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An unsuccessful finalist at the last World Cup, Croatia will be keen to get their revenge at Euro 2020 and will try to win their first title on the international stage.
- 🔎 Euro 2020: Croatia in a nutshell
- 👥 Croatia’s lineup: Euro 2020-2021
- 👕 Croatia’s Jerseys
- 🗓️ Croatia’s Match Schedule (Group D)
- 🏃Croatia’s Preparation for the Euro
- ⭐ Key player for Euro 2020: Luka Modrić
- 👟 The player to watch at Euro 2020: Duje Ćaleta-Car
- 📚 Stats and history: Croatia at the Euro
- 🥊 Croatia’s Main Opponents
🔎 Euro 2020: Croatia in a nutshell
With a very talented squad, Croatia will be one of the favourites to win the Euro 2020. Finalists in the 2018 World Cup against France, they had an almost perfect qualifying phase, with only one defeat.
With a squad combining youth (Bradaric, Livakovic…) and experience (Modric, Rakitic, Vida…), the Croatians will arrive at the Euro as title contenders.
During the Euro qualifiers, Zlatko Dalíc’s men scored 17 goals and conceded only 7.
👥 Croatia’s lineup: Euro 2020-2021
As mentioned earlier, Croatia has a very strong squad with players playing for the biggest European clubs. This is something that coach Zlatko Dalíc will use to try to lift the trophy.
Croatia’s 26-man squad
Winners of two of their three qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup, the Croatians will arrive at Euro 2020 as World Cup runners-up. This year, selections of up to 26 players have been authorised for the competition. Here is Zlatko Dalic’s lineup.
- Goalkeepers: Lovre Kalinic (Aston Villa), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Simon Sluga (Luton Town)
- Defenders:Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Sime Vrsaljko (Atlético Madrid), Borna Barisic (Glasgow Rangers), Duje Caleta-Car (Olympique de Marseille), Josip Juranovic (Legia Varsovie), Mile Skoric (NK Osijek), Josko Gvardiol (Dinamo Zagreb), Domagoj Bradaric (Lille OSC)
- Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcela Brozovic (Inter Milan), Milan Badelj (Genoa), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta Bergame), Nikola Vlasic (CSKA Moscow, Luka Ivanusec (Dinamo Zagreb)
- Forwards:Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Ante Rebic (AC Milan), Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna)
📢 Here they are! #Vatreni🔥
🇭🇷 #Croatia #EURO2020 preliminary squad! #BeProud pic.twitter.com/TGUynpPvEd
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) May 17, 2021
Zlatko Dalíc knows how to adapt
His players’ characteristics are the basis of how he puts together his team. At the Russian World Cup, he often fielded a 4-3-3 formation in which he controlled the midfield with two wing players and a centre forward. Up front, Rebic and Perisic occupy the wings and bring speed.
These two players are also capable of getting inside the game to supplement their midfielders. The Croatian coach also favours having possession of the ball, as his players don’t tend to be the fastest.
👕 Croatia’s Jerseys
The classic chequered one for the home team and a very nice grey chequered one for the away team.
🗓️ Croatia’s Match Schedule (Group D)
The 2018 World Cup runners-up will be in Group D at the Euro, which looks to be a group they are capable of conquering. They will go up against England, the great underdogs, and they’ll also face Scotland and the Czech Republic.
Unlike some of the other nations in the tournament, Croatia will not host any Euro 2020 matches. However, in the current context, the notions of home and away games seem to have lost importance.
Croatia’s Schedule
| Euro 2020 games ⚽️ | Date and time 📆 |
| England 🏴 – 🇭🇷 Croatia | 13th June 13 at 3 pm |
| Croatia 🇭🇷 – 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 18th June 2021 at 6 pm |
| Croatia 🇭🇷 – 🏴 Scotland | 22nd June 2021 at 9 pm |
🏃Croatia’s Preparation for the Euro
Croatia qualified directly for the Euro after losing only one game, drawing two and winning five. They also scored 17 goals and conceded only 7.
