Croatian coach Miroslav Blazevic came under fire yesterday for the tactical blunder his players feel cost them a World Cup final place. Blazevic refused to let skipper Zvonimir Boban come off at half-time, even though the AC Milan star was struggling after just 20 minutes of the semi-final with a thigh injury.

Barely a minute after Davor Suker had put the Croatians in front, Boban was caught in possession by Lilian Thuram, who advanced to thunder home the equaliser. Thuram went on to the score the goal that sent France through to the final and as the pain of defeat sank in the Croats turned on their coach.

"I told him at half-time that I couldn't go on, but he said I had to play," said Boban. "That was the big mistake."

Derby defender Igor Stimac added: "I was screaming at Boban to boot the ball away, but he couldn't hear me. Boban was the wrong player in the wrong place. I don't blame Boban, because he was made to play. But he was injured and needed to be out of the game. He knew that and told the coach. Blazevic told him he had to stay on. He had no choice but to go out there."

Boban tried to defuse the row, adding that the Croatians had lost because of defensive errors, not his injury, which saw him replaced by Silvio Maric just after the hour. "We lost the game because we lost concentration, and that hurts so much," he said.

"But even though we cannot win the World Cup, it has been a great competition for us. We've done our country proud and have achieved so much."