World Cup 2018: England tried to score a sneaky equaliser while Croatia celebrated Mario Mandzukic’s winner off the pitch

ENGLAND had one final trick up their sleeve as they tried to salvage an equaliser against Croatia.

With the Three Lions on the brink of a World Cup exit, desperate times led to desperate measures when Mario Mandzukic put the Croatians 2-1 up in extra-time.

While the entire Croatia side celebrated their goal, England attempted to go up the other end of the pitch and score straight from kick-off.

The action was missed by TV cameras at the time but one supporter in the crowd filmed the attack.

One England player trudging back to the centre circle appears to spot that all the Croatia players bar the keeper are off the field of play, and thinks they can kick off and attack Croatia's goal.

Three of them then kick off and charge at keeper Danijel Subasic with no defence in sight.

But the referee was having none of it and quickly ended England's hopes of a swift equaliser.

The cheeky move came after the issue was debated earlier in the tournament when a Portugal player was told to remain on the pitch during their celebrations against Spain. 

It was suggested that, under Fifa laws, play could resume after a goal if celebrating outfield players were off the field of play - i.e. none of them were still in the opposition half.

After Cristiano Ronaldo's dramatic equaliser in their opening World Cup game, one Portugal player made the conscious effort to remain on the field.

And the same happened with Kieran Trippier following England's winner against Tunisia.

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The issue is not explicitly addressed by the laws of the game.

However, the International Football Association Board rules say that all players, except the one taking the kick-off, "must be in their own half of the field of play" - which means England's cheeky trick was never likely to be allowed.