Having had to wait 28 years, the moment has come, England are in a World Cup semi-final and now Croatia are the nation stand between the Three Lions and a place in the World Cup Final for the first time in 52 years.
We all know what happened back in 1966, but before the 2018 tournament began back on 14th June, you wouldn’t have heard many people chanting ‘Football’s Coming Home’ – the belief is well and truly back.
Luka Modric and Co will be doing their utmost to ensure Croatia reach their first ever World Cup final, though, having last reached the semi-final stage back in France in 1998.
Our betting expert gives you the best World Cup bets to place on this contest.
Croatia to upset the applecart?
Croatia are the potential party-poopers for England and they progressed to this stage via a nervy penalty shoot-out success over hosts Russia.
The Croats looked good in the group stages, comfortably dispatching the likes of Argentina 3-0 to top their group.
They have managed to make it through to the last four, but they haven’t been that convincing in the knockout stages – needing penalties to see off both Denmark and Russia after both games ended 1-1 after extra time.
You would have fancied them to get past both those sides if they replicated their group stage form, but Croatia and boss Zlatko Dalic cannot be underestimated having still held their nerve at the crucial moments and are 5/2 to win in normal time tomorrow.
Is Football coming home?
After breaking the penalty shoot-out hoodoo in their Round of 16 encounter with Colombia, Gareth Southgate’s side saw off a plucky Sweden 2-0 thanks to goals from Harry Maguire and Dele Alli to book a semi-final spot.
Their performances throughout the campaign have been above what many would have expected from this competition, and many would have settled for a quarter-final place at best, but the likes of Maguire and Kieran Trippier have excelled alongside captain Harry Kane.
There’s no doubt that the draw has favoured the Three Lions with the number of shocks we have seen throughout the tournament, and they can be backed at 5/4 to win in normal time at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow tomorrow night.
Captain Kane to find his Golden touch
Harry Kane still leads the race for the Golden Boot with six goals, and while failing to score against Sweden he will be keen to seal his place in World Cup history and help his side to Sunday’s final.
It is hard not to be patriotic when an occasion like this comes around for the first time in 28 years, so I will go with a combination bet of over 2.5 goals, England to win and Harry Kane to score – which can be backed at 7/1.
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