Livakovic and Bundesliga connection inspiring Croatia

Dominik Livakovic denied Neymar at crucial times and then saved Rodrygo's penalty in the shootout to help Croatia into a third World Cup semifinal. It is an incredible achievement for a nation of only 3.9 million people and comes thanks in part to a Bundesliga connection.

Croatia have five players in their squad who play in the Bundesliga. RB Leipzig's highly-rated masked defender Josko Gvardiol, Stuttgart's Borna Sosa, Eintracht Frankfurt's Kristijan Jakic, Hoffenheim striker Andrej Kramaric and Bayern Munich fullback Josip Stanisic, who was even born in the Bavarian capital.

Given Livakovic's display, which followed saving three spotkicks in another shootout win over Japan in the previous round, Bundesliga clubs are bound to be circling around the 27-year-old Dinamo Zagreb stopper.

"We are fighters, we played our hearts out  We are going one game at a time and seeing where it gets us," he told reporters after downing record five-times winners Brazil.

He talks the talk too. If Yann Sommer gets tempted by Manchester United as reports suggest, Borussia Mönchengladbach would surely be among the Bundesliga clubs considering Livakovic.

Sizeable Croatian community in Germany

Beating a path from Croatia to Germany has been common for footballers down the years, with the likes of Bayern's Ivica Olic and Mario Mandzukic winning Bundesliga titles. 

There is also a sizeable Croatian community in Germany following heavy migration there as guest workers in the 1960s after the Second World War. A second wave followed the Balkan wars in the 1990s. With almost 500,000 Croatian citizens living in Germany, they are the sixth largest foreign community there.

Frankfurt-born Ante Muric was at the Education City Stadium supporting his beloved Croatia in a small pocket of fans. They were drowned out for most of the contest by the huge Brazilian fanbase, many of whom were migrant workers in Qatar from the likes of India. But the Croatians burst into song when Bruno Petkovic equalized Neymar's extra-time opener in the 117th minute with a rare Croatian shot.

"I live in Germany but I'm Croatian, totally really. I have this red and white in my heart. We are a proud people and you see this in football," he said.

Ex-Croatia boss and player Niko Kovac was actually born in Berlin while Ivan Klasnic - a title winner with Werder Bremen in 2004 - hails from Hamburg. Current squad member Dejan Lovren was a refugee in Germany.

The Croatian Embassy in Germany was ecstatic after beating Brazil.

"Croatia is in the semifinals, Bravo! The whole country is proud of you," they tweeted.

Incredible extra-time record

Croatia football fans have had lots of reasons to be proud over the last 25 years since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. A World Cup semifinal in 1998 stunned football given it came so soon after the Balkan wars.

Their runner-up finish in Russia four years ago - with Luka Modric pulling the strings and earning the Ballon d'Or - was also remarkable and now they find themselves again among the best four teams on the planet, with the 37-year-old still going strong.

Their extra-time and penalty record in the last two World Cups is also incredible. Five times they have gone to extra-time and five times they have won, including four penalty shootouts. Their only knockout game in that time that has not gone the distance was the 2018 World Cup final, which they lost 4-2 to France.

Coach Zlatko Dalic deserves praise for masterminding their success, with solid defense, midfield control and grabbing a goal when they need it the hallmarks of their play.

"I'm overjoyed that we, with a 3.5 million population, are entering the semifinals for the second time in a row. I will tell everyone now to say 'We are not normal'," Dalic said before hailing his match-winning goalkeeper.

"He was the difference in very crucial moments. He was there to save us.''

Now they need to take two big last steps and finally lift a major trophy against the odds. Many in the Bundesliga will be cheering them on.

Edited by James Thorogood