It seemed as if Luka Modric had defied Father Time, lifting Croatia to the Euro 2024 knockout stage with a strong and gritty performance. Modric had become the oldest goal scorer in European Championship history to put Croatia ahead in a must-win game against the defending champions Italy.
Italy, needing only a draw, had dominated for much of the game but created precious few chances amidst a host of lineup changes by head coach Luciano Spalletti.
Modric saw a penalty saved in the 54th minute by Gianluigi Donnarumma, but 33 seconds later had put the ball in the back of the net to give Croatia a 1-0 lead. From there, Zlatko Dalic’s side left it all on the field, collecting six yellow cards as they utilized every trick in the book to remain in front under a torrent of Italian pressure.
But it was not to be, and Father Time remains undefeated still. In the last of eight added minutes, substitute Mattia Zaccagni scored a wonderful curler, depositing his first international goal into the top-right corner of Dominik Livakovic’s net to give Italy a last-gasp equalizer and send them through to the knockout stage at Croatia’s expense.
Italy needed just a point to advance, while defeat would have left them vulnerable amongst the crowded third-place table. Croatia, meanwhile, knew they had to win to remain alive for a Round of 16 spot. In the end, Spalletti was let off the hook for his head-scratching changes, rescued by a 29-year-old Lazio winger in just his seventh international cap.
The Sporting News followed Croatia vs. Italy live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happened.
MORE: Euro 2024 schedule and results, updated LIVE | How each team can qualify for Euro 2024 knockouts
Croatia vs. Italy final score
ScoreGoal scorersCroatia1Modric (55′)Italy1Zaccagni (90+8′)
Venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)
Starting lineups:
Croatia (4-3-3): Livakovic (GK) — Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol — Modric (Majer, 80′), Brozovic, Kovacic (Ivanusec, 71′) — Sucic (Perisic, 71′), Kramaric (Juranovic, 88′), Mario Pasalic (Budimir, 46′).
Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma (GK) — Darmian (Zaccagni, 82′), Calafiori, Bastoni — Di Lorenzo, Jorginho (Fagioli, 82′), Barella, Pellegrini (Frattesi, 46′), Dimarco (Chiesa, 57′) — Raspadori (Scamacca, 75′), Retegui.
MORE: How to watch Croatia vs. Italy at Euro 2024 in Group B decider
Croatia vs. Italy live updates, highlights from Euro 2024
Croatia vs. Italy stats:
CroatiaStatItaly6Shots134Shots on target31.49Expected goals1.0647%Possession53%449Accurate passes4882Corners1118Fouls66Yellow cards2
FULLTIME: Croatia 1-1 Italy
IT DOESN’T GET MORE DRAMATIC THAN THAT!! PLAYERS FROM BOTH SIDES ARE COMPLETELY STUNNED AS THEY LAY ON THE GROUND IN DISBELIEF AND EXHAUSTION!
You feel for Croatia, who put everything they had on the line to advance in this tournament, but they’ve come just seconds short of late salvation. Italy, meanwhile, are through to the Round of 16 with the last-gasp point. Unbelievable!
Somehow, Luciano Spalletti’s been booked in the aftermath. For what, who knows — maybe the celebration — but he won’t care.
90+8 min: GOAL! ITALY! WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT! MATTIA ZACCAGNI SAVES ITALY AND BREAKS CROATIA’S HEART WITH A WONDERFUL CURLED FINISH!!!
It’s the 29-year-old’s first-ever goal for Italy, and it couldn’t have come at a better time! That’s the last kick of the match, as Italy survive and Croatia are out!
Incredibly, the assist comes from none other than young defender Ricardo Calafiori, whose marauding run and exceptional vision made it happen! He saw what nobody else on Italy had all evening, and delivered the goods! Then, what a finish by Zaccagni to beat Dominik Livakovic!
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90+6 min: Now yet another yellow card for Nicolo Fagioli who the referee brings back to punish an earlier foul where advantage was played. It’s the eighth booking of the match from the Dutch referee.
90+5 min: Croatia have a free-kick from about 27 yards out, and they take it straight to the corner flag to kill time. It comes back out though, and they swing it all the way around the other side of the pitch playing keep-away from Italy.
90+1 min: Marcelo Brozovic becomes the sixth Croatian booked for a late tackle on Alessandro Bastoni. They’re laying it all on the line, but so far have kept Italy at bay.
Ricardo Calafiori is booked moments later for barging into the back of Josip Juranovic as Croatia looked to break after an Italy corner. He’ll miss the next match, if there even is one.
87th min: Chance, Italy! How has Gianluca Scamacca not scored!?! The Atalanta striker is well positioned to latch onto the end of a cross from the right by Federico Chiesa, but he’s shielded off well by Josip Stanisic who does brilliantly to keep his man from turning the fizzed ball into the net.
