Our picture editor, Jonny Weeks, chooses his favourite images from Germany including a distraught Luka Modric and delighted Jordan Pickford Continue reading...

You’ve probably already seen the post-match photo of Luka Modric doing the rounds. Fresh after his player-of-the-match performance in Croatia’s last-gasp draw with Italy that cruelly denied his country second place in Group B and qualification to the Euro 2024 knockout stages, Modric has the hollow look of a squire on a medieval tapestry, skewered by some sort of sword, a thousand-yard stare normally reserved for Glastonbury goers making their way back to reality on a Monday morning after a long, hard festival. One eye on what has come before, one eye on what is to come. We’re getting soaked. It’s like being at the Ally Pally” – Danny Murphy is the latest victim of fans throwing full pints of Tin in the air when a goal is scored at the Euros. On this occasion it was Luka Modric who caused the BBC co-commentator to get drenched. Continue reading...

An Italian journalist paid a moving tribute to Luka Modric after Croatia were likely knocked out of Euro 2024 by Italy in Leipzig. The 38 year-old Croatia captain missed a penalty, but scored shortly afterwards to give Croatia the lead and they were set to qualify for the knockout phase until, with the last kick of the game, Mattia Zaccagni equalised. That put Italy through in second place in Group B on four points behind Spain, with Croatia third on two points. The journalist said 'I wanted to thank you for everything that you've shown, not only tonight, but throughout your career. Once again, you signed off as a top class player. I'd like to ask you to never retire from your playing career because you're one of the finest players that I've ever commentated on'. Modric thanked him for the tribute and said in reply 'right from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. I'd also like to keep playing forever, but there probably will come a time when I have to hang up my boots. I'll keep playing on. I don't know for how much longer, but thank you very much for your words.' Continue reading...

Croatia manager says ‘you can’t have eight minutes’Luca Modric laments ‘cruel’ result in final group game Zlatko Dalic took aim at the “nonsense” decision to add eight minutes of time to Croatia’s match against Italy, having seen Mattia Zaccagni score with the very last action to leave his side all but out of the European Championship. Zaccagni’s goal followed an opener by Luka Modric that seemed to have given Croatia second place. But Italy dramatically leapfrogged them and Dalic, who has taken Croatia to second- and third-placed finishes at the past two World Cup tournaments, knows two points are unlikely to send them to the last 16. He suggested the extended period of added time given by the refe­ree, Danny Makkelie, was a symbol of the authorities’ ­attitude to a nation that punches above its weight. Continue reading...

Croatia's late heartache against Italy likely leaves them heading out of Euro 2024 and with uncertainty over the international future of their captain Luka Modric.

Group B match in Leipzig kicks off at 8pm (BST)Albania v Spain – live with Michael ButlerShare your thoughts with Scott via email Zlatko Dalic makes four changes to the Croatia XI that started the 2-2 draw with Albania. Josip Stanišić and Marin Pongračić replace Josip Juranović and Ivan Perišić in defence, while Mario Pašalić and Luka Sučić come in for Bruno Petković and Lovro Majer up top. Italy coach Luciano Spalletti makes three changes to his side in the wake of the more-comprehensive-than-it-sounds 1-0 defeat by Spain, and they’re all in attack. Out go Davide Frattesi, Gianluca Scamacca and Federico Chiesa; in come Giacomo Raspadori and Mateo Retegui up front, with Matteo Darmain adding some ballast to the back line. Continue reading...

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! Let’s be real here: we didn’t really know what to expect from Turkey v Georgia. Hell, neither Turkey nor Georgia knew what to expect from Turkey v Georgia. The formers were infamously the hipster’s choice at the last Euros before delivering a total of zilch points and a goal difference of minus seven; the latter headed to Dortmund for their major tournament debut. Cue an under-the-table deal between the two sides to, regardless of the result, deliver a rip-roaring occasion under torrential rain that made the Westfalenstadion roof do a terrific impression of Old Trafford. We have won three medals, England won one [more than] 50 years ago but they are a great team, we are not, we are always the dark horse. We are little but we are brave, we will fight and we have the evidence of thousands of [fans] in Berlin. We are a nation that is entitled to feel proud and our results show that we are better than our perception” – Zlatko Dalic uses England as a punchbag while defending his Croatia team against criticism after the humbling by Spain. Continue reading...

Croatia head coach points to nation’s recent near missesZlatko Dalic admits Spain defeat was ‘not a pretty sight’ The Croatia manager, Zlatko Dalic, has launched an impassioned defence of his side, insisting it is wrong they are viewed as dark horses to win Euro 2024 compared to England despite being more successful than Gareth Southgate’s side in recent years and saying his team deserve more respect. Dalic delved into the history books and brought up England’s record to emphasise his side’s credentials before Croatia face Albania in Hamburg on Wednesday. In a punchy press conference, Dalic said he is fed up of his team being patronised and took aim at those writing off his side after a difficult start in Germany. Croatia, whose base is in Neuruppin, an hour northwest of Berlin, lost their opening Group B match 3-0 to Spain. Continue reading...

Real Madrid lifted the trophy and may dominate for some time to come, while PSG are about to enter an uncertain era Francisco Gento’s record of six European Cup wins was one of those records that looked unassailable, belonging to the era of football scrapbooks. And yet Dani Carvajal, scorer of Real Madrid’s first goal in the final, and Luka Modrić matched the legendary winger’s total with Madrid’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Toni Kroos, in his final club game, having won five with Real to add to his Champions League title in 2013 with Bayern Munich, joined them. Continue reading...

Luka Modric rolls back the years with a sublime late winner against Sevilla as Real Madrid move eight points clear at the top of La Liga.

Wales needed to beat Croatia to keep their automatic qualification hopes alive and how they got a barnstorming performance to match. Harry Wilson was the matchwinner, scoring twice, but there were no end of moments to savour from this monumental victory over a team ranked sixth in the world. One of those was the sight of Wales’s left-sided centre-back, Ben Davies, who wore the captain’s armband, on a one-man mission to close down the Croatia goalkeeper, Dominik Livakovic, midway through the second half before then going to ground to nick the ball from Luka Modric. Continue reading...

Minute-by-minute updates on a crunch Group D qualifierGet in touch: you can email John with your thoughts Croatia lost to Turkey on Wednesday, which wasn’t handy for Wales make three changes .Josip Juranovic, Domagoj Vida and Lovro Majer come in for Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo and Mario Pasalic. Ivan Perisic is among a list of injuries thought there’s always Luka Modric. . Wales beat Latvia 2-0 in their last qualifier and make just two changes, with the injured Brennan Johnson and Aaron Ramsey replaced by David Brooks and Kieffer Moore. Continue reading...

Croatia scored twice in extra time to beat the Netherlands 4-2 in their Nations League semi-final in Rotterdam on Wednesday. Bruno Petkovic, on as a substitute, scored with a stunning shot from the edge of the penalty area eight minutes into the additional period to put Croatia on their way, with Luka Modric making sure of the triumph with a late penalty, the visitors’ second of the game. The first was scored by Andrej Kramaric on 55 minutes. Continue reading...