Runners-up of 2018 seek to go one better

ZAGREB: Croatia head to the Qatar World Cup in the unusual position of looking like one of the stronger teams, having thrived on their reputation as outsiders for much of the team’s existence.

After topping their qualifying group with only one defeat – in their opening game away to Slovenia more than a year and a half ago – and conceding just four goals in the process, the 2018 World Cup runners-up are riding a wave of momentum.

They also recently came top of their Nations League group ahead of world champions France and Denmark and are widely expected to make it through World Cup Group F into the knockout stage along with Belgium at the expense of Canada and Morocco.

Coach Zlatko Dalic is steeped in tournament experience as he leads the national side to his second World Cup, having also taken them to Euro 2020 where they lost to Spain in the last 16.

He has lost some of the leading names – chief among them striker Mario Mandzukic and midfielder Ivan Rakitic – from the team that went all the way to

the final at the last World Cup four years ago in Russia where they lost 4-2 to France.

But Dalic can count on a backbone of experienced campaigners, including the winner of the Golden Ball award for the best player at the 2018 World Cup: Luka Modric – the Real Madrid wizard who at 37 has one last shot at glory.

Modric remains as pivotal to Croatia as he is for the Spanish giants whose triumphs in the Champions League and La Liga last season were aided significantly by the midfielder’s defence-splitting assists.