Andrej Kramaric is brought off for Josip Juranovic as Zlatko Dalic looks to shore up the lead with eight minutes of stoppage time imminent.
HIGHLIGHT: Watch in USA
85th min: Both sides are in full-on desperation mode now. Croatia have actually done quite well to get forward and look to punish Italy for their overt attacking intent, but it doesn’t come to much. Both sides are truly fighting for their Euro 2024 lives now.
82nd min: Josip Stanisic is lucky to just get a yellow card after a thumping two-footed challenge on Mattia Zaccagni who had only just entered the pitch moments earlier.
80th min: Alessandro Bastoni gets a slight but essential headed touch on a cross that’s destined to find a Croatian attacker streaking on goal if not for the Italian’s necessary intervention.
38-year-old Luka Modric is brought off and replaced by Lovro Majer, as he gets a huge applause from the crowd. Italy throw their last two changes on as Matteo Darmian and Jorginho are hauled off and replaced by Nicolo Fagioli and Mattia Zaccagni.
78th min: Now it’s Marin Pongracic who goes into the referee’s book for dragging back an Italy counter-attack. He’s the fourth Croatian booked by the Dutch referee.
73rd min: The substitutions have done little to stem Italy’s push. They have a pair of consecutive set-pieces which go begging, and then a yellow card is shown to substitute Luka Ivanusec for kicking the ball away after a foul.
Luciano Spalletti will withdraw Giacomo Raspadori and bring Gianluca Scamacca onto the pitch in a late attempt to throw attacking players forward.
70th min: Luka Modric looks over at the Croatian bench to head coach Zlatko Dalic to ask if they are making any changes to stem the flow of this match. Indeed, there’s an immediate response as Ivan Peresic and Luka Ivanusec come on, with Mateo Kovacic and Luka Susic hauled off.
68th min: Italy have turned on the jets and are pummeling the Croatia penalty area. It has only resulted in the one set-piece chance for Alessandro Bastoni, but it’s got Croatia pinned back on their heels. Italy earn their ninth corner, which is punched clear by Dominik Livakovic, and he’s required seconds later as it’s recycled back into the area but he comes off his line to boot it away.
Croatia are in real trouble of coughing up the lead if this continues.
62nd min: Chance, Italy! Alessandro Bastoni has an utterly identical headed chance to his miss in the first half, and he puts it inches over the crossbar! Two huge chances for the Italian defender, and he’s failed to hit the target on both!
60th min: Shortly after his opening goal, Luka Modric is booked for a foul on Davide Frattesi, who was at fault for conceding the penalty earlier.
57th min: In the aftermath of the goal, Luciano Spalletti responds immediately by replacing Federico Dimarco with Federico Chiesa. Croatian fans begin showering the pitch with cups, causing a slight delay and angering Luka Modric.
The spotlight is squarely on referee Danny Makkelie, who is starting to get retort from both sides for his inconsistent foul decisions.
55th min: GOAL! CROATIA! THEY’VE GONE IN FRONT MOMENTS AFTER MISSING THE PENALTY! Gianluigi Donnarumma is finally beaten as Luka Modric is the man to put the ball in the net after the Italian goalkeeper saves Ante Budimir’s initial effort! He’s roofed it from five yards out!
33 seconds after seeing his penalty saved, Modric becomes the oldest-ever goal scorer in European Championship history, just a few months before his 39th birthday!
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52nd min: Penalty, Croatia! Croatian players are screaming for a penalty as the ball strikes the arm of halftime substitute Davide Frattesi. This could be a problem for Italy! Frattesi’s arm is outstretched as he turns his body away from the shot, what’s his arm doing there?
Indeed, the Dutch official Danny Makkelie is going to the VAR monitor! He only needs one look, and the decision is PENALTY! In truth, it’s a poor officiating, as he quite clearly deferred straight to VAR to let the replay official make the call for him rather than put his own decision on the line.
Luka Modric steps up to take the chance, with the opportunity to become the oldest-ever goal scorer at the European Championship…AND HE’S MISSED IT! GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA SAVES!! The effort is struck low and to the right, and Donnarumma read it perfectly!
HIGHLIGHT: Watch in USA | Watch in UK
49th min: Croatia seem to have an urgency they didn’t possess in the first half, but the quality still isn’t there. They’re pushing Italy back into their own third of the pitch, but Josip Stanisic blasts a cross from the right miles over everyone’s head.
2nd half Kickoff: They get back under way in Leipzig, with one change for the Italians seeing Lorenzo Pellegrini withdrawn and replaced by Davide Frattesi. Croatia also make one alteration as Mario Pasalic is brought off and Ante Budimir enters in his place.
