Sochi: Croatia are targeting the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1998 – when they made their debut as an independent nation on football’s biggest stage.
It is unwise to look too far ahead at an event so full of surprises, but will a Croatian team facing host nation Russia in the last eight ever get a better chance to outdo the heroes of two decades ago? History though is against Croatia in this aspect.
In 1998 they lost to host nation France and four years back and when they faced Brazil four years ago in Rio de Janeiro, they were beaten again. The question remains whether they can turn the tide this time around.
Zlatko Dalic’s side showed in their comprehensive dismantling of Argentina during the group phase that they have no fear of the big names, and there is a strong case to say they are the best team left in their half of the draw. England might disagree, and the two countries could yet meet in the semifinals.
However, while Croatia needed penalties to beat Denmark in the last round, they have come here full of confidence.
“We have shown in this World Cup that we have the right to hope for big things. We are playing really well and we have such players that we certainly should believe can go to the very end,” said defender Domagoj Vida.
Any team boasting a player of Luka Modric’s quality can afford to dream, especially when he has the support of two other equally talented footballers – Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic.
The Real Madrid player is possibly the best midfielder at the tournament but the strength in depth for such a small country is remarkable. “He is our captain, he is our leader, we all stand behind him,” said Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic of Modric. That statement just goes to show how much respect Modric commands in the side.
Sixteen of Dalic’s squad play in Europe’s big five leagues, with Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic the hero against Denmark when he saved three penalties.
The powerful Ante Rebic has impressed as well, fresh from scoring twice for Eintracht Frankfurt in their German Cup final win over Bayern Munich. Bringing the 24-year-old winger back into the international fold has been one of the changes made by Dalic, who replaced Ante Cacic as coach late last year.
“Each coach brings new ideas. Maybe it turned out for the best of the team that we entered a new era with a new coach,” said Perisic.
Dalic took the team through a play-off against Greece to qualify for the finals and has overseen continued progress despite off-field distractions.
Their build-up to the tournament was overshadowed by the charges against Modric for alleged false testimony in a case of siphoning of funds. AC Milan striker Nikola Kalinic was sent home after reportedly refusing to come off the bench in Croatia’s opening game against Nigeria.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere within the camp is relaxed. “I think it says enough about our atmosphere, the fact that we have been together for almost a month-and-a-half and there wasn’t even the smallest incident between the players,” insisted Rebic.
Croatia can expect a hostile reception at the Fisht Stadium here, Saturday. For a country with a population of barely 4.3 million to beat a host nation of more than 142 million would be some achievement. But they certainly do not lack belief.
“I think we have more quality in our team and I think we are going to be the ones to set the tone,” said Rebic. “We know we have the chance to go all the way and we will give it our best shot.
- Whenever Croatia have played the host nation in the knockout, they have lost
- Russia and Croatia have never faced off in a World Cup. They have played three times; two matches were goalless draws, with Croatia beating Russia 3-1 in a friendly in November, 2015
- Croatians Ivan Rakitic, Marcelo Brozovic, Ante Rebic, Mario Mandzukic, Sime Vrsaljko, Vedran Corluka, Marko Pjaca and Tin Jedvaj will miss out on the semifinals if they are booked Saturday. The same fate awaits Russians Aleksandr Golovin, Fyodor Smolov, Yury Gazinsky, Ilya Kutepov and Roman Zobnin if they are yellow carded
- Artem Dzyuba and Denis Cheryshev have scored three goals each for Russia in the tournament while Luka Modric is the leading scorer for Croatia with two.
