EURO 2024 TEAM GUIDE: Croatia completed third within the World Cup and second within the Nations League… now they search glory in what’s more likely to be Luka Modric’s last worldwide event

As soon as once more, Croatia go into a world event because the darkish horse to go all the best way.

They’re by no means among the many favourites on the subject of main competitions, but they’ve a knack of springing a shock and inflicting the bigger nations bother on the subject of crunch time.  

At Euro 2024, they’re the third favourites to progress out of their group – this 12 months’s ‘Group of Demise’ – together with Spain, Italy and Albania. 

However this can be a nation that has completed within the high three of the final two World Cups, and narrowly misplaced within the Nations League last final 12 months. They aren’t a workforce to be taken evenly.  

Germany may very well be seen as a final likelihood saloon for Croatia, on condition that Luka Modric – one of many best midfielders on the planet for effectively over a decade – is more likely to be enjoying in his last event for his nation. 

Forward of Euro 2024, Mail Sport takes you thru every thing you must learn about Croatia, together with how they certified, their historical past within the event and which stars to look out for.

Who’s the supervisor?

Zlatko Dalic is coming into his fourth worldwide event as Croatia supervisor. 

After seven years within the Center East, Dalic was appointed as supervisor in October 2017 after Ante Cacic was sacked. 

On the time, Dalic stated he would solely keep within the place if Croatia reached the next 12 months’s World Cup.

That’s one thing they achieved, and so they have been just one step away from stunning the world and profitable the event. 

The job he has finished since then has continued to be spectacular, although questions will come up over whether or not it is time for a change if Croatia do not carry out on the Euros – given they have been underwhelming through the qualifying course of.

It feels in some ways in which Croatia are approaching an finish of an period with the likes of Modric nearing worldwide retirement, so this might be a large competitors for Dalic.

Who’s their star man?

Particular mentions to Man Metropolis pair Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol, in addition to Andrej Kramaric who scored 17 targets for Hoffenheim and topped the scoring for Croatia within the qualifiers, however there’s just one choice right here, certainly?

Luka Modric is ready to play in his ninth, and sure last, main worldwide competitors for Croatia. 

The 38-year-old is likely to be approaching the tip of his profession, however he’s nonetheless enjoying at an extremely excessive stage, making 45 appearances for Actual Madrid this season. 

He’s now not the common starter for Los Blancos, however he’s nonetheless the influential heartbeat of the Croatia midfield, and if that is his last worldwide event, he might be decided to exit with a bang.

This event may very well be the final for the likes of Marcelo Brozovic, Ivan Perisic and Domagoj Vida as effectively – who’ve been stalwarts of the Croatian nationwide workforce over current years.

Although they’re in a tricky group, Croatia are a harmful opposition who can frustrate the largest sides and maybe go deep into the competitors.

How did they qualify?

Croatia have been the final workforce to guide an computerized qualification spot at Euro 2024 – pipping Wales who then went on to lose within the play-offs. 

They seemed in a cushty place to make the event till back-to-back defeats to Turkey and Wales left them stage on factors with the latter – with solely two video games to play. 

Victories over Latvia and Armenia proved sufficient although for Dalic’s aspect, because the Welsh have been held to 2 consecutive attracts.  

This marks Croatia’s sixth successive look on the European Championship. 

Fixtures (all UK time)

Croatia vs Spain – Saturday June 15 (5pm, Berlin)

Croatia vs Albania  – Wednesday June 19 (2pm, Hamburg)

Croatia vs Italy – Monday June 24 (8pm, Leipzig)

Event historical past

Croatia performed their first event in 1996, having beforehand been a part of Yugoslavia up till the qualifying levels for the 1992 version.  

They reached the quarter-finals at Euro 96 – which together with Euro 2008 – remains to be the most effective they’ve carried out on this competitors.

Regardless of reaching the ultimate of the World Cup in 2018, and ending third in Qatar 4 years later, their final two efforts on the European Championship haven’t been as spectacular.

They have been knocked out by France at Euro 2016 within the Spherical of 16, and on the identical stage at Euro 2020 by Spain.  

Odds to win the trophy 

40/1 (Sky Guess)

Provisional squad (35 gamers)

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Fenerbahçe), Ivica Ivusic (Pafos), Nediljko Labrovic (Rijeka), Dominik Kotarski (PAOK)

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Josip Juranovic (Union Berlin), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Josko Gvardiol (Manchester Metropolis, Duje Caleta-Automotive (Lyon), Borna Sosa (Ajax), Josip Stanisic (Bayer Leverkusen), Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Marin Pongracic (Lecce), Niko Kristian Sigur (Hajduk Break up)

Midfielders: Luka Modric (Actual Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester Metropolis), Marcelo Brozovic (Al Nassr), Mario Pasalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Lovro Majer (Wolfsburg), Luka Ivanušec (Feyenoord), Luka Sučić (Purple Bull Salzburg), Kristijan Jakic (Augsburg), Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb), Toni Fruk (Rijeka), Petar Sucic (Dinamo Zagreb)

Forwards: Ivan Perisic (Hajduk Break up), Andrej Kramaric (1899 Hoffenheim), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Marko Pjaca (Rijeka), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pasalić (Rijeka), Marin Ljubicic (LASK), Igor Matanović (Karlsruher SC)