'I cried when I went back': Kovacic reveals his deep love for Croatia ahead of Euro adventure

"I was a Croatian boy, born in Austria, and when I was 12, I played a tournament in Croatia," Kovacic told Chelsea's official website.

"Afterwards, I heard Dinamo Zagreb were really interested in me. I was really happy because Dinamo represented a lot to me, and after two or three months they made their offer. In the end, they wanted me so badly my whole family moved to Croatia.

"I remember when my father told me, ‘Son, we are going back,’ I was crying, I was so happy. In the end, it was the best decision of my career."

Mateo Kovacic will start for Croatia against England, where he will battle it out with fellow Chelsea teammate Mason Mount in midfield.

With his midfield partner Jorginho already impressing greatly for Italy, Kovacic will be hoping to translate his love for his country into a stellar performance.