HALFTIME: Croatia 0-0 Italy
A truly drab first 45 minutes, which from an Italy perspective is totally fine, but from Croatia’s side will be enormously disappointing. In a must-win match, Croatia have had hardly a sniff on goal, creating just one chance from a great distance as Gianluigi Donnarumma saved a shot from 21-year-old Luka Susic. Otherwise, the Croatians have been totally blanked.
Italy, meanwhile, haven’t created a ton of their own, but look much more incisive on the ball and have forced a pair of headed opportunities, with the latter from Alessandro Bastoni forcing a big save from Dominik Livakovic.
Both sides are well and truly in it, but Luciano Spalletti will feel much better about the opening half than his counterpart on the opposite touchline.
42nd min: Italy look unbothered when Croatia have possession, and are quite comfortable in their structure. Luka Susic looks to dribble around two defenders into the penalty area, but he gets the ball stuck at his feet. It’s just not happening for Croatia right now, in a match they must win.
31st min: A good spell of possession for Croatia in the attacking third sees Gianluigi Donnarumma dive off his line to awkwardly stop a cross from the right! It leaves the goal open for a moment as the ball falls to a Croatian attacker but the follow-up shot is blocked and the chance fizzles out.
27th min: Chance, Italy! Italy are really beginning to turn the screw now after their slow start. They have Croatia on their heels as Alessandro Bastoni heads on target, forcing a big save from Dominik Livakovic! A stunning save as Bastoni had gotten free at the far post on Nicolo Barrella’s cross.
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24th min: Luka Susic is the first player booked as he yanks Lorenzo Pellegrini down in transition, a blatant yellow card for the youngster.
21st min: Chance, Italy! It’s taken them a while to get going, but Italy come close to creating the opener as Mateo Retegui heads just wide! It’s Federico Dimarco with the service from the left, as he picks out Retegui at the far post but the finish just misses the target.
11th min: Italy have looked toothless so far in possession, with more turnovers than genuine moves forward.
Their first half-chance on goal sees Federico Dimarco feed Lorenzo Pellegrini at the near post but his header is not close to testing the Croatia goal. Dimarco completely missed a wide-open teammate making a far-post run completely unmarked.
5th min: Chance, Croatia! Oh my, what a sensational rip by young Luka Susic from miles away, forcing a fantastic full-stretch save from Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep out the game’s first good chance! That was destined for the top-left corner!
4th min: The start of this game has been a messy midfield battle as the two teams trade meaningless possession early on. Croatia are the first to enter the opponent’s third, but Andrej Kramaric cannot latch onto the vertical feed.
Kickoff: They’re under way in Leipzig at Red Bull Arena! Qualification to the knockout round is squarely on the line for both sides, as a point is enough for Italy while Croatia must win to have a chance at advancing.
Croatia vs. Italy: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more
15 mins to kickoff: Incredibly, Italy have not beaten Croatia in any of their last eight meetings, with five draws and three defeats across that span. Three of those draws have come in the last three matches, all by a 1-1 score. Italy would take that this time around, as it would see them into the knockout stages, but they’ll be looking to win and prove they are better than an aging and struggling Croatia side.
Italy’s only win against today’s opponent came in 1942 in their first meeting. “In a way, we are facing only ourselves, not the outside world,” said Spalletti.
“Just breathe, my brother, just breathe.”
Tom Rinaldi has more on the intensity of this Italian team, and coach Luciano Spalletti’s approach during this tournament. pic.twitter.com/Ori7q6JZqm
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 24, 2024
30 mins to kickoff: There were a number of changes by both sides ahead of this winner-take-all Euro group match, but the biggest call by far came from Luciano Spalletti who dropped winger Federico Chiesa. It’s an understandable change given the switch to a 3-5-2, which doesn’t suit Chiesa, but it remains a big decision given that Chiesa has been by far Italy’s most energetic playmaker.
Chiesa’s injury history prevents him from completing regular 90-minute performances, and therefore he would likely be worn down in a wing-back role, so dropping him to suit the system change makes sense in a vacuum. Yet changing the formation so drastically at this stage in a game where a result is required comes with enormous risks, especially when the alteration brings dropping your most dangerous creative force along with it.
His absence from the lineup means Italy have named a starting XI for a major tournament without a single Juventus player for the first time since 1998.
45 mins to kickoff: Croatia have also made a few key changes, most notably with Ivan Perisic dropping out of the XI in favor of Lecce defender Marin Pongracic, which sends Josko Gvardiol out to left-back.
Additionally, striker Bruno Petkovic is withdrawn and replaced by winger Mario Pasalic, with Andre Kramaric moving to a central attacking role. On the right, Lovro Majer is swapped for 21-year-old RB Salzburg forward Luka Sucic.
