Public office holders in Croatia are basking in the Euphoria of the country's qualification to the finals of the World Cup in Russia.
The public office holders donning the Croatia jerseys
The FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia has been full of surprises and unexpected twists.
The most exciting has been Croatia’s top-notch gameplay, with which the team has now entered the World Cup final against France, in what is being deemed as the tournament of the underdogs.
The frenzy over Croatia evolving as the dark horse in the mega sporting extravaganza is so high that the country’s cabinet members donned red and white jerseys on Thursday in celebration after they eclipsed England in a 2-1 victory.
Photos of the cabinet meeting were shared online and quickly garnered a lot of attention from football buffs around the globe.
Croatia had gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and had been admitted into FIFA in 1992. Sports had an important role to play in the collective consciousness of the newborn nation, boosting its confidence in the newfound nationalist spirit.
Earlier Croatia’s first female President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic was in attendance on the night when her team dumped hosts Russia out of the tournament following a 4-3 penalty shootout win. She was seen sporting a similar outfit and cheering not just from the stands during their goals but later also celebrating with the players in the dressing room.