2022 World Cup: Country Profile - Croatia

Paris, Nov 7 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2022 ) :Factfile on Croatia who are in World Cup Group F: Best World Cup performance: Runners-up (2018) Other major honours: None (Euro 1996, 2008 quarter-finalists) FIFA ranking: 12 Main clubs: Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split How they qualified: Winners of European qualifying Group H Coach: Zlatko Dalic - The well-travelled Dalic was a surprise appointment when he took over during 2018 World Cup qualifying, but helped Croatia through the playoffs before a surprise run to the final, where they lost 4-2 to France. He has since helped the team overcome the retirements of several stalwarts, including striker Mario Mandzukic, to see the team qualify for Euro 2020. There were some calls on Dalic to resign after a disappointing 2020-21 UEFA Nations League, but Croatia have bounced back since by qualifying for next year's finals from a group featuring France and Euro semi-finalists Denmark.

Key player: Luka Modric - The veteran midfielder won the player of the tournament award as he led Croatia to their first ever World Cup final in Russia. He ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's stranglehold on the Ballon d'Or in the same year. Modric has showed few signs of slowing down since, winning his fifth Champions League crown with Real Madrid last season.

Now aged 37, Qatar will likely be Modric's last World Cup. The captain has made a record 154 appearances for Croatia.

Group fixtures November 23: Morocco v Croatia November 27: Croatia v Canada December 1: Croatia v Belgium Possible squad Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Lovre Kalinic (Hajduk Split), Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid/ESP) Defenders: Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens/GRE), Dejan Lovren (Zenit Saint-Petersburg/RUS), Borna Barisic (Rangers/SCO), Duje Caleta-Car (Southampton/ENG), Josip Juranovic (Celtic/SCO), Joska Gvardiol (RB Leipzig/GER), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich/GER), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart/GER)Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid/ESP), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea/ENG), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan/ITA), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta/ITA), Nikola Vlasic (Torino/ITA), Luka Ivanusec (Dinamo Zagreb), Lovro Majer (Rennes/FRA), Kristian Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Luka Sucic (Salzburg/AUT)Forwards: Ivan Perisic (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim/GER), Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg/GER), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Antonio Colak (Rangers/SCO).