Vedran Corluka may have only made it to the pitch for five minutes but that was enough for him.
He’s been around this game for long enough now to have seen it all. He knows what England are like, for God’s sake, this is a man who spent six years of his career in England.
Corluka may not have a starting role in Zlatko Dalic’s national outfit but he does have a crucial one. A wily old head, the 6ft 4 in centre back has more than 100 caps for his country.
He’s been there through the heartbreak of previous tournaments, the 32-year-old has suffered through all of those near misses in years gone by.
He’s sick and tired of Croatia being that team that was always admired but never feared, that played nice football, but never hammered it home when it mattered the most.
Ray Houghton comments during England defeat spark fierce reaction https://t.co/f2ZzfpL19t
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 11, 2018
Corluka was sick of all of that and that was why Wednesday night’s knockout victory meant so much to him, and meant so much to his nation.
He shouldn’t be this cruel. In fairness to the former Spurs and Manchester City man, it was more than likely just a tongue-in-cheek comment motivated by the lack of ‘respect’ shown by the English media that only went onto inspire Luka Modric too.
Because after the Croats had came from behind to dump the Three Lions out of the World Cup in extra-time, that man Corluka was basking it all.
His old friends from the English media asked him for a few words, and Irish journalist Miguel Delaney overheard his galling response.
“It’s not coming home,” he beamed.
Corluka is asked to stop for English press, smiles and just says: "It's not coming home!" Keeps walking.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) July 11, 2018
We’ve spoken of the English media not helping themselves and though they’ll always deny this, Modric’s comments are living proof that the sense of arrogance they hold themselves with only goes to spur opponents on. While the whole of England were preparing for a final date with France, Modric, Corluka and Croatia were pinning this self-praise to the dressing room wall.
In the end, it was those two who were laughing.
