Summary

  • England lose 2-1 to Croatia in World Cup semi-finals

  • Three Lions were in first World Cup semi since 1990

  • England face Belgium in Saturday's third-place play-off

  • Croatia meet France in Sunday's final

  • Get involved using #bbcworldcup

  1. Postpublished at 12:07 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    That's all from me.

    Thanks for joining me this morning and I hope I've helped lift the post England hangover.

  2. Reasons to be positivepublished at 12:05 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Reasons to be positiveImage source, BBC Sport

    Right before I get going I just thought I'd point out that there are plenty of reasons to be positive after last night.

    If you're not prepared to take my word for it take a ganders at this content on CBBC.

    You can also vote for your favourite England moment here.

  3. Sir Bobby is proudpublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Hot off the press or Twitter in fact from England legend Sir Bobby Charlton.

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  4. 26.5 million watch England go outpublished at 11:58 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    England's Jesse LingardImage source, Getty Images

    Some big numbers here, with a peak audience of 26.5 million people watching England go out of the World Cup on ITV, according to overnight figures.

    That made it the most-watched broadcast on British TV since the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony.

    Read more here.

  5. 'I'm one of the best in the World'published at 11:52 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Now then. What about this.

    Croatia and Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has claimed he is "one of the best defenders in the world."

    "I think people should recognise that I am also one of the best defenders in the world and not just talk nonsense," he told Bein Sports, external after Croatia's World Cup semi-final win over England.

    Nothing like a bit of self deprecation is there?

    Croatia's Dejan LovrenImage source, Getty Images
  6. Postpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Not me Luka. I thought it was going to be touch and go either way before it kicked-off last night.

  7. 'Croatia were underestimated by English pundits'published at 11:45 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Croatia's Luka Modric takes the ball away from England's Jordan HendersonImage source, Getty Images

    Meanwhile Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric suggested his team were galvanised by a lack of respect shown to them by English pundit and journalists.

    Tiredness. What tiredness?

    "We showed again we were not tired," he said. "We dominated the game physically, mentally, in all aspects.

    "English journalists, pundits from television, they underestimated Croatia and that was a huge mistake," he told ITV.

    "They should be more humble and respect more opponents. All these words from them we take, we were reading and we were saying, 'OK, today we will see who will be tired'."

    Read the full story here.

  8. 'Almost in touching distance of the final'published at 11:40 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Trevor Brooking
    Former England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

    It's been a great tournament, obviously everyone is deflated as we were almost in touching distance of that final.

    There are things to learn but there has been lot of progress, and we should now be in contention for tournament in the next few cycles.

  9. Postpublished at 11:34 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Trevor Brooking
    Former England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

    First half we played really well for 20-25 minutes then having gone ahead we had some decent chances. At half-time I thought we needed to be two goals up though, we knew Croatia would come back, this from their point of view was their last chance as a group age wise.

    The midfield has always been their strong part, quartet of Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Ante Rebic and Ivan Rakitic were excellent. Possession wise they drained us and there was an inevitable feeling about the goal coming.

  10. Postpublished at 11:30 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Former West Ham and England midfielder Trevor Brooking has had his say on where it all went wrong for Gareth Southgate's side last night on BBC Radio 5 live...

  11. Kyle Walker reactspublished at 11:28 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    England's Kyle Walker has been banging out tweets , externalat a frenetic pace.... No slouch over the ground or on a keypad it seems.

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  12. Postpublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Crikey Neil, have you been flicking through Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' this morning?

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    #bbcworldcup or text on 8111

    Matt: The problem was not finishing the chances in the first half. We go back now to mundane lives & stilted dreams. The country needed a World Cup final.

    Neil: It might still be raw but the main lesson from the Croatia game is that we lack the killer instinct; the ability to finish off your opponent during the game. We should have been out of sight at half time and pressed it home. Lots to learn from military strategy at a tactical level. We might feel comfortable with the warm emotional blanket of platitudes and narratives that ease failure but let's learn the lesson and understand the cold reality of winning and success.

  14. Postpublished at 11:17 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Delays on the rail network are usually a source of frustration but this brought a smile earlier.

    Nottingham train station messageImage source, .
  15. Croatia players partypublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Don't ever say those Croatian boys don't know how to party.

    You'd have never known that manager Zlatko Dalic was a defensive midfielder back in the day with social media posts like this.

    Luka Modric creating space as ever.

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  16. 'Croatia is on fire'published at 11:06 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Meanwhile Zagreb based Croatian daily newspaper Jutarnji List, external carried the following lines from Croatia's goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.

    "This is unbelievable. We achieved a miracle, we already have a medal. We came here wanting to stay in Moscow until the end.

    And we did it. Now we have to take the last, most difficult step."

    "Croatia is on fire, but we didn't burn out. There is still strength in us, what matters is that we are in the final and that we have a medal on our chests."

  17. Postpublished at 11:02 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Just a reminder Croatia became the first team to play extra time in three consecutive World Cup matches since England in 1990.

    Dead on their feet? Not a smidgeon of that from what I watched.

  18. 'This is not a miracle'published at 11:00 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Vecernji List, external carried the headline “This is unbelievable, now only sky is the limit, we can be champions” and ponders how the players were able to find the energy reserves necessary to survive their third extra time of the tournament.

    "This is not a miracle, this is unbelievable!... What our players have shown is beyond all parameters, above everything” the paper says.

    Vecernji ListImage source, Vecernji List
  19. Postpublished at 10:56 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Right I think it's only fair if we have a look at what the reaction has been like in Croatia thanks to my friends in BBC Monitoring.

    After all Croatia reaching a first World Cup final in their fifth appearance at the tournament is a pretty big deal.

  20. Postpublished at 10:50 British Summer Time 12 July 2018

    Less text more video I hear you say. So here's Gareth Southgate on camera!

    Media caption,

    Croatia 2-1 England: "We are a working progress" - Southgate