalties to become the first Asian team to make the semis.

A quarter-final between Senegal and Turkey meant another new semi-finalist was guaranteed, and it was Turkey who progressed.

Germany and Brazil then pulled rank, beating Korea and Turkey respectively, though both only 1-0. It had been only Turkey's second appearance in the World Cup and they have not been back since.

Portugal reached their second semi 2006, losing to France while four years later the historically "surprise" semi-finalists were Spain, who had never previously made it (though they were in the second group stage in 1950) and twice-champions Uruguay, who last did in 1970.

Spain, though, arrived in South Africa as European champions and it was hardly an upset as they finally shook off decades of World Cup failure to beat the Netherlands in the final.

Croatia made it to the semis in 2018 and went one better than 20 years earlier by beating England, only to lose to France in the final.

They are back this year, up against Argentina, but it is Morocco flying the flag for the true underdogs as they are the first African team to make the last four and have done it in style by dispatching European heavyweights Belgium, Spain and Portugal.

France and Argentina, each seeking a third title, will be favourites to end the fairy-tale runs but neutrals everywhere will be surely willing one of the outsiders triumph and then go all the way and become the ninth world champion.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has quelled the doubts around him by leading his country to Nations League glory and ending a decade-long trophy drought.

La Roja needed penalties to see off Croatia and triumph in Rotterdam, but doing so helped ease tensions following their Euro 2024 qualifying defeat by Scotland in March.

De la Fuente's appointment by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to replace Luis Enrique raised eyebrows -- the 61-year-old is a relative unknown as a coach, having worked within the country's youth ranks from 2013 onwards.

After an unconvincing performance in a win over Norway in his opening game, defeat in Glasgow sparked alarm.

However, matches three and four proved far more enjoyable for the coach, beating Italy and then Croatia to lift the cup.

Although the Nations League is a new competition, this only its third edition, Spain and De la Fuente are hopeful that it can prove a springboard for more success, with the waters now more tranquil around him.

"All projects are better constructed on a base of victory and this gives us more strength, confidence, calm," said the coach.

One of De la Fuente's biggest choices has been a shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation, instead of Spain's typical 4-3-3.

The key cog is Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who was named the player of the Nations League finals.

While Luis Enrique drew criticism for playing Rodri as a centre-back at the 2022 World Cup to make room for veteran Sergio Busquets, his successor has reinstalled him in the centre of the pitch.

Rodri, arguably the best in the world in his position, linked well with Mikel Merino against Italy and then Fabian Ruiz against Croatia.

Speaking with clarity and confidence and leading by example on the pitch, Rodri has become his country's torchbearer.

"This generation promises a lot," he said after the Nations League triumph. Before, he had called for Spain to start a new winning cycle.

Rodri's emergence as the team's "frontman" is in part due to an absence of star power in the attack, with Spain boasting a host of dangerous -- but not elite -- forwards.

Barcelona's Ansu Fati was bright off the bench against Croatia and showed he can have a big impact if he can stay fit, while Yeremy Pino, Dani Olmo and Marco Asensio are all similarly bright, but inconsistent.

Alvaro Morata has played at many of Europe's top sides without fully convincing, while back-up striker Joselu has just joined Real Madrid, his career best form coming at the ripe age of 33.

Spain could not find a breakthrough against Croatia and needed penalties to triumph, which De la Fuente said added extra spice to the victory.

"We deserved to win before, but the penalties give it a dash of the epic," said the coach, who expects to continue thriving.

"Obviously, winning gives you more shine, and I expect more joy to come in the future."

Newspapers and TV stations hailed France's World Cup victory on Monday, while clean-up crews worked against the clock to tidy up after a crazy night's partying in Paris ahead of a victory parade down the Champs Elysees.

"Our Day of Glory Is Here" declared Le Figaro, referencing a rousing line from the Marseillaise anthem.

"History Made" announced sports daily L'Equipe, while business journal Les Echos went for the more straightforward "Champions of the World". Photos of superstars Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba, as well as shots of the team holding aloft and kissing the trophy, dominated coverage.

The victory has created a sense of national unity, with commentators playing up the fact the squad, the second-youngest in the competition, includes many with central and north African heritage, even if all but two were born in France.

When the country won its first World Cup in 1998, when Zinedine Zidane was its talisman and playmaker, the team was referred to as "Black-Blanc-Beur" (Black-White-Arab), a positive reference to its diverse ethnic make-up.

Gallery: France fans celebrate

But some were keen to push that phrase to one side, seeing in it a sense of separateness, even if it was meant positively.

"We're not in 1998," said Mounir Mahjoubi, the secretary of state for digital affairs, whose parents emigrated from Morocco.

"We're not still celebrating 'Black-Blanc-Beur', we're celebrating brotherhood," he said of the current team.

Videos shot by the players in the frenetic changing room after the win showed them singing, dancing and raising a toast together, while teaching President Emmanuel Macron, who could barely contain his excitement, how to do a "dab".

METRO STATIONS

For Macron, who became president last year at the age of 39, taking his political movement to victory against the odds, the football team's success is likely to have positive repercussions after a slump in the polls.

The Paris metro system got into the celebratory mood, announcing the names of a number of stations were being briefly changed to honour the players and coach, Didier Deschamps.

