FIFA World Cup 2022 : Having embarked on a sensational run to the 2018 World Cup final, might Croatia have set the bar too high for themselves this time around? Less than half of the starting XI that lost 2-4 to France that balmy night in Moscow will make the plane to Qatar.
One of them is the ever-classy Luka Modric. The Real Madrid playmaker may be at the wrong end of his 30s, but very much remains the team's heartbeat.
Modric, though, will have to cope without his reliable aide, Ivan Rakitic, who retired from international football in 2020. And Modric has also confirmed this will be his farewell World Cup.
Croatia's first hurdle comes in the form of Morocco on November 23. That's followed by a clash against Canada four days later, before the toughest assignment of all, a date with Belgium on December 1.
Croatian football coach Zlatko Dalić will be looking to match the 2018 heroics but won't have a similar squad at his disposal this time round.
Croatia have performed well recently as they finished top of their 2022-23 UEFA Nations League group which included the likes of Denmark, France, and Austria.
Croatia have played 23 games, won 11, and lost 8.
Croatia will be competing in their sixth World Cup this year and will hope to have a similar campaign to the one they had back in 2018.
The 2018 Runners-up have been placed in Group F alongside Morocco, Canada, and heavyweights Belgium.
They will be expected to qualify for the knockout stages comfortably though.
Dominik Livaković, Ivica Ivušić, Ivo Grbić
Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barišić, Josip Juranović, Joško Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanišić Martin Erlić, Josip Šutalo
Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Marcelo Brozović, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakić, Luka Sučić
Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Bruno Petković, Mislav Oršić, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja
Croatia vs Morocco- 23rd Nov; 3.30 PM IST – Al Bayt Stadium
Croatia vs Canada - 27th Nov; 09.30 PM IST –Khalifa International Stadium
Croatia vs Belgium – 1st Dec; 08.30 PM IST- Al Rayyan Stadium
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