World Cup preview: Croatia

The Road To The World Cup

After finishing second in their UEFA qualifying group behind Belguim, Croatia managed to gain entry to the 2014 World Cup by beating Iceland 2-0 on aggregate.

Group Stage Schedule

Formation: 4-2-3-1

During his first two matches in charge, Niko Kovač decided to go with a 4-2-3-1 formation that used Luka Modrić as more of a holding midfielder than an attacking one. For the first leg of the knockout qualifying fixture in Iceland, Kovač used five genuine midfielders, but for the return leg in Croatia, he was a little more attack minded, installing Ivica Olić in the midfield despite his being used primarily as a forward for Wolfsburg.

This trend has continued during their friendly schedule in the lead up to the World Cup.

Manager: Niko Kovač

After spending only a year at the helm, Igor Štimac resigned from his managerial duties following an awful stretch of games in which the national team secured a measly point from four qualifying matches. On October 16th, 2013, Davor Šuker, the president of the Croatian Football Federation, announced that Niko Kovač would take over as manager on an interim basis. A day later, it was revealed that Kovač had signed a two-year contract. The former national team captain was thrown right into the fray, as his squad tied Iceland away, and then beat them at home to advance to the World Cup.

Projected Starting XI

GK: Stipe Pletikosa

LB: Daniel Prajnic

CB: Dejan Lovren

CB: Vedran Corluka

RB: Darijo Srna

DM: Luka Modrić

DM: Ivan Raktic

LM: Ivica Olić

CM: Mateo Kovačić

RM: Ivan Perisic

FW: Mario Mandžukić

Projected Substitutes

GK: Danijel Subašić

GK: Oliver Zelenika

DF: Domagoj Vida

DF: Gordon Schildenfeld

DF: Šime Vrsaljko

MF: Sammir

MF: Marcelo Brozovic

MF: Ivan Mocinic

MF: Ognjen Vukojević

FW: Ante Rebić

FW: Nikica Jelavić

FW: Eduardo

The Captain: Darijo Srna

A legend at Shakhtar Donetsk, Darijo Srna has been captain of the national team since 2009. He’s represented Croatia more times than any other player in the nation’s history. Used more often at right back, Srna is also able to play on the right side of midfield, where he’s earned a reputation for accurate crosses. The 31-year-old is also a capable free-kick taker, having scored several times with his vicious curve.

In addition to being a great footballer, Srna is also a wonderful person. He frequently purchases tickets to Shaktar matches for orphans, and pays for their travel to and from the stadium. He dedicates every goal he scores to his brother who suffers from Down syndrome, and has a tattoo of his sibling across his heart.

The Star: Luka Modrić

We could just as easily be talking about Mario Mandžukić in this section, but Luka Modrić’s versatility and sheer number of appearances for the Croatian team make it difficult to overlook the 28-year-old midfielder. Playing alongside Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid has pushed him into a more defensive role than we were used to seeing him play during his time at Tottenham and Dinamo Zagreb, serving to make him more valuable to the national team.

For Modrić, you can’t merely look at his technical skill or his pace and claim either to be his best quality. His abilities on their own are good, but not elite. What puts him in the upper echelon of football talent is his smarts. He’s almost always in the right position and shows the rare capability of influencing the play of everyone on the pitch.

The Young Gun: Mateo Kovačić

It seems as though the best clubs in Serie A have a way of developing a particular type of player more than in other world class leagues. Mateo Kovačić’s abilities as a deep-lying play-maker are the perfect example of this. Kovačić is an attacking midfielder whose technical abilities and excellent dribbling skills allow him to play further back than most. At first you recognize him as an intelligent and completely player, mature, and capable of doing just about anything on the pitch … and then you realize he’s only 19-years-old.

The Swan Song: Ivica Olić

Ivica Olić has been a part of the Croatian national team since the 2002 World Cup. Although he’s failed to become a crucial member of the starting eleven over that time, he counts several important goals among the 16 he’s scored for his country. With Mario Mandžukić the obvious first team choice, and the new manager’s preference for a sole striker, his role for Croatia this summer will most likely be out on the wing, where he was used effectively during qualifying. At 34-years-old, Brazil is likely to be his last international tournament.

Three Questions

1. How will the Croatian team react to having a new manager foisted upon them less than a year before the start of the World Cup?
2. As a multi-faceted player capable of a great many things, Luka Modrić has been used in a more defensive role under new manager Niko Kovač. How is he best utilized in the current Croatian squad?
3. This could be the last major tournament for several members of team. Which young players are most likely to step up, and which members of the youth movement get the opportunity to do so?

Trivial Matters

Nickname: The Blazers.

Most caps: Darijo Srna (110).

Top scorer: Davor Šuker (45).

First international: October 17, 1990. Croatia 2 - United States 1.

World Cup appearances: Four, beginning in 1998.

Best World Cup result: Third, in 1998.

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