So Notre-Dame des Champs station was relabelled "Notre Didier Deschamps", and Victor Hugo was switched to "Victor Hugo Lloris" after the captain and goalkeeper.

The 2 km Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe and the vast Place de la Concorde turned into a heaving sea of people on Sunday night, waving red, white and blue flags, setting off firecrackers and blowing horns until early morning.

On Monday, the after-effects were still visible. A number of smashed windows, an overturned car and graffiti scrawled here and there, including the phrase "Liberte, Egalite, Mbappe", a reference to the national motto "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite".

On Twitter, Brazil legend Pele paid tribute to the exploits of Mbappe, France's standout, 19-year-old superstar, saying that if the teenager kept equalling his goal-scoring records, Pele might have to strap his boots back on.

Mbappe replied to the tweet in English saying "The king will always remain the king", quickly gaining 15,000 retweets.

The team is scheduled to arrive back in France at 1400 GMT, with crowds set to gather at Charles de Gaulle airport to receive them. A parade down the Champs Elysees is scheduled for 1530 GMT, and there will be a formal victory reception with Macron at the Elysee Palace at 1630 GMT.

And it's not just in Paris that the nation has been taken over with football fever. From Nice and Marseille in the south to Lille in the north, Nantes in the west and scores of towns and cities in between, TV stations were full of images of red, white and blue clad fans singing in streets and squares.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic on Monday appealed to star midfielder Luka Modric to stay amid growing speculation the captain will retire from international football.

Dalic's comments came a day after Croatia lost 5-4 on penalties to Spain in the Nations League final in Rotterdam.

"We need him, this is a generation that still did not complete the job," Dalic told reporters after returning to Zagreb.

The Real Madrid player famously led Croatia to a second-place finish at the 2018 World Cup and third place at last year's tournament in Qatar.

Croatia had been chasing their first ever major trophy against a Spain team Modric, 37, knows inside out.

On Monday, front pages across Croatia ran pictures of the dejected midfielder following the nail-biting defeat.

"It was rather emotional for him yesterday," said Dalic.

"Let him rest and he will tell us what he thinks," the coach added.

On Sunday, Modric said he had already made a "clear decision" about his international career but did not elaborate, according to reports in local media.

"I will not announce it today," said Modric, while leaving the stadium in Rotterdam.

Modric has played in 166 matches for Croatia since his debut in 2006.

Germany begin their path to World Cup redemption on Wednesday after the 2018 horror show in Russia, with Spain and Croatia also kicking off their campaigns in Qatar.

After Saudi Arabia stunned Lionel Messi's Argentina, ending the South American champions' 36-match unbeaten run, Germany will be on high alert in their opening match against Japan.

Croatia, surprise runners-up four years ago, take on Morocco in the early game. Spain face Costa Rica in the evening before Belgium play Canada in the late match.

As defending champions Germany crashed out in the group stage in Russia, suffering their earliest World Cup exit since 1938.

"We know that what happened four-and-a-half years ago was terrible, so we had quite a wait," said Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich.

"The first game is extremely important. We lost our first game at the last Euros and we didn't win the tournament, so I hope tomorrow we will win."

The four-time world champions have been steady but not spectacular under Hansi Flick, who took over last year after long-serving coach Joachim Loew stood down.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Spain hope to make a far smoother entrance than they did in Russia, where Julen Lopetegui was sacked on the eve of the tournament for accepting the Real Madrid job.

They have the third youngest squad at the World Cup, with Luis Enrique leaning on younger talents while some older players like Sergio Ramos were left out of the squad.

"It's very positive because young players bring energy to the team, we try to manage that with the experience we have as staff," said Luis Enrique.

Time is running out for Belgium's golden generation who formed the backbone of the squad that finished third at the last World Cup.

MODRIC LOOKS TO THE FUTURE 

PHOTO: REUTERS

With Romelu Lukaku to miss the first two group games and captain Eden Hazard reduced to a bit-part role at Real Madrid, Belgium will rely heavily on Kevin De Bruyne.

Belgium, ranked second in the world behind Brazil, played a warm-up friendly against Egypt last week in Kuwait but lost 2-1.

In Canada, they meet a team returning to the World Cup for the first time in 36 years. The Canadians have been boosted by the return to full fitness of Alphonso Davies.

Croatia playmaker Luka Modric has warned his team-mates not to expect a repeat of their heroics from the last World Cup, when the country of just over four million punched above their weight to reach the final.

"Whatever we've been through during the 2018 World Cup was an unforgettable experience, but we need to put it aside and focus on what is ahead of us," said Modric.

While Saudi Arabia stole the headlines on the pitch, World Cup organisers faced growing questions Tuesday about whether the rainbow logo can be displayed in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.

Seven European teams including England and Germany have abandoned plans for their captains to wear a rainbow-themed armband because of the threat of FIFA disciplinary action.

Germany's football association said it was examining if FIFA's threat to punish players who wear the "OneLove" armband was legal.

Belgium's Jan Vertonghen went so far as to say he was "afraid" to talk about human rights.

"I'm afraid if I say something about this I might not be able to play tomorrow," the defender said.

"It's an experience I've never felt in football before. I feel controlled. I'm afraid to even say something about this."