Croatia, whose previous best result was their third place at the 1998 World Cup, beat England 2-1 on Wednesday and advanced to the final for the first time in their history.

"Advancing to the final is a great achievement for our country. Football is very important and popular in Croatia and we have already achieved a lot. We are proud to bring so much joy to our country," Dalic told journalists.

Croatia will take on France in World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday.