The Croatian national team He suffered the classification, which had to wait until the last appointment with the heartbreaking 1-0 win against Russia, 9 minutes from the end, but he has achieved his goal and will finally be in Qatar 2022. It will be his sixth participation in the World Cup, all in the last seven editions (he only missed South Africa 2010).
those of Zlatko Dalic present a renewed squad compared to the one that surprised arriving in the final Russia 2018, mainly because of the victims of figures like Ivan Rakitic (withdrawn from the national team) e Mario Mandzukic (he left his professional activity in 2021). Even so, they promise to be competitive and sneak between candidates.
They don’t know the gray at the World Cup. In three of their five previous appearances they were eliminated in the group stage, while in the remaining two they reached at least the semi-finals: third place in France 1998, Led by their all-time top scorer, Davor Sucker, and finalists four years ago.
As members of the Group F, alongside the powerful Belgium, Canada and Morocco, the draw reserves them, in case of advancement, a complex crossing of round of 16 against Germany or Spain, if the logic is that Germans and Spaniards prevail in their area over Japan and Costa Rica.
Zlatko Dalić, the TD of the rebirth
Contrary to the current of coaches who look desperately at the edge of the playing field, constantly receiving reminders from the referees for leaving the box to give directions or protest to the main judge, Dalić conveys tranquility.
He always carries his left hand in his jacket pocket, where he keeps a rosary. Very attached to religion, to the point of making a 120 km pilgrimage on foot to the shrine of Medjugorje a month and a half before the World Cup, he was born in Bosnia 56 years ago and took Croatian national team in an extreme situation.
Faith was the only thing they could believe in.
He took office on 7 October 2017, two days before the start of the last qualifying match Russia 2018. Only two points separated the leader (Iceland) from his two escorts (Croatia and Ukraine). They could be left empty-handed and face the Ukrainian team in Kiev. Davor Sucker, Croatian legend and president of the Federation since 2012, trusted Dalic and he was right.
The coach gathered his players two days before the important match and gave them a boost for the victory that would later come: 2-0 with Kramaric’s goals. That win gave them qualification for the play-offs, in which they comfortably beat Greece. There began the road that would lead to the world final in Moscow.
The 4-2 defeat to France did not overshadow the great performance in Russia, nor the general recognition of the manager. Hundreds of thousands of fans hailed the Zagreb squad as true national idols. “I had made the decision to leave, but I had to see her again when I saw that reception”, he told the Croatian daily Večernji list. So it will become first coach to lead Croatia in two World Cups.
The figure: Luka Modric, a world crack at 37
The word “crack”, sometimes used too often, fits perfectly Luka Modric, a midfielder who understands the game. He brings dynamics to the middle of the pitch, but he also knows how to read games and stop them when needed. It always offers a clear exit and has the vision to open closed paths in the face of rival pressure.
It also achieves the goal. And he fifth best scorer in the history of the Croatian national team and the first among those who are not attackers. In front of him Davor Suker, Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic and Eduardo Da Silva. And he is the one who has worn the European team jersey several times.
In short, a national idol, with the addition of having shone so much, or more, at the club level with a giant like the Real Madrid. He is the fourth foreign footballer with the highest number of games played for the Juventus club, behind legends like Karim Benzema, Marcelo and Roberto Carlos.
In addition, it is among the biggest winners in history with 21 titles, among which stand out five UEFA Champions League, three leagues and four Club World Cups.
Winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2018, the first different from Cristiano Ronaldo Y Messi from Kaka In 2007, at the age of 37, he remains a world figure and is the flag of Croatia to go in search of repeating the feat of four years ago.
The team: hierarchy and intelligence
We know we have the quality, the talent and the confidence to beat anyone, but we also understand that Croatia is not among the main candidates “ She said Dalic in an interview for the FIFA website.
“Obviously, as we demonstrated in 1998 and 2018, this doesn’t mean we can’t do something historic,” added the manager. And of course they will be a rival to be feared. victory against France, And later qualification for the Final Four of the UEFA Nations Leagueattests it.
Anyway, the journey of the last four years has been irregular. They clashed with inferior rivals in qualifying, for which they were forced to win the last day to save themselves from the playoffs, and their participation in the European Championship (3-5 against Spain in the 8th round) was far from meet expectations.
The League of Nations He came to bring calm, beyond the initial 0-3 with Austria, and a boost of confidence in view of the World Cup. The hierarchy from midfield forward and the versatility in knowing how to take different positions within the same game are the main strengths of him.
They know how to take on the role of protagonists and dominate from ball possession, grouping and collecting touches in the middle of the field to damage the opponent, but they also hurt with explosive counter attacks. Everything is handled by its conductor, Real Madrid star Luka Modric.
Source: Clarin
