How will Croatia fare at the 2022 World Cup? Join @SamRCox_ as he looks at the Kockasti in his everything you need to know guide ahead of this winter's competition...
Croatia History at the World Cup
Since becoming an independent FIFA nation, Croatia have qualified for all but one World Cup (2010).
Their run to the final in 2018 was their best performance to date, going one better than their semi-final exit at the 1998 tournament when the iconic Davor Šuker won the Golden Boot.
Luka Modric won the Golden Ball in 2018, as the Croatians defeated England, Russia and Denmark in the knockout rounds after progressing from a group with Argentina, Iceland and Nigeria.
Croatia qualify for Qatar 2022 🇭🇷
— GOAL (@goal) November 14, 2021
36-year-old Luka Modric is set to play in his fourth World Cup 👏
𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡. 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥. 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗗. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/6929bp43Hq
Their defeat to France in the final was their joint-heaviest in World Cup history, losing by two clear goals for just the third time.
In 2014, Croatia failed to make it out of their group for a third straight World Cup entry. That tournament did feature their largest World Cup win, however, as they beat Cameroon 4-0 in the round-robin.
Overall, the Croatians have won 11 of their 23 World Cup matches, drawing four others. They have averaged over a goal per match with 35 scored, but have also conceded over a goal per match with 26 goals against in the competition.
Croatia Nickname
The Croatian team are known as the Kockasti, which means ‘the chequered ones’. This is due to their chequered logo on the national flag and the trademark red and white pattern on their home kit.
Fans might also hear them referred to as Vatreni, meaning ‘The Blazers’.
World Cup 2022 Group
Croatia are in Group F for the 2022 World Cup, alongside Belgium, Morocco and Canada.
They are online betting favourites for their first two fixtures at the end of November, and will hope to have their place in the last 16 wrapped up before they face Belgium at the start of December.
Croatia Fixtures:
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Croatia vs Morocco – 23rd November 2022
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Croatia vs Canada – 27th November 2022
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Croatia vs Belgium – 1st December 2022
Croatia Kit World Cup 2022
The chequered pattern isn’t going to shock anyone, but Nike have taken a gamble with the Croatian World Cup home kit, leaving a curious white patch on the chest. The centralised swoosh and logo look good, yet the ensemble doesn’t quite work.
More 2022 World Cup kits revealed by Nike on Thursday: Portugal 🇵🇹, Netherlands 🇳🇱, France 🇫🇷 and Croatia 🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/gWXQgqDMtb
— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) September 15, 2022
A navy blue away kit has light blue checks across one of the shoulders, fading on the chest. The most Marmite kit of the World Cup.
Who is The Croatia Manager?
Zlatko Dalić is the current Croatia manager. Dalić led the Croatians to the World Cup final four years ago, but saw his team knocked out at the last 16 of the European Championships last summer.
The Livno native has won half of his matches in charge of Kockasti, the worst winning percentage since Zlatko Kranjčar.
Best Croatia Player
Even having just celebrated his 37th birthday, there is still an argument that Luka Modric is Croatia’s best player. Class, after all, is permanent.
🗣 "He's an unbelievable talent and will absolutely pose a threat."
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 9, 2022
Rob Page is in high praise of Luka Modric, a player they will be coming up against with Croatia pic.twitter.com/rvI2sETfaD
Modric will be joined by his long-time midfield accomplices Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic