‘When Tripps scored that free-kick against Croatia it was an amazing feeling, but we just couldn’t get the second goal to kill the game’ Jordan Pickford on England’s 2018 heartbreak

Croatia v England – FIFA World Cup 2018 – Semi Final – Luzhniki Stadium — Pickford's first international tournament ended in semi-final heartbreak

England’s 2018 World Cup campaign was something of a watershed moment in modern Three Lions history.

For the first time since 1990, England found themselves 90 minutes away from the World Cup final when they took on Croatia in Moscow.

A 2-1 extra-time defeat put paid to the nation’s hopes of ending a trophy drought that is now into its sixth decade, and as England finalise their preparations for this summer’s tournament in North America, they will be facing a familiar face in the group stage.

Pickford on facing Croatia again

Jordan Pickford was playing in his first major tournament for England at the 2018 World Cup and is now a Three Lions veteran, set for his fifth trophy tilt this summer.

The Everton stopper broke the record for the number of tournament appearances by an England goalkeeper during Euro 2024, having turned out 26 times in a major competition and will be one of Thomas Tuchel’s most trusted lieutenants this summer.

Croatia v England &ndash; FIFA World Cup 2018 &ndash; Semi Final &ndash; Luzhniki Stadium — Mario Mandzukic fires his extra-time winner past Jordan Pickford (Image credit: Aaron Chown)

Croatia will be England’s opening opponent in Group L this summer, which will be followed by clashes against Ghana and Panama, with Pickford confident that his side can progress through to the knockout stages with the minimum of fuss.

“Of course,” Pickford tells FourFourTwo. “We go there looking to win every game and build momentum in the group stage.

“Every team we play is there on merit, so we know every match is likely to be tough, but we have to be at our best every time we play.“

But it is that Croatia rematch on July 17 that especially catches the eye in the lead-up to the tournament.

Gareth Southgate’s side took the lead after just five minutes at the Luzhniki Stadium when the two sides clashed in 2018 thanks to a Kieran Trippier free-kick, only to be pegged back with 20 minutes to go when Ivan Perisic levelled to force extra time.

Gareth Southgate's England were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup by Croatia. — The semi-final appearance was England's best tourament performance since Euro 96

Mario Mandzukic’s extra-time winner settled the contest as Croatia reached the World Cup final for the first time in their history, with Pickford admitting that this summer’s match will bring all of these memories back.

“When Tripps scored that free-kick it was an amazing feeling, but we just couldn’t get the second goal to kill the game and put the pressure on,” he recalls.

“Then they got into the game and did enough to win it.”

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For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.

With contributions from

Nick Judd