Zlatko Dalić

The match was played in Ljubljana's "Stozice". Sandi Lovric, the "Croatian son", scored the only goal of the night, slowing down the Croats in their qualification cycle.

Two months after the Croatian national football team became the runners-up at the World Cup in Russia, captain Luka Modric was given the men's player of the year award by FIFA at a ceremony in London on Monday.

He won this year's award ahead of Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo, his former Real Madrid teammate and twice winner of the 'best player' prize.

Thousands of people feted the coach of soccer World Cup finalists Croatia, Zlatko Dalic, in his hometown of Livno in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday, as celebrations of the team's feats in Russia continue.

That same day, Dalic was shortlisted for the Best FIFA Men's Coach award, and superstar midfielder Luka Modric was nominated as FIFA's Player of the Year.

Four full charter flights are taking off from Zagreb to Moscow on Wednesday alongside regular flights to the Russian capital as Croatia's footballers prepare for their World Cup semi-final showdown with England.

The Croatian national team received a very unpleasant news before the extremely important semi-final clash of the World Cup with England on Wednesday at 21:00.

Having billed Greece as the most awkward opponents it could draw in the World Cup play-offs, Croatia will head into the two-leg tie confident of maintaining its flawless record in the final round of qualifying for major tournaments.