Croatia Advances to World Cup Knockout Stage; Fans Celebrate Wildly in Zagreb

Zagreb's central Ban Jelačić Square erupted in a jubilant celebration as Croatian football fans, clad in national team jerseys, marked their team's advancement to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. The festivities are expected to continue through the night following the crucial victory.

The Croatian national team, known as "Vatreni" (The Fiery Ones), secured their place in the round of 16 after a hard-fought 2-1 win against Ghana in their decisive Group L match in Philadelphia. This victory propelled them to finish second in their group, guaranteeing their progression in the tournament.

Croatia took the lead in the 31st minute with a spectacular long-range strike from Petar Sučić. Although Ghana's Derrick Luckassen equalized in the 73rd minute, the Croatian team demonstrated resilience. Nikola Vlašić quickly scored the winning goal, sealing the victory and igniting the celebrations both in the stadium in Philadelphia and across Croatia.

The atmosphere in Zagreb was electric, with thousands of fans gathering to watch the match and celebrate. Many fans took the opportunity to cool off by jumping into the Manduševac fountain in the square, adding to the festive and somewhat chaotic scenes captured by reporter Dario Topić.