❤️#EURO2024 #CROITA #Family #Vatreni❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/fosDOqdk4u
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) June 24, 2024
1 hour to kickoff: Well, Luciano Spalletti has made a few big alterations for this game despite not being confirmed as a knockout stage participant! Spalletti has made three changes, dropping Federico Chiesa, Gianluca Scamacca, and Davide Frattesi to bring in Matteo Darmian, Giacomo Raspadori and Matteo Retegui alongside a change to a 3-5-2 formation.
Spain have made a whopping 10 changes for their match against Algeria, but they are already guaranteed the top spot in the group. Is this over-confidence from the Italian head coach?
1 hour 15 mins to kick: This is quite the show from Croatia fans in Leipzig today! It’s a sea of checkered red and white.
🇭🇷 @HNS_CFF-Fans in @StadtLeipzig 🤩#EURO2024 | #CROITA | #CRO pic.twitter.com/WWBvYbGTWa
— UEFA EURO 2024 DE (@EURO2024DE) June 24, 2024
1 hour 30 mins to kick: The last defending European champion to be eliminated in the group stage was Greece who finished bottom of their group in 2008 after winning Euro 2004. Italy just need a point to go through, but that will take some effort against a veteran Croatia side.
1 hour 45 mins to kick: All the pressure is on Croatia in this match. They must win to have any hope of advancing.
While three points would likely see them through as a second-place finisher, they would still be in danger of finishing third if Albania manage to upset Spain. In that scenario, Croatia would need to make up as much goal difference as possible, to either finish above Albania or have a chance of progressing as a third-place qualifier.
2 hours before kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live blog of Croatia vs. Italy. All the training comes down to this for Croatia and their playmaker Luka Modric, in what could be his last major tournament appearance, as they desperately crave victory to keep their European Championship alive.
⚒️#EURO2024 #Family #Vatreni❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/tkSMNiSZoX
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) June 22, 2024
Croatia vs. Italy kickoff time
This Euro 2024 match kicks off from Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on June 24 at 9:00 p.m. local time in Germany.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
DateKickoff timeUSA/CanadaMon, Jun. 243 p.m. ETUSA/CanadaMon, Jun. 2412 p.m. PTUKMon, Jun. 248 p.m. BSTAustraliaTue, Jun. 255 a.m. AESTIndiaTue, Jun. 2412:30 a.m. IST
Euro 2024 Group B standings
PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD1.Spain (Q)262-0-0+42.Italy231-0-103.Albania210-1-1-14.Croatia210-1-1-3
Q=Qualified for Round of 16
Croatia vs. Italy lineups, team news, starting 11
Zlatko Dalic’s has no fresh injury concerns but has tinkered with his lineup after making two half-time changes last time out against Albania. Mario Pasalic and Luka Sucic replaced Marcelo Brozovic and Lovro Majer Croatia improved markedly from that point.
Brozovic finds his way back into the starting lineup, but Majer drops out as Pasalic and Sucic are installed into the XI after their quality introductions last time out.
Captain Luka Modric — perhaps for the last time in a major international tournament for his country — continues in midfield alongside Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic.
Croatia starting lineup (4-3-3): Livakovic (GK) — Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol — Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic — Sucic, Kramaric, Mario Pasalic.
Croatia subs (14): Ivusic (GK), Labrovic (GK), Sosa, Vida, Juranovic, Erlic, Baturina, Perisic, Majer, Ivanusec, Marco Pasalic, Pjaca, Petkovic, Budimir.
For Italy, a point should be enough to qualify for the Round of 16, given Albania have to play Spain, yet head coach Luciano Spalletti has rung the changes despite not having their knockout place mathematically confirmed.
After fielding unchanged line-ups in consecutive games, Spalletti has made major adjustments for the Group B finale. Mateo Retegui starts ahead of Gianluca Scamacca up front, with Giacomo Raspadori also entering the attack alongside him in a switch to a 3-5-2. Surprisingly, Federico Chiesa drops out as does Davide Frattesi.
Federico DiMarco picked up a slight injury but proves fit to start, while Matteo Darmian enters the back line as a third central defender.
Italy starting lineup (3-5-2): Donnarumma (GK) — Darmian, Calafiori, Bastoni — Di Lorenzo, Jorginho, Barella, Pellegrini, Dimarco — Raspadori, Retegui.
Italy subs (15): Meret (GK), Vicario (GK), Buongiorno, Gatti, Mancini, Bellanova, Cambiaso, Cristante, Frattesi, Folorunsho, Fagioli, Chiesa, El Shaarawy, Zaccagni, Scamacca.
Croatia vs. Italy live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Euro 2024 match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
TV channelStreamingUSAFOXFubo, Fox Sports app/website, ViXCanadaTSN 1TVA+UKBBC OneBBC iPlayerAustralia —Optus SportIndia—JioTV, SonyLiv
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