Croatia were not the favourites to reach the last four again but they came through two penalty shootouts in a repeat of their 2018 exploits.
Chelsea won their first competitive match under coach Mauricio Pochettino with a 3-0 home victory over Premier League new boys Luton Town.
Rayo Vallecano came from behind to beat Real Madrid 3-2 on Monday with the champions failing to reclaim top spot in the standings after two consecutive games without a win.
IMAGES from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
Lorenzo Insigne curled a quite wonderful shot beyond the reach of Belgium goal-keeper Thibaut Courtois after jinking in from the left flank.
Croatia finished ahead, on goals scored, of the Czech Republic, who lost 1-0 to group winners England.
There was however still some drama. Croatia were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute when Andrej Kramaric's toe was clipped by Yannick Carrasco and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot.
Rediff.com looks at the five best goals from the concluding round in the league stage.
Croatia's state attorney is investigating Croatia international and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric on suspicion of giving false testimony in a criminal trial, the attorney's office said on Monday.
Real Madrid did well to hold Atletico in regulation time and then win the match 4-1 in penalty shootouts.
anada's hopes of getting back into the contest were dashed when a curling cross from Perisic on the left was controlled by Kramaric, who shifted the ball onto his left foot and dispatched it low into the bottom corner in the 70th minute.
Croatia were in dreamland on Thursday after advancing to the knockout phase of the World Cup for the first time in 20 years with a 3-0 rout of Argentina that left a subdued Lionel Messi and his team mates facing yet another flop.
Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric has praised the high-profile signings of World Cup pair Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez and has targeted a clean sweep of domestic and European silverware next season.
Man City set to release skipper Gundogan and Mendy
Brazil are going home empty handed after they suffered yet another heartbreaking World Cup exit to a European rival -- and the quarter-final defeat by Croatia will hurt as they let victory slip through their fingers just three minutes from the final whistle.
Real Madrid continued their march towards a 35th LaLiga title
Qatar no playground for playmakers as defenders clamp down
Croatia coach Ante Cacic hailed the man-of-the-match performance of the majestic Luka Modric following his side's winning start against Turkey at Euro 2016 on Sunday.
Reuters sports writers chose their team of the tournament.
A guide to the Croatia starting 11 ahead of the World Cup final against France.
Manchester United boss David Moyes is reportedly considering a move to bring Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric as the Old Trafford side's pursuit of Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas appearing to have come to an end.
Real Madrid swatted aside Granada 4-1 on Thursday to ensure the La Liga title race will go down to the wire.
Real Madrid's Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned the best soccer player in the world for the second year running at FIFA's The Best awards gala on Monday.
Thirteen-times European champions Real, who had come through each of their last three Champions League semi-final ties, had been second best for much last week's first leg which ended 1-1.
Ivan Rakitic outshone Barcelona team mate Arda Turan as Croatia ran out 1-0 winners against Turkey at Euro 2016 on Sunday, a victory that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
Midfielder Luka Modric and available-again striker Mario Mandzukic will spearhead Croatia's effort to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup last 16 when they face Cameroon on Wednesday, coach Niko Kovac said.
Former Bayern Munich coach Flick takes over Germany to 2024
Real Madrid came back from the dead to write another glorious chapter in their history when they beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 in extra time helped by goals from Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo to win a 10th European Cup on Saturday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in La Liga and the Bundesliga.
IMAGES from the El Clasico match played at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Sunday.
Koopmeiners leads Atalanta past Milan into Coppa semis
The intricate play and tight triangles Croatia were attempting only had to falter in a tiny way, and when they did Argentina were ready to pounce.
Tottenham have reportedly agreed to a Gareth Bale transfer to Real Madrid in exchange for a world-record fee of over 80 million pounds plus having Luka Modric back from the Spanish club.
Tottenham Hotspur have dropped their interest in signing Porto's Joao Moutinho because the Portugal midfielder is too expensive, the Premier League club's new manager Andre Villas-Boas said.
Images from the FIFA World Cup Quarter-final match between Croatia and Brazil on Friday.
'What a heart, what a mindset, what guts, what everything, what a REFERENCE you are! I'm at your feet!'
After scoring one of the goals of the tournament and upstaging Lionel Messi by leading his team to the top of their group, Croatia captain Luka Modric hopes to fulfil a dream that began when he watched his nation record a best ever World Cup showing.
They can now dream of going one better than their third-place finish in 1998, which marked their first participation in the World Cup finals as an independent nation.
Croatia had shown glimpses of their potential at the last European Championships in France two years ago when they beat Spain but went out in the second round to eventual winners Portugal after conceding in extra time.
In-form playmaker Isco struck twice and Cristiano Ronaldo netted his first goal of the campaign to give Luka Modric-inspired Real Madrid a 3-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday.
