Team profile: Croatia

1.2204471-1557457428 — Croatia’s midfielder Luka Modric attends a training session in Deauville, northwestern France, on Wednesday. Image Credit: AFP

Appearances: 4 (another 8 times as part of Yugoslavia from 1930-1990 period)
Best finish: Third place, 1998 France World Cup
Manager: Zlatko Dalic
Star player: Luka Modric

That was a scare considering the talent at Croatia's disposal. They have some world-class players already plying their trade in championships across Spain, Italy and Germany, but also have plenty of emerging talent.
Though Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic are as crucial as any, Luka Modric's experience is indispensable. The captain and Real Madrid midfielder is the driving force for his Barcelona counterpart Rakitic and Mandzukic, the biggest source of their goals in qualifying. After leading Juventus to another Serie A title, he will be looking to add to his 30 goals for the national team.

Also feeding from the left wing will be Ivan Perisic as a counterattacking threat with his defence-splitting passes. Orchestrating them will be cool-headed manager Zlatko Dalic. Having taken over just before the winner-takes-all game against Ukraine in qualifying, the coach with stints with clubs in Saudi Arabia and the UAE is a steady influence.

Until 1991, Croatia was part of Yugoslavia and supplied players to its national team. After the country dissolved, Croatia was recognised immediately by FIFA but UEFA took another year to approve membership as hence Croatia missed from qualifying for the 1994 World Cup.

In the World Cup in France, the team led by Davor Suker made a major impact and made it through to the knockout stages despite losing to Argentina. Then after beating Romania and Germany in the quarters they made it to the semis where they were beaten by eventual winners France. They took third place by defeating the Netherlands in the play-offs.

The team later took part in three World Cups – 2002, 2006, 2014 but failed to qualify from the group stage. The closest they came to the knockout stages was at Germany 2006.