Croatia will have excess energy for World Cup final – Rakitic The Saigon Times Daily Croatia players during training at Luzhniki Training Field, Moscow, Russia July 13, 2018 – PHOTO: REUTERS MOSCOW (REUTERS) – Croatia will have more than enough energy to take on France in the World Cup final on Sunday despite being taken to extra time in all three of their World Cup knockout matches, midfielder Ivan Rakitic said. The Croats needed penalties to beat Denmark and Russia in the last-16 and quarter-finals respectively and then played another 120 minutes to edge England in the last four and reach their first tournament final. Some of Rakitic’s team mates looked to have reached their physical limits after the England game and were barely able to get off the pitch. Yet that will matter little in the biggest game the Balkan nation has ever played, Rakitic said on Friday. “There will be excess power and energy, don’t you worry about it,” Rakitic told reporters. “This is an historic game not only for us. For the players but also for everybody who is a Croat.” “There will be 4.5 million (population of Croatia) players on the pitch. We will carry each another, we will have the energy. We want to leave the pitch with our heads held high and to say we did everything.” Croatia reached the last four at the 1998 World Cup but lost 2-1 to eventual winners France. For Rakitic that game means nothing. “We have to put… [Read full story]
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