The ESPN FC Daily team react to the pre-match comments from Canada coach John Herdman, who claimed his players were going to “f— Croatia,” and the response after the match from Andrej Kramaric, who scored twice in a 4-1 win to send Canada out of the World Cup.
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37 Comments
CROATIA FUCKED CANADA
Glad to see Canada getting spanked tbh wokiest nation
I am a Croatian and lets be honest here… This is the world we live in, dramatic headlines are what journalists and fans in the end enjoy. The coach saying that wasnt disrespectful, it was just plain stupid. Why add fuel to someones fire? Especially if that someone is better than you… We all watched The Last dance documentary where Jordan would make up stories to get himself motivated… Again just plain dumb move.
Poor imported African “canadian” nobodies.
I guess we fucked canada 😅😅🇭🇷💪
I wonder if they will “F” Morocco just as hard as they “F’d” Croatia. Canadians may be confused as to the difference in getting “F’d” and doing the “F’ing”.
Croatia simply possess much more quality.
Canada. Or with other words: The Siberia of the Western hemisphere😂😂☃⛄🌨🥶🥶🥶🥶
Canada lost cause we suck as a country, nothing to do with what the coach said.
🇭🇷 F-ed 🇨🇦! Big time!
Thank you to the canadian manager from Croatia!
I know a few Croatians and as soon Herdman said the those comments I knew Canada were screwed. Croatia is a very proud nation and wouldn’t take that comment lightly. Hopefully, the Canadian team can learn from this and come back stronger in 2026.
People just don't learn not to disrespect Croatia. You see maybe that as a trash talk before game…in Europe and professional football there is no trash talk
The Canadian coach is a disgrace!
Canada coach: “f*** Croatia”
Croatia: “And we took that personally!”
Espn pundits predicted Canada to reach semis
Canada's defense took the day off today 😴 💤 🛏
Inexperience from Canadian players and you see the inexperience of their coach as well . Instead of saying “ what I say to my players in the huddle is between me and my players . Next question .” He decided to stoke the fire . This was a European powerhouse you’re coming up against who have been on this stage many times before. Last thing you need to be doing is giving them more motivation .
Shaka! You're missing the point! Where's Your spirit?
As he said it, thinking a few teams and a coach here or there will giggle.
A whole NATION heard what he said, almost all of us are every step with them.
And they know that.
croatians really get motivated by this stuff
they're fueled by anger
Has any one ever heard a coach publicy say anything more stupid? This coach was able to get Canadians rootin for Croatia! We were in a pub and bets were flying that Croatia would win – an english pub! Yonge and Eg! All other coaches from all other countries would never say this. They have more class!
Herdman's comments on Croatian will go down as one of the stupidest, idiotic, tone deaf, ridiculously ludicrous moments in Canadian sports history. This from a Canadian. I was as pumped as any of my country people for the game, but I was also realistic that it was always going to be difficult against top European opposition. Instead of putting all the pressure on Croatia as an elite football nation, he puts it on our players, fans and country with his asinine comments. Ruined his reputation for me.
Looks like another Canadian soccer coach will soon be getting flushed down the memory hole. How about next time Canada hires a coach who knows how not to become part of the news cycle?
Come on, if anyone thinks Croatia needs that to motivate them to beat Canada they're smoking something funny. Two different soccer/football worlds. Croatia is a top nation. Anyhow, great tournament Canada. First goal out of the way, now you need to get that first win.
Canada's coach is now the biggest clown of the WC.
Can't say that to a post-war nation that was in a war of independence defending themselves not 30 years ago.
Very dumb.
Croatia were motivated before Herdman's comment, but you cannot use that language on camera. Also, he did not shake Croatia's coach's hand after the game. As Croatia's coach said "he has a lot to learn."
stay in your sport guys, we never came to be humiliated at curling, so don't come back to football.
ALEEEEEE ALEEEEEEEEEE 🇭🇷
Bravo Croatia Vatreni 🔥❤️🔥⚽🖤⬜🟥🫶❤️🤍💙☘️✌️👍🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷
The problem was that Herdman was not giving a pep talk to his players. He was doing press, knowing full well the TV audiences would be listening
What you say privately to your team should differ greatly from comments to the media. Not Hard.
Croatia is a world cup finalist. Croatia is captained by a Balon d'or winner. Croatia consistently produces world class talent….. Canada calls football soccer
Croatia was doing their thing and they played at their 75%. As a Canadian I predicted Can not exiting the group lol if I can call that a prediction. I think he should resign after the world cup.
Canada F'd Croatia… then Croatia F'd Canada four times harder.
As a croat I know the coach should have said the opposite. We are suckers for false praise. One compliment and we fall apart
i think this coach would be capable of calling someone N-word in public and later double down that it wasn't meant as an offense, ask why are you all such a thin skin etc.