For Southgate, though, that was not enough. He waited on the touchline because he wanted to congratulate Croatia’s staff and players on their victory and because he did not want to interfere, did not want to interrupt their moment, and because, you suspect, he did not want to hide from the disappointment. He wanted to wallow in it, to experience it, to feel it, so that it might serve as inspiration not to go through it again.

That is for the future, though. The present belonged to the players he was watching, those that made Croatia the smallest country to reach the World Cup final since Uruguay in 1950, who turned this team into a modern marvel. The players who did not stop running, even when their bodies were screaming at them to stop, even when they could not catch their breath, even when their very bones groaned under the load. They have worked for their prize; they have earned it. France awaits. They must go once more into the red.

——

Here’s how Croatia beat England, by Andrew Das and Kevin Draper:

FULL TIME: Croatia 2, England 1

England couldn’t make it happen in the closing minutes and Croatia, clearly exhausted, are going to the their first World Cup final.

England somehow wound up with just one shot on goal: the first-half score by Trippier. Of their other 10 shots, six were off target and four were blocked. In contrast, Croatia fired off 22 shots, getting seven of them on net.

120’ + 3: Vardy Shows Up

Jamie Vardy is called for a rough tackle. Free kick for Croatia.

120’ + 1: Four More Minutes

Rakitic and Kyle Walker do some shoving, but Walker quickly realizes that the clock is running out on England.

120’: Croatia Still Threatening

Andrej Kramaric takes a pass and creates some space inside the box and fires … wide of the post!

117’: Trippier Goes Off

Trippier is done. He’s being helped off by two trainers with a leg injury. Out of subs, England will finish with 10.

113’: England’s Run in Jeopardy

Seven minutes to the final, and to the end of England’s run if this doesn’t change.

112’: England Needs to Push

Vrsaljko is down for a minute and England refuses to play the ball out. They even get a cross in, but Subasic gets to it and now we have a whistle. Not sure Dalic wants to do anything though, and it seems just a cramp. Play on.