Croatia didn’t win the 2018 World Cup. You wouldn’t know that by looking at the throngs of proud fans in Zagreb who waited to welcome their national team back home. Thousands of supporters lined the streets of Zagreb and packed Ban Jelenic square to show their appreciation for the greatest team to ever don Croatia’s checkerboard red and white. Fervent fans lit flares and chanted “Champions! Champions!” just one day after the team’s remarkable World Cup run ended with a 4-2 defeat to France in the final. Sunday’s loss capped the greatest Cup run in the nation’s brief history, and it didn’t go unappreciated in the Croatian capital. Fans waved flags and banners as they turned the city streets into a screaming sea of red, white, and blue: An estimated crowd of more than 200,000 — more than five percent of the nation’s total population — sang and chanted their way through the celebration, which saw the national team arrive from Moscow, then make its way to a series of double-decker buses to soak in the adulation of a fervent crowd. If Croatia’s players were still feeling the sting of Sunday’s loss, they certainly made it hard to tell: As the celebration arced into night, the Croatians in Zagreb showed no signs of slowing down. After winding through the streets of Zagreb for six hours, the team finally made it to Ban Jelenic for their proper celebration. A crowd that had expanded to more than 500,000 waited. Luka Modric, the 2018 Golden Ball winner as the tournament’s top player, led the crowd in a spirited chant: Modric also brought a fan with Down syndrome up onto the stage to celebrate with him and his teammates as the party raged into the night. Golden Ball winner Luka Modric was told that a boy with down syndrome wanted to high-five him since he was his favorite player. Instead, Modric brought the boy on stage with the whole team and had his arm around him the entire ceremony. Luka Modric is the hero we need. pic.twitter.com/NDNlRBTkTD — Yoni (@OriginalYoni) July 17, 2018 He also brought a local nationalist singer with ties to Croatia’s fascist Ustasa movement up to the stage and requested he sing a song. So it wasn’t all good, but all in all, a pretty remarkable day in Zagreb.<doc-sep>TENS of thousands of fans have gathered in Zagreb to welcome back Croatia after the World Cup final. Luka Modric and Co were beaten in the final by France on Sunday ending a magnificent tournament in Russia. 13 Croatia fans partied long into the night as their heroes returned Credit: AFP 13 Croatia supporters were out in force to welcome back their stars Credit: AFP 13 Croatia fans gave their stars a heroes' welcome after reaching the final Credit: AFP 13 Tens of thousands of Croatians have gathered in central Zagreb to welcome home the squad Credit: EPA 13 Croatia far exceeded expectations to get to the World Cup final - where they were beaten 4-2 by France Credit: EPA 13 The players will go on an open-top bus parade from the airport to Ban Jelacic Square then onto the Presidential palace Credit: EPA Crowds cheer on Croatia World Cup team in open-top bus parade to the capital Zagreb Now, the Croatian people will greet their returning heroes amid raucous scenes in the capital. With the players expected home on Monday afternoon, fans have already started to fill Ban Jelacic square in Zagreb. Giant banners and flags were passed around fans, who were spotted wearing the famous red and white shirt of Croatia. Flares and smoke grenades were seen being let off, while some fans were even seen pitching up on their roofs to get a better view of the squad. 13 The statue of Croatian hero Josip Jelacic was draped in a red and white chequered flag Credit: Reuters 13 Some fans took to climbing onto their roofs to get a better view Credit: Reuters 13 Huge banners and flags were passed around among supporters in Zagreb Credit: Reuters The statue of war hero turned governor Ban Josip Jelacic was also draped in a red and white chequered flag. A stage has been set up where manager Zlatko Dalic and Modric - who was named player of the tournament on Sunday - are likely to address the crowd. The Croatian players were spotted on Monday morning at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, preparing to fly home. Modric was spotted wearing a silver medal around his neck, with glum faces etched across the faces of players and staff. Incredible scenes as World Cup finalists Croatia have bus parade in Zagreb 13 A young fan wearing a water polo cap is held aloft by his father Credit: Reuters 13 Croatians have been in the main square since early this morning to welcome home their players Credit: EPA But the smile will return to their faces when they see how many fans have come out to greet them. Local media reports there will be an open-top bus parade for the squad from Franjo Tudman Airport to the centre of Zagreb. Croatian star Vida celebrates with a bottle