Croatia and teams stand sideways during national anthem at World Cup
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 17, 2026, 8:56 PM
Last updated Jun 17, 2026
During the 2026 World Cup, some teams, including Croatia, have opted to stand sideways while singing their national anthems. This choice is meant to face their national flag as a sign of patriotism and unity. Cristiano Ronaldo has been noted doing this with his teammates before Portugal matches. Unlike traditional formations where teams face the main stand, FIFA has allowed flexibility in players' positioning during the anthem, with many teams now lining up around the center circle before kick-off.
- •Croatia stands sideways during anthem before their match against England.
- •Teams face their flags to show unity and patriotism.
- •Cristiano Ronaldo performs this gesture for Portugal.
- •FIFA permits varied formations during national anthems at the tournament.
- 8:56 PMYahoo Sports — Why some teams stand sideways to sing the national anthem at the World Cup
"You’ll have probably noticed that some teams choose to stand sideways to sing the national anthem at the 2026 World Cup. Croatia are one of those sides that did this before their game against England and they won’t be the only ones to do so either.
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