Halfway to the greatest night in modern English football history. Halfway to a complete performance, halfway to proving that they could beat top sides, with young English players passing the ball and opening them up. It was halfway to Sunday’s World Cup final. Halfway, and so far from being enough.

Those facts, or rather that one huge fact, pulls the emotions in both directions after this long painful night at the Luzhniki. This ground that England were hoping to return to, to face France on Sunday. They were 22 minutes away from making it back here, before Ivan Perisic grabbed it away.

First there is pride, the pride of the England fans who stayed on to applaud the tearful players. That they got this far, this they came this close, and that they did so playing the way they did, with the players they have. The broader judgements can wait but this team has done more than anyone could have hoped for.

Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings <b>Croatia:</b> Danijel Subasic – 6 out of 10 His position for the opening goal was questionable and his dive wasn’t all that either. Possibly still feeling the effects of his hamstring niggle suffered in the quarter-final. AFP/Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Sime Vrsaljko – 8 out of 10 An injury doubt heading into the game that will have been relieved to see Raheem Sterling targeting the left side of the Croatian defence. Pushed forward as England went into their shells, and it was his superb cross that allowed Perisic to volley home and level the scores. AFP/Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Dejan Lovren – 5 out of 10 On thin ice early with referee Cuneyt Cakir and somehow stayed out of the referee’s book. Ran ragged throughout the first half by Sterling and Lingard, and looked like a walking red card waiting to happen. But as England’s attack faded away, the pressure on him eased. AP Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Domagoj Vida – 7 out of 10 The more commanding of the two Croatian centre-backs, though that isn’t saying much in comparison to Lovren’s performance. AFP/Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Ivan Strinic – 5 out of 10 Found himself under a heap of pressure as Sterling and Trippier double-teamed him, putting him in a spin that England were unable to take full advantage of. AP Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Marcelo Brozovic – 6 out of 10 It was his loss of concentration that allowed Dele Alli to slip by and force Luka Modric into the foul that led to the opening goal. Looked more assured thereafter, and was one of the main reasons why Croatia were able to turn the tables. EPA Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Ante Rebic – 6 out of 10 Must have been one of the most frustrated players on the pitch as he saw no fewer than three shots blocked by the stubborn England defence, before being replaced by Anrej Kramaric. AP Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Luka Modric – 6 out of 10 Exposed defensively as Dele Alli drew the early foul that set-up England’s opener and looked very much like a 31-year-old who has been dragged through three lung-busting extra-time matches. A shadow of the player we’re used to seeing. EPA Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Ivan Rakitic – 6 out of 10 Just as disappointing as Modric and for all the high billing that the Liga duo were given, they flattered to deceive. AP Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Ivan Perisic – 9 out of 10 Wasted possession early on when Croatia were trailing as he wastefully shot from distance, but made his impact on the game – and then some. He made a lovely run to get in front of Kyle Walker to score Croatia’s deserved equaliser, and it was his determination that got him to the ball first to head into the path of Mandzukic to score the winner. EPA Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Wasted possession early on when Croatia were trailing as he wastefully shot from distance, but made his impact on the game – and then some. He made a lovely run to get in front of Kyle Walker to score Croatia’s deserved equaliser, and it was his determina Took a clattering from Pickford when the two collided in close-range to the England goal, but brushed it off to score the crucial goal that sent Croatia through to the World Cup final. AP Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings <England:</b> Jordan Pickford – 6 out of 10 Involved in a nasty-looking collision with Rebic early on but brushed himself down and looked composed as ever. Didn’t have too many saves to make as England’s defence made block after block, but the resilience finally broke. Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Kyle Walker – 6 out of 10 Bailed England out with his phenomenal pace on numerous occasions as Croatia pushed on in the second half in search of the goal they needed, but just like the opening game against Tunisia he was exposed aerially for Perisic’s equaliser. AFP/Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings John Stones – 7 out of 10 England’s most impressive defender as he put his body on the line and looked to block anything that came down the centre channel. A strong performance that was undone by his hesitation that allowed Mandzukic in behind to score the winner. AFP/Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Harry Maguire – 6 out of 10 Tried to impose at England’s set-pieces but to no avail. Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Kieran Trippier – 8 out of 10 Lovely free-kick to open the scoring in the fifth minute dared England to dream and was reward for his efforts at the tournament. The sight of him being carried off injured as extra-time ticked down was a sad one. AP Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Jordan Henderson – 6 out of 10 Made little impression on the match as Croatia were able to bypass the England midfield with relative ease. EPA Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Dele Alli – 6 out of 10 Won the free-kick that produced Trippier’s goal, but that’s just about all he managed and he lost possession too often as England allowed the game to slip away. AFP/Getty Images Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Ashley Young – 6 out of 10 Crucial touch to nip the ball away from Perisic just as he cocked his right leg to shoot at goal early on. EPA Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Jesse Lingard – 6 out of 10 For someone who is capable of the beautiful goal he scored against Panama, he goes missing in games too often. Croatia were able to withstand his early onslaught with Sterling and after that he pretty much disappeared from view. AP Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Raheem Sterling – 6 out of 10 Another who disappointed in terms of the final product. Made a number of runs early on that made him look the most dangerous player out there, but too often he was either on his own or ran into a dead end and was replaced by Marcus Rashford when England started to chase the game. EPA Croatia vs England World Cup player ratings Harry Kane – 5 out of 10 Missed two chances in front of goal that he would have expected to score in his sleep – not knowing that he had been flagged offside both times. Looked completely spent come the end of normal time as he slipped back into midfield once again, and you would not be surprised if he has been carrying an injury since the Colombia game. AFP/Getty Images

There is also sadness, and who knows tonight how long that will take to get over. That this thrilling team could not quite complete a job that they looked, for so much time, to be so assured at. But as the fans stayed in their seats, gone midnight, singing ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, it felt unlikely that this defeat will prompt the same grief, the same soul-searching and pained re-examination of national priorities as semi-final defeats of the past have done. Even if we accept that no England may ever get a better chance than this.

