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Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic will announce his 26-man World Cup squad on November 9. However, Dalic has named his provisional 34-man squad, which includes three previously uncapped players: goalkeepers Nediljko Labrovic and Dominik Kotarski, and Josip Misic, who plays for Dinamo Zagreb.
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivica Ivusic (Osijek), Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid), Dominik Kotarski (PAOK), Nediljko Labrovic (Rijeka)
Defenders: Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Dejan Lovren (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Duje Caleta-Car (Southampton), Josip Juranovic (Celtic), Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Lecce), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josip Sutalo (Dinamo Zagreb)
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Mario Pasalaic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Luka Ivanusec (Dinamo Zagreb), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Kristijan Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt), Luka Sucic (Red Bull Salzburg), Josip Misic (Dinamo Zagreb)
What are Croatia’s chances?
Drawn into Group F, Croatia have Belgium as their primary rivals for supremacy, and progression to the round of 16 is all but assured ahead of Canada and Morocco, who round out the group.
According to the latest Fifa rankings, Croatia are the seventh best team in the world, well capable of causing an upset in the knockout stages, just like they did in 2018 when they reached the final.
After that, the side appeared to be in decline, after poor performances in the 2020 Nations League campaign and 2021’s European Championship. However, recently Croatia won their Nations League group, ahead of France, Denmark and Austria.
Dalic has recently been integrating debutants in a bid to refresh the team that reached the final of the tournament in Russia four years ago. He has handed starts to, among others, Josip Stanisic, who plays at club level for Bayern Munich, and Kristijan Jakic from Eintracht Frankfurt.
After a shaky start to their qualifying campaign, Croatia topped their group ahead of Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta and runners-up Russia, who were later suspended from the tournament.
Following their successful Nations League campaign, Croatia have just one more game to play – the friendly with Saudi Arabia on November 16 – before getting their World Cup under way against Morocco 17 days later.
Who is likely to be the star performer?
In a team studded with international standouts, such as Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic of Inter Milan, and Tottenham’s Ivan Perisic, Luka Modric remains the brightest in the firmament. A master of midfield alchemy and Champions League titleholder with Real Madrid, Modric is his country’s most capped player, with 152 international appearances. He will be 37 at this year’s World Cup.
“I’m certain he’ll stay on the team, and that this won’t be his last major tournament,” said coach Dalic. “Luka is playing amazing football and he can continue doing so.”
What are Croatia’s fixtures?
What is Croatia’s World Cup record?
Croatia have qualified for all but one of the World Cup tournaments held since their independence, in 2010, and their appearances are bookended by their standout finishes: third place at France 1998, which made them the highest-finishing debutants since Eusebio’s Portugal in 1966, and runners-up in Russia 2018.
Modric was awarded the Golden Ball for best overall player of the tournament, with his performance in Russia contributing to his Ballon d’Or win later that year.
Argentina | Australia | Belgium | Brazil | Cameroon | Canada | Costa Rica | Croatia | Denmark | Ecuador | England | France | Germany | Ghana | Iran | Japan | Mexico | Morocco | Netherlands | Poland | Portugal | Qatar | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Serbia | South Korea | Spain | Switzerland | Tunisia | Uruguay | USA | Wales
Latest odds
Croatia are 50/1 to win Qatar World Cup 2022.
The leading contenders…
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Brazil 4/1
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France 6/1
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Argentina 6/1
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England 7/1
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Spain 17/2
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Germany 10/1
Odds correct as of November 7
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