of wine following semi-final win against England MOST READ IN FOOTBALL CRYING BRU Fernandes breaks down in tears as Scholes slams Utd stars who 'accept losing' Revealed FLOP GEA De Gea let in 38th CONSECUTIVE penalty before missing own spot-kick in shootout Live Blog MAN UTD 1 (10) VILLARREAL 1 (11) Penalties heartbreak for United as De Gea misses in epic MAN UTD VERDICT Solskjaer blew chance to end trophy drought & it won't get easier than this Live Blog FOOTBALL NEWS LIVE Zidane QUITS Real Madrid, Antonio Conte leaves Inter Milan JEEPERS KEEPERS Agony for Man Utd as De Gea misses after epic shootout goes down to GOALIES ZINE ENOUGH Zidane 'quits Real Madrid with immediate effect' after troubled Bernabeu season Pictured THE PINK PUNDIT Jamie Carragher forced to wear a PINK WIG on air after losing Man Utd bet 13 Luka Modric, wearing his silver medal, will return to Zagreb from Russia on Monday afternoon Credit: Reuters 13 There are similar scenes in France were thousands of fans are gathering close to the Arc de Triomphe to celebrate winning the tournament Credit: AP:Associated Press Thousands of red and white are expected to be released to mark the return, while there will be a performance from Croatian band the Zapresic Boys. After the parade, the squad will make their way to Croatian presidential palace in Pantovcak, where Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic will present them with medals. There are similar scenes in Paris, where thousands of fans are gathering close to the Arc de Triomphe for a parade by the World Cup winners.<doc-sep>Tens of thousands of people turned up at a celebration for Croatia in Zagreb on Monday despite their 4-2 loss to France in the World Cup final a day earlier. Fans wearing red and white and waving Croatia flags poured into the streets in the city centre to greet the players, giving them a heroes' welcome as they passed in an open bus and signed autographs. Croatian air force jets escorted the plane as it returned from Russia, entered the country's air space and flew over Zagreb. "Champions! Champions!" roared the crowds as the players emerged from the plane and stepped on a red carpet placed on the tarmac at the Zagreb airport. Although the team finished second in the World Cup, the success has been the described as the greatest in Croatia's sporting history, boosting national pride and sense of unity in a country that gained its independence from the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Croatia's state railway company halved ticket prices so fans could travel to Zagreb, and city authorities said public transportation around the capital would be free on Monday. Fans packed the Bana Jelacica Square in Zagreb to welcome Croatia home from the World Cup. Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images Defender Dejan Lovren said that while he was disappointed to have lost because he believes Croatia were the better team, he was pleased with what they accomplished. "I am proud of what we achieved -- second in the world," Lovren said. "I'm proud of everyone and for the country. We have regrets now when we look at [refereeing] decisions, [because] it doesn't make sense anymore. It's hard to describe. "Maybe after a couple of months I will have everything straight. It's hard now as I am some moments sad and some moments happy. Overall, I am proud." Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.<doc-sep>L uka Modric and his Croatia team-mates were given a rapturous welcome home after their World Cup mission had come up just short. But having gone one better than they did in France 20 years earlier, when they finished third, they were greeted as heroes on their return. The squad flew back to Zagreb on Monday and left their plane to a red carpet welcome before boarding an open-top bus to travel into the city, where thousands of fans had gathered in Ban Jelacic Square to welcome them home. Such was the size and the warmth of the reaction that midfielder Ivan Rakitic tweeted: "There are no words to describe this. We are proud to defend Croatia colours." In Pictures | France vs Croatia World Cup Final | 15/07/2018 1 /101 In Pictures | France vs Croatia World Cup Final | 15/07/2018 REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS AP REUTERS PA REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS AP REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS Alexei Nikolsky/AP REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS AFP/Getty Images AP REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS AP REUTERS REUTERS EPA REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS AP REUTERS EPA AFP/Getty Images REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS AP REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS AP REUTERS AP REUTERS REUTERS AFP/Getty Images REUTERS REUTERS AFP/Getty Images AP REUTERS REUTERS AP REUTERS PA