At the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, the diminutive but powerful nation of Croatia will be looking to build on their stunning run to the final four years earlier and make further inroads.
It is anticipated that the nation from the Adriatic Sea will advance to at least the beginning of the knockout phase of the competition if it participates in this year’s tournament. This will likely be the final opportunity for several important players to compete for the most prestigious trophy in football.
Previous Participation In The World Cup
Since its declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Croatia has participated in five World Cups, the first of which was held in France in 1998. These competitions all took place in Europe. Since then, they have competed in all subsequent tournaments, with the exception of the one that was held in South Africa in 2010, which they were unable to qualify for.
In 2018, the group successfully navigated its way to the World Cup, but ultimately fell short against France.
In the process, they earned a perfect score in the group stages by claiming victory over Argentina, Nigeria, and Iceland along the road. After that, they won their elimination matches against Denmark and Russia on penalties, and then they defeated England in a hard-fought semi-final triumph that was accomplished in extra time. This brought them to the championship match.
Their trip to ultimate runners-up became the country’s best-ever performance, surpassing an appearance in the semi-finals in 1998, in which they were once again defeated by France. Their route to eventual runners-up represented the country’s best-ever performance.
The Results Of The Previous Ten Contests
Croatia joins the tournament in excellent form, having recently topped their UEFA Nations League group, which also contained France, Denmark, and Austria, following a confidence-boosting run of victories against all three teams in the European competition. The tournament in question is the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Key player
Once again, Luka Modric is going to be absolutely essential to Croatia’s chances of winning.
The 37-year-old playmaker continues to be a key cog in his team’s machine, serving as captain while also orchestrating the attacking play from the team’s central midfield position.
His inventiveness has the potential to cause issues for even the most well-organized teams, and he will play a crucial role for a squad that is better known for its resources in the midfield and defense than in the attacking skill it possesses.
At the 2018 World Cup, he had a significant impact on the competition. After a string of outstanding performances, which included two goals and one assist, he was given the Golden Ball award, which is given to the tournament’s player who is deemed to be the greatest overall player.
A tremendously admired footballer, Modric was later that same year presented with the famous Ballon d’Or, which is the greatest individual honour in the sport. In addition, Modric has won a variety of titles at club level with Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid.
Summary
Alongside Belgium, it is anticipated that Croatia would breeze through Group F and qualify for the next round.
The team is currently ranked 12th in the world by Fifa, and their intriguing mix of seasoned talents like Luka Modric, winger Ivan Perisic, and midfielder Mateo Kovacic, as well as promising youngsters, is believed to be too strong for Canada and Morocco to compete against.
Croatia, a country with a population of four million people that is passionate about the sport of football and has even been linked with the establishment of the nation itself, has a long tradition of confounding expectations and battling its way past more prominent competitors.
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