Because England threw everything they had at Croatia on Wednesday night, and they lost to a better team. Here, in the biggest game these players will ever play, England produced one half of excellent football, the best that they have played all tournament. They were fast, incisive, assertive and confident. A better version of themselves, of the Gareth Southgate identity, than they have been so far.

England took the lead, deserved it, and held it for more than an hour. They had chances to double their lead, the best to Harry Kane towards the end of the first half. Had they scored a second goal then who knows what would have happened next. Maybe that would have given them enough of a footing to survive the Croatian wave that eventually broke over them. But we will never know.

Kieran Trippier scores England's opener (Getty Images)

This will inevitably be compared to Turin 1990 and Wembley 1996 - those are judgements for the next few days - but there was a characteristic feel to the way the game went after England’s strong fast half. This team has been true to its pledge to write its own story this summer, but what they wrote read like something we have read before.

Think back to the start of the second half, when England were 1-0 up against a ragged Croatia side who looked off the pace and, frankly, out of their depth at times. Especially with Raheem Sterling running at them and space opening up. But from that point on, Croatia succeeded in playing the game they wanted to play. Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic started to take control and Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard looked more leggy and more limited with every long minute that passed. England still had the lead, but they no longer had control.

It was sickening but not wholly surprising when, half-way through the second half, Perisic was sharp enough to pull Croatia level. England never truly recovered, not to the level they were playing at in that thrilling first half. By the end of 90 minutes they were desperately chasing Croatia’s black shirts around, hanging on in a game they thought was all theirs. By extra-time it was almost all Croatia and early in the second period of it, Mario Mandzukic killed England off. In truth it could have ended much sooner: Perisic had two good chances to win it before 90 minutes. Which would at least have brought a swifter end to the agony.

What made it all so painful is that long before all that, almost three hours before the team were scattered and slumped all over the pitch, England had started in the best possible way. They wanted to begin fast, aggressive and dangerous, and they did. They knew that a long drawn-out game would favour Croatia - of course they were right - so they needed to get in front as soon as they could. But even then they must have thought this was their perfect evening when Modric clattered Alli 20 yards out just four minutes in. And Kieran Trippier did what he has been doing all summer, executing a dead-ball situation in the most spectacular way possible.

Mario Mandzukic celebrates his winning moment (Getty)

With two men on one side of the wall and three on the other, Croatia were ready for England to remove their screen and whip the ball through it. Instead, Trippier curled the ball over the top of the ball. Danijel Subasic had no idea what to expect until it was too late.

By scoring so early, England hoped they had removed the possibility of a long, slow passing game, although in truth they had just delayed its onset.

This was when England needed to score a second goal, and by not doing so the game started to shift imperceptibly away from them. Harry Maguire twice went close with headers from corners. Alli set up Lingard, who should have done better from the edge of the box. Best of all, Lingard found Kane, on the brink of offside, but his shot hit the post and then Subasic and flew painfully away.

While all this was going on, Croatia were slowly starting to get into the game. At the start England were pressing them, relying on their lively legs, and Croatia could never quite get that midfield grip they have at their best. So the onus was on Croatia, at the start of the second half, to do something better, to play their authentic football and challenge England’s hold. But England did not look like they expected Croatia to respond to their challenge, not quite as well as this.

Harry Kane applauds England's fans after defeat (REUTERS)

As England’s pressing energy started to leak out of them, Modric and Rakitic each found just an inch more space every time they had the ball. Every pass was better than the last, none of it was rushed, every move better built. It no longer felt like England could run Croatia off the pitch. Not when England were running exactly where Croatia sent them.

Unable to keep playing the game they wanted to, England were pushed slowly back. They started to rely on Walker, Maguire and Stones throwing themselves in front of shots, desperately heading the ball away, anything to preserve England’s lead. But no team can rely on that forever, not with this much on the line.

It started to feel ominous, and soon enough the sky caved in. Vrsaljko again had space on the right to cross. Perisic, ghosting in from the left, eluded both Trippier and Walker, and both were slow to react. Perisic stuck out a boot, Walker thought his head would be enough and Croatia were level. A momentary lapse from England, but one that felt as if it had been probable as long as they let the game drift.

Gareth Southgate consoles Ashley Young after the final whistle (Getty)

England conceded a sickening equaliser against Colombia but this was worse, 22 minutes away from a World Cup final. And they took it as badly as you would expect them to, as all that unity, trust and shape melted instantly away. Croatia had been slowly growing into the game, but now they were level they looked like scoring with every attack. The end of normal time was the most painful period imaginable for England, as every minute they were inches away from being knocked out by Perisic and Rebic.

It took some luck just for England to make it through to extra-time. Something had to change so Southgate threw on Danny Rose and Eric Dier. Dier even forced a corner, Stones’ header was cleared off the line. Some will fixate on that moment to explain why things went the way they did, but it was just one action, totally at odds with the flow of the game, which was entirely in Croatia’s favour.

It was Mario Mandzukic who killed England off, and they cannot say that they were not warned. At the end of the first half of extra-time, he pounced on a low cross into the box, which Pickford kept out only with typically brilliant instinctive save, bursting off his line to block it. But you cannot survive like that forever.

Mandzukic had the reading of England. He knew they were tired, struggling, and could not hold him back forever. Soon after the restart, Perisic and Trippier challenged for a header on the edge of the box. It looked harmless enough. But as the ball looped towards goal, Manduzkic was sharper on it, more aware, than Maguire and Stones around him. He tucked the ball away before England had woken up.