Euro 2024 team guides part six: Croatia

This article is part of the Guardian’s Euro 2024 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 24 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 14 June.

Prospects

Croatia have never won a knockout round game at a European Championship. And if that sounds odd given that they always seem to be punching above their weight, then how about this: the last (and only) time they’ve beaten anyone in 90 minutes after the group stage at any major tournament was 26 years ago in France (Romania and Germany). In Qatar they even reached the semi-finals after winning only one game before extra time or penalties – against Canada – and not outplaying any of their opponents in any of the other four matches.

Still, their public back home have been spoiled with ludicrous success and now more or less the same is expected from the team in Germany. This time, however, things are looking less good than before previous tournaments – and that’s not taking in a rather wretched qualifying campaign for the Vatreni.

Zlatko Dalic’s team set up in 4-3-3, with 4-2-3-1 as their back-up plan. There have been many suggestions that three at the back would suit this group of players more, but that is not going to happen as long as Luka Modric is around and most likely calling the shots from behind the scenes.

And while building the team around the (ageing) captain still makes sense, it does mean that other important, in-form players are pushed out of their comfort zone. So Josko Gvardiol’s hybrid role at Manchester City can’t be replicated with the national team, leaving Dalic having to choose between using him as a centre-back or left-back.

Andrej Kramaric is brilliant for Hoffenheim operating further down the pitch as a midfielder but with Croatia he is forced to operate either on the wing or up front. Even Bruno Petkovic, who likes to drop back and play between the lines for Dinamo Zagreb, is expected to perform a much more traditional striker role. On top of that, many players have struggled with form or injuries this season and there are several uncertainties heading into these finals.

On Monday their preparations at least got off to a good start with a 3-0 friendly victory against North Macedonia, Lovro Majer getting two of the goals.

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The coach

“We want Croatia to be happy, good and proud again,” said Zlatko Dalic after announcing his Euro 2024 squad. “We have raised the bar very high with three medals in five years and that [level] is not realistic [long term],” he added, incorporating last year’s Nations League final, which Croatia lost to Spain on penalties, into that stat. The team has indeed enjoyed tremendous success under him but over the years his populist PR routines have worn a little thin among the fans and (at least some of) the players. This is likely to be his last tournament as national team coach and he is surely aiming to leave on (another) high.

The icon

This is, of course, Luka Modric. Turning 39 in September, he has been playing for the national team for 18 years now, collecting well over 170 caps. And while at Real Madrid they carefully managed his appearances over the course of the season, he will most certainly be overworked again this summer for Croatia. “Limiting Luka’s appearances does him no good,” Dalic says of it all. “He has to be out there in every game, it’s what makes him even better. We always expect him to be our leader.” So, as things stand, Croatia are counting on the maestro during his swansong too.

Ones to watch

None, really. This is mostly a veteran team and there are only two players younger than Gvardiol who is, at 22, already a well-established world-class player heading into his third major tournament. Those two are creative midfielders Luka Sucic (RB Salzburg) and Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb), who are not expected to play much of a part this summer but could well be targets for major European clubs very soon, so it’s worth at least remembering their names.

The maverick

The throne, sadly, lies vacant since Dejan Lovren retired from the national team and Marko Livaja – the biggest star domestically – refused to play under Dalic following a spat with fans and the coach’s failure to back him. If anyone comes close to this title, it’s Bruno Petkovic, a very unusual striker who is something of a Jekyll and Hyde player for the Vatreni. You are just as likely to ask yourself “why does this football God not play for a top Premier League team?” as “what is this diving/elbowing/whining character even doing on the pitch?”

The spine

Livakovic-Gvardiol-Modric-Perisic. Separated by 16 years in age, Gvardiol and Modric are Croatia’s only true world-class players at the moment. Dominik Livakovic was a hero in Qatar, securing a place in the knockout stages with his wonder saves against Belgium before dominating the shootout against Japan and driving Brazil crazy in the quarter-finals. Ivan Perisic’s influence over the years has only been second to Modric’s and even though he’s coming back from a major injury at 35, his importance for the team is still massive, whether he plays as a winger or (possibly) full-back.

Probable starting XI

Celebrity fan

It is hard to find anyone that fits this category sadly. Snoop Dogg, who has been known to don the chequered shirt, or possibly Bill Belichick, the most famous and successful NFL coach, who has Croatian ancestry? Or Baby Lasagna, the Eurovision 2024 runner-up? Not impressed? Fair enough, we’re not either.

Culinary delight

Croatian cuisine may be exciting and versatile, but you wouldn’t know that by going to a football game. At grounds you traditionally get just popcorn, peanuts or salted pumpkin seeds or maybe, if you’re lucky, an undercooked hotdog. If you are watching a game at someone’s home you could be served a selection of local cheeses and cured meats such as prosciutto or the spicy kulen. In general, Croatians prefer to drink and smoke when the football is on – and if your mouth isn’t full you’re able to swear much better and louder.

The Croatia team guide was written by Alex Holiga for Telesport