England v Croatia: Donald Trump handed CROATIA shirt ahead of England match | World | News | Express.co.uk
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CROATIA President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has been busy drumming up support ahead of tonight’s World Cup semi-final by presenting Donald Trump with his own red and white national team shirt.
PUBLISHED: 18:04, Wed, Jul 11, 2018 | UPDATED: 18:14, Wed, Jul 11, 2018
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Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic presents Donald Trump with a Croatia shirt
The two leaders were pictured with the shirt during a break in proceedings at the 2018 NATO summit in Brussels earlier today.
Mr Trump has a passing interest in football and his son 12-year-old son Barron has previously been spotted in an Arsenal shirt.
He also numbers Manchester United owners the Glazer family as among his friends, and even appeared on ITV's Saint And Greavsie in 1992 when, astonishingly, he was invited to take part in the live draw for that season’s League Cup.
And Mr Trump also joined in the World Cup talk when he met his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
He started the conversation by asking Rebelo de Sousa about Portugal legend Ronaldo.
He said: "So, tell me, how good a player is he? Are you impressed? They say he is the greatest ever."
The Portuguese politician responded: "I'm very much impressed. He's the best player in the world."
Mr Trump then revealed his youngest son Barron knows everything there is to know about the superstar who has just left Real Madrid for Juventus in an £88.5m transfer.
England and Croatia go head-to-head in Moscow later this evening for a place in Sunday’s World Cup Final.
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Uruguay fans wear Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un masks
Fans across the country are preparing to roar on the Three Lions as they battle their way through their first semi-final in 28 years.
Gareth Southgate’s boys have been backed to go all the way, after a tense 2-0 win over Sweden in their quarter final clash.
The whole country is eagerly awaiting tonight’s clash, which kicks off at 7pm BST at the Luzhniki Stadium, with tens of thousands of fans already beginning to make their way towards screens showing the big match.
The Duke of Cambridge, who is president of the Football Association, backed the England squad with a special rallying cry.
The Duke, who is a an avid football fan and Aston Villa supporter - offered wished team good luck as they strive to make history in Russia and said the squad have “fired up a generation”.
He said: "A new generation is enjoying the magic of this World Cup run. The whole country is right behind you tonight. Come on England – it's coming home!”
And when asked by reporters if football was coming home, his brother Prince Harry quipped: “Most definitely."
England v Croatia: England fans gather ahead of World Cup semi-final
Wed, July 11, 2018England fans have arrived in Russia ahead of tonight's World Cup semi-final match against Croatia
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England fans in Moscow's Red Square
England have faced Croatia in seven matches before and won four times. They lost once and drew twice in previous fixtures against Croatia.
But England are tipped to have a good chance on toppling their long-time rivals.
According to bookmakers Ladbrokes, England’s match against Croatia is set to smash viewing figure records in the UK.
When England won the World Cup in 1966, a record 32.3 million people tuned in, but Ladbrokes have slashed odds to 5/1 that figure will be beaten tonight.