Euro 2020 Qualifying Results
The group stage of the Nations League was much more complicated for the Croatian team. Against France, Portugal and Sweden, Croatia lost five times in six games.
Nations League Results
Croatia finished 3rd in group A4 of the Nations League. With one win and five defeats, they are far behind France and Portugal.
- 05.09.20 – Portugal 4 – 1 Croatia
- 08.09.20 – France 4 – 2 Croatia
- 11.10.20 – Croatia 2 – 1 Sweden
- 14.10.20 – Croatia 1 – 2 France
- 14.11.20 – Sweden 2 – 1 Croatia
- 17.11.20 – Croatia 2 – 3 Portugal
Three Qualifying Games for the 2022 World Cup
Before entering the European tournament on 13th June, Croatia will have to face Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta in qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Three matches that seem to be within their reach and will allow the Croatians to step up their game.
- 24.03.21 – Slovakia 1 – 0 Croatia
- 27.03.21 – Croatia 1 – 0 Cyprus
- 30.03.21 – Croatia 3 – 0 Malta
⭐ Key player for Euro 2020: Luka Modrić
Certainly the most famous player of the Croatian national team. The 35-year-old midfielder continues to delight Real Madrid, the club he joined in 2012 after four years with Tottenham.
Luka Modric is one of the key players in Zinedine Zidane’s team at club level and Zlatko Dalíc’s at national level. He is a very experienced player and has won many prestigious titles and awards.
With, among others, four Champions League titles, one Golden Ball 2018, four Club World Cups and three European Supercups, he has one of the best records in world football. Despite the passing years that seem to be taking their toll on his physical abilities, his quick wit and technical ability have not aged a bit.
This season, he was again involved in his team’s qualification for the Champions League quarter-finals against Italy’s Atalanta Bergamo.
👟 The player to watch at Euro 2020: Duje Ćaleta-Car
The 24-year-old central defender is beginning to make his mark at Olympique de Marseille and is attracting attention. In fact, there was talk this winter of a possible move to Liverpool, who were looking to strengthen their defensive line due to the Reds’ defensive slump.
As far as his record of achievements is concerned, you could say it’s pretty good. Four times Austrian champion with RB Salzburg, he also won three Austrian cups with the club. World Cup runner-up in 2018 and runner-up in France add to the list of his trophies.
📚 Stats and history: Croatia at the Euro
This year again, the Croatians will want to do well in the tournament and go as far as possible. Here is a look back at their history in the competition.
Croatia’s Euro Statistics
- Croatia has never won the Euro despite participating five times
- They have only played 18 games in the competition and have won 8 of them
- Croatia scored 23 goals in the tournament and conceded 20
- Croatia reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 2008
Croatian Players’ Individual Statistics at the Euro
- 3: Mario Mandzukic and Davor Suker are Croatia’s top scorers at the tournament
- 12: Darijo Srna is the player who played the most games at the Euro
- 2: Danijel Pranjic, Darijo Srna and Ivan Rakitic have each provided 2 assists in the tournaments
🥊 Croatia’s Main Opponents
As mentioned above, the Croatians will face the Three Lions, which is certainly the strongest team in the group. They will also face the Czech Republic and Scotland, respectively 42nd and 48th in the world ranking.
England
Eternal underdogs, England have an impressive pool of players. It remains to be seen whether Gareth Southgate will find the right combination of players to put together.
➡ All about England 🏴 (Three Lions) at Euro 2020-2021
Czech Republic
The least known team in the group and certainly the weakest. The Czechs will give everything to try and do well in this group.
➡ All about the Czech Republic 🇨🇿 at Euro 2020-2021
Scotland
This is the last team in the group and the one that will most likely have to fight with the Czech Republic for third place. Be careful though as they have some good players.
