In a must-win game for Croatia against defending champions Italy, it seemed as though 36-year-old Luka Modric had defied Father Time, becoming the oldest goal scorer in European Championship history to put Croatia ahead. But Italy, needing only a draw, dominated the game and had its fair share of chances amidst a host of lineup changes by head coach Luciano Spalletti. In the end, Croatia's six yellow cards and every trick in the book were not enough to hold off Italy's last-gasp equalizer by substitute Mattia Zaccagni, spilling victory and a spot in the Euro 2024 knockout stage from their grasp.
In a must-win game for Croatia, 36-year-old Luka Modric seemed to turn back the clocks as he became the oldest goal scorer in European Championship history with a stunning strike against defending champions Italy. Despite a valiant and gritty performance, Modric and his side ultimately fell short in the dying minutes of the match, with a late equalizer from Italy substitute Mattia Zaccagni securing their place in the Round of 16 at the expense of Croatia. The result was a gut-wrenching blow for Modric and his team, who put everything on the line in a game where only a victory would have kept their hopes alive.
In a highly-anticipated Group B match of the Euro 2024, defending champions Italy faced off against Croatia. Despite Italy's impressive performance in their first match, they found themselves trailing 0-1 against Croatia. While it was a must-win game for Italy to secure their spot in the knockout stage, Croatia was also looking for a win after starting their campaign with a loss and a draw. Follow all the action and live updates from the match here.