Even neutral fans declared there was only one place in Newcastle to watch the FIFA World Cup final on Monday – Croatian Wickham Sports Club.
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“We’re just football fans,” Ryan Littlejohns, 27, of Carrington, said. “When we heard Croatia were in the final, where else are you going to go?”
James Blayden, 30, added: “There was only one place where I wanted to watch the game tonight”.
The smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup final since Uruguay in 1950, Croatia’s people make up for what the nation lacks in population size with a fierce passion for the national side.
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Once the country’s spot was secured in the final late last week, there was little doubt where Newcastle-based Croatian diaspora would be watching the game.
Hundreds gathered on the outskirts of Newcastle’s city centre at the rather simple venue, but the atmosphere inside the time-worn club had nothing ordinary about it.
The Croatian Wickham Sports Club was pulsing hours before the 1am kick-off with eager fans gathering from early on Sunday evening.
“This here is pride,” said foundation member of the Club, 81-year-old Tomo Sumera before the match.
“You can’t describe it, it’s a chance to see a once in a lifetime. We had a chance in 1998, in the semi-final, but this is god’s will that Croatia is going to win tonight.
“The whole world is supporting us.”
Mary Batkovic, 61, mother of Australian women’s basketball player Suzy Batkovic, said she had been supporting Croatia throughout the tournament.
“I said to my director at work, I expect a public holiday if we win,” she said. “I was hopeful they’d make the [last] 16, but then once they made the quarter-finals it’s all the way. Go Croatia!”
Club spokesman Karl Zivkovic said on Saturday he was hoping for a big crowd and that was exactly what he got.
“We gave the French the cravat in the 17th century and tonight’s the night we’re going to choke them with it,” a cravat-wearing Zivkovic joked.
Founded in the early ‘80s, the ‘Croatian Club’ might have lost its prominence as a hub for the extended Croatian community over the years, but on Sunday it brought Novocastrians with Croatian links back together.
Fans devoured a traditional Croatian BBQ early on, guzzled their drinks as kick-off neared and engaged in a pre-match dance to get the cultural energy flowing.
But ultimately, there was only one thing they came for - football.
When the teams walked onto the field, there was a seriousness that enfolded the attendees as their attention shifted to the big screens.
As the national anthem began, patriotic patrons rose from their seats to stand and sing with pride.
By kick-off, and with loudspeakers pushing the atmosphere from the Moscow stadium through the club, it was the arguably the next best thing to being at the ground. Well certainly in Newcastle, at least.
Croatia’s first real chance with a run down the left flank lifted heart rates and vocals as one.
Hanging on every moment for 95 minutes, the Croats - and those who had jumped on the bandwagon - clenched as they watched the near misses, leapt from their chairs at the questionable tackles and hung their heads in their hands every time France scored.
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Russia might have been on the other side of the world, but they lived every play as if they were there.
When Mario Mandzukic’s attempt to clear Antoine Griezmann’s free-kick with a header resulted in an own goal, there was a collective sense of disbelief.
How had this happened? After just 18 minutes as well.
But no one was giving up hope just yet, Croatia had fought for survival the whole way through the knockout stage.
When Ivan Perisic equalised in the 28th minute, chaos and pandemonium began inside the club and belief was instantly restored.
“We’ve got this” was this general war cry. “We’ve f—ing got this” could be heard like an echo around the venue.
But less than 10 minutes later the expletives rang out with a different tone as the VAR handed France a penalty following a dubious handball. It was a clear handball, but it will be argued about for years.
Boos at the Club could not save Croatia as Griezmann placed the ball to the left of the keeper and crushed the briefly restored hopes.
At halftime, supporters were certainly not throwing the towel in at 2-1 down.
Adam Mlinaric, 16, of Newcastle, gave Croatia a fighting chance during the break and believed they could get back into the match.
“The last few games they have been down and have come back to win it,” he said.
“Hopefully [they win] in normal time so I don’t get any heart attacks or anything, but we’ll see what happens.”
Croatia started the second half with much of the possession, but Paul Pogba’s 59th minute goal was a mood-killer to say the least.
Pulling back one goal was a possibility, but trying to find two was a task that might prove too difficult.
Shortly after, Kylian Mbappe wrong footed the Croatian goalkeeper to make it 4-1 and that was truly the end of any chance.
Spirits - and people’s spirits too - were lifted when Mandzukic managed to get one back in the 68th minute from a France goalkeeping howler, but it would prove to be the final goal of the match.
The end of the Croats’ plans for an all-night party on the streets of Wickham too.
“I’m OK, I feel fine,” Club spokesman Karl Zivkovic said on full-time.
“They’ve done the country proud. They’ve done everyone proud and listen to the crowd, they’re still singing. Congratulations to the French.”
Warner’s Bay Croatian supporter Greg Juratowitch, 59, believed Croatia deserved more.
“I thought Croatia controlled the game, but they just couldn’t finish,” he said.
“The French were lucky with a penalty and they milked that free-kick. Croatia just couldn’t take their chances.
“Where as the French, they really only had five or six shots on target and they put four in the net. That was the difference.”
Brave Frenchwoman Helena Bazin, 27, who decided to watch the match with a friend at the Club wearing a France playing shirt and sporting flag-coloured face paint, said it was “awesome” to see her country collect another World Cup Trophy.
“It’s so great,” she said. “Twenty years after 1998 and thanks to him [coach Dider Deschamps].
“I’m very proud to be here, I wasn’t afraid of the Croatians.”
Bazin’s friend, Alex Parkes, 26, of Mayfield East, put a wrap on the night by commending the atmosphere the Croatian Club created.
“Everyone was really lovely and hospitable,” he said. “Tres bien!”
