Croatia Team News, Updates & Facts
Croatia Team News
The majority of Croatia’s big-name players were withdrawn from the squad which faced Mexico in March, while Dejan Lovren and Matej Mitrovic were injured. But those two, plus Danijel Subasic, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Marcelo Brozovic, Nikola Kalinic and Mario Mandzukic are all in the preliminary World Cup squad. Vedran Corluka is also available, having played regularly for Lokomotiv Moscow since recovering from the injury that kept him out until March. Newly-capped RB Salzburg defender Duje Caleta-Car is in the squad but Napoli midfielder Marko Rog, Standard striker Duje Cop and Chelsea loanee Mario Pasalic.
Croatia Key Players
Croatia are packed with experienced players based in the major European leagues, including Ivan Rakitic who scored the winning goal in Mexico from the penalty spot. The Barcelona midfielder has been a mainstay of their league and cup double-winning team. Mario Mandzukic was Croatia’s top scorer in qualifying, meanwhile, and proved his quality with two goals and an assist as Juventus nearly stunned Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Inter’s Ivan Perisic enjoyed his best goal return in a single season since leaving Club Brugge in 2011, meanwhile, as well as weighing in with plenty of assists.
Croatia Team Form
W D L W L
Since Zlatko Dalic took over as manager, Croatia beat Ukraine in Kiev thanks to Andrej Kramaric’s double and followed that up with their play-off win over Greece. All goals were scored in the first leg in Zagreb, which Croatia won 4-1. Croatia’s first defeat under Dalic came in a friendly against Peru in Miami, which they lost 2-0, but they bounced back by beating Mexico thanks to Ivan Rakitic’s penalty. Another defeat to South American opposition followed, however, when Brazil beat the Croatians 2-0 at Anfield.
Croatia Preliminary World Cup 2018 squad
Goalkeepers |
Jersey Number |
Name |
Age |
Caps |
Goals |
1 |
Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb) |
23 |
1 cap |
0 goals |
12 |
Lovre Kalinic (Gent) |
28 |
10 caps |
0 goals |
23 |
Danijel Subasic (Monaco) |
33 |
37 caps |
0 goals |
Defenders |
Jersey Number |
Name |
Age |
Caps |
Goals |
2 |
Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid) |
26 |
35 caps |
0 goals |
3 |
Ivan Strinic (Milan) |
30 |
42 caps |
0 goals |
5 |
Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow) |
32 |
98 caps |
4 goals |
6 |
Dejan Lovren (Liverpool) |
28 |
38 caps |
2 goals |
13 |
Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen) |
22 |
11 caps |
0 goals |
15 |
Duje Caleta Car (Red Bull Salzburg) |
21 |
1 cap |
0 goals |
21 |
Domagoj Vida (Besiktas) |
29 |
58 caps |
2 goals |
22 |
Josip Pivaric (Dynamo Kyiv) |
29 |
19 caps |
0 goals |
Midfielders |
Jersey Number |
Name |
Age |
Caps |
Goals |
7 |
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) |
30 |
91 caps |
14 goals |
8 |
Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid) |
24 |
40 caps |
1 goal |
10 |
Luka Modric (Real Madrid) |
31 |
105 caps |
12 goals |
11 |
Marcelo Brozovic (Inter) |
25 |
34 caps |
6 goals |
14 |
Filip Bradaric (Rijeka) |
26 |
4 caps |
0 goals |
19 |
Milan Badelj (Fiorentina) |
29 |
37 caps |
1 goal |
Forwards |
Jersey Number |
Name |
Age |
Caps |
Goals |
4 |
Ivan Perisic (Inter) |
29 |
65 caps |
17 goals |
9 |
Andrej Kramaric (1899 Hoffenheim) |
26 |
30 caps |
8 goals |
16 |
Nikola Kalinic (Milan) |
30 |
41 caps |
15 goals |
17 |
Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) |
32 |
82 caps |
30 goals |
18 |
Ante Rebic(Eintracht Frankfurt) |
24 |
15 caps |
1 goal |
20 |
Marko Pjaca (Juventus) |
23 |
16 caps |
1 goal |