EPA EPA EPA EPA AP AP REUTERS AP REUTERS REUTERS AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS Will Kylian Mbappe make this a day to remember for France AFP/Getty Images Football friends AFP/Getty Images Olivier Giroud and France warm up AFP/Getty Images Argentinian referee Nestor Pitana (C) and his assistants warm up AFP/Getty Images The closing ceremony! AFP/Getty Images Nicky Jam performs during the closing ceremony REUTERS France fans in full voice AFP/Getty Images A huge day for France AFP/Getty Images Dejan Lovren deep in conversation AFP/Getty Images Half and half scarves are probably allowed today AFP/Getty Images Somebody's got World Cup fever REUTERS The Gallic rooster - an unofficial national symbol of France REUTERS The romance of the World Cup AFP/Getty Images Things could get hairy today REUTERS Somebody's backing France AFP/Getty Images Croatia fans gather in the center of Moscow EPA France fans pose near a statue of Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin AFP/Getty Images Getting ready for the final AFP/Getty Images Probably a French fan... AFP/Getty Images France supporters outside the stadium AFP/Getty Images France supporters outside the stadium AFP/Getty Images Croatia's coach Zlatko Dalic in the stadium AFP/Getty Images High hopes for Croatia AFP/Getty Images Croatia supporters make their way to the stadium EPA France supporters make their way to the stadium EPA France supporters make their way to the stadium EPA The Croatian Football Federation posted a series of photographs of the crowds on its official Twitter account, adding the message: "Night falls in Zagreb. Croatia still celebrates." Croatia, which has a population of around 4.1million, won all three of their group games, including a 3-0 victory over Argentina, and fought back from losing positions in the knockout stages against Denmark, Russia and England to make it to the final. They did so once again in the final as Ivan Perisic cancelled out Mario Mandzukic's own goal, but Antoine Griezmann's controversially-awarded penalty and further goals from Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe ensured Mandzukic's late strike counted for little. Nevertheless, they left Russia having significantly enhanced their reputation and with captain Modric having added the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player to his runner-up medal.<doc-sep>
Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of Croatia's capital Zagreb to stage a hero's welcome for their national football team. Huge crowds waving Croatian flags and wearing the national red and white colours greeted the players with excitement, despite the team losing to France in the World Cup final. Cries of "Champions! Champions!" could be heard roaring across the city as football fans celebrated the country getting through to play the biggest match in football for the first time. Image: Golden Ball winner Luka Modric and other team members were cheered as they arrived home The small country - which has a population of four million people - has been enraptured by the international competition. Croatia lost 4-2 to France in Moscow on Sunday but the team's success has been described as the biggest in the nation's sporting history. Captain Luka Modric was honoured, winning the Golden Ball for being the player of the tournament. Image: Tens of thousands of people filled the streets Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic openly supported the team during their World Cup journey. "Congratulations to the France team for this great victory! We are also very proud of our heroes who made us dream," he tweeted after the final. "Proud of the performance of the Croatia team who made a great match in the World Cup final. Thank you for this beautiful football!" Image: Fans were celebrating Croatia's first ever World Cup final, despite the result Zagreb's central square was crammed with the energetic crowds, with many travelling from other parts of the country to take part in the celebrations. Croatia's state railway company cut ticket prices by half so fans could get to the city. The players passed in an open-top bus, greeting fans and signing autographs along the way. Image: Cries of 'champions!' could be heard across the city State TV had urged citizens to come out and enjoy "the historic moment" on the players' return. Croatia dominated the opening quarter of the final, harrying the French back four with commendable discipline. Image: The team's success has been described as the biggest in the nation's sporting history But a free kick in the 18th minute from Antoine Griezmann flicked off Croatian star Mario Mandzukic's head and nestled into the far corner of the Croatian net. Croatia equalised 11 minutes later and scored another goal in the 69th minute despite France's three goals in between - but failed to score again in the last 20 minutes.