CROATIA ace Marcelo Brozovic broke his own World Cup record as he covered the most distance EVER in a World Cup game against Japan.

The 30-year-old Inter Milan star often turns in lung-busting displays, despite liking to celebrate big wins with cigarettes and alcohol.

Brozovic covered 16.7 kilometers - more than 10 miles -  in Croatia's World Cup round of 16 clash with Japan.

The stalemate went to penalties, which Croatia won with Brozovic finding the back of the net.

Brozovic's non-stop display saw him break his own World Cup record - running 400 metres more than he managed when playing at the last World Cup in Russia when Croatia beat England in the semi-final that went to extra-time.

Croatia's midfield lynchpin makes no secret about his enjoyment of a fag and a pint.

He was pictured smoking a cigar in the Stade de France dressing room after Croatia beat France for the first-ever time in the summer.

And when Inter overcame Juventus to lift the Coppa Italia a few weeks earlier, he was snapped alongside team-mate Alex Cordaz having a cigarette and a bottle of beer.

Brozovic has, however, landed himself in trouble for smoking cigarettes and consuming alcohol as a high performing athlete.

Two years ago, he was fined by Inter after being banned for drink driving when police spotted him running a red light.

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He was also filmed in his training kit buying fags from a shop just a few hours before Croatia were beaten 5-3 after extra-time by Spain at the Euros last summer.

Nonetheless, Brozovic’s fitness levels are one of the keys to Croatia’s success and they face World Cup favourites Brazil in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Croatia are hoping to beat the five-time winners and make back-to-back World Cup semi-finals... or finals.