Qatar World Cup: Croatia seek to go one better

Croatia head to the Qatar World Cup in the unusual position of looking like one of the stronger teams, having thrived on their reputation as outsiders for much of the team’s existence.

After topping their qualifying group with only one defeat — in their opening game away to Slovenia more than a year-and-a-half ago — and conceding just four goals in the process, the 2018 World Cup runners-up are riding a wave of momentum.

They also recently came top of their Nations League group ahead of world champions France and Denmark and are widely expected to make it through World Cup Group F into the knockout stage along with Belgium at the expense of Canada and Morocco.

Coach Zlatko Dalic is steeped in tournament experience as he leads the national side to his second World Cup, having also taken them to Euro 2020 where they lost to Spain in the last-16.

He has lost some of the leading names — chief among them striker Mario Mandzukic and midfielder Ivan Rakitic — from the team that went all the way to the final at the last World Cup four years ago in Russia where they lost 4-2 to France.

But Dalic can count on a backbone of experienced campaigners, including the winner of the Golden Ball award for the best player at the 2018 World Cup: Luka Modric — the Real Madrid wizard who at 37 has one last shot at glory. Modric remains as pivotal to Croatia as he is for the Spanish giants whose triumphs in the Champions League and La Liga last season were aided significantly by the midfielder’s defence-splitting assists. — Reuters

Croatia matches

Group F

vs Morocco, November 23

vs Canada, November 27

vs Belgium, December 1

At the World Cup

5 Croatia have appeared at five World Cups since their debut in 1998, only missing out in 2010. They finished third in 1998 and runners-up in the 2018 edition.

How they qualified

Croatia lost their opening qualifying game away to Slovenia in March 2021 but went on to win seven and draw two, conceding a total of only four goals. They clinched top spot.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Ivo Grbic

Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, Josip Sutalo

Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Sucic

Forwards: Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja

Form guide

Croatia followed up their World Cup qualifying success by topping their Nations League group ahead of Denmark, France and Austria, winning four of their six games, drawing one and losing only once.