As the countdown to this summer's World Cup continues, the Mirror's Make Football Great Again podcast looks back at recent tournaments, including England's unexpected run in 2018. Journalists John Cross and Andy Dunn recall the surreal atmosphere and the eventual heartbreak of the semi-final defeat to Croatia.
Cross described the run as 'surreal', noting that just two years prior he had witnessed England's Euro 2016 exit to Iceland. With low expectations, a quarter-final appearance seemed positive, but the team exceeded all hopes. A late winner against Tunisia, a thumping of Panama, and a penalty shootout win over Colombia set up a quarter-final victory against Sweden.
In the semi-final, Kieran Trippier's first-half free-kick gave England the lead. Cross recalled the disbelief in the press box at half-time: 'I can't believe it, mate, we are 45 minutes away from covering England in a World Cup final.' Despite the eventual 2-1 loss, Cross believes France would have beaten England in the final anyway, but the chance was all that mattered.
Dunn described the England base in Repino, a small town near St. Petersburg, as 'three minutes of darkness a day. One bar. One restaurant. A one-horse town without a horse.' The camp's isolation contributed to the team's focus, but the heartbreak of the semi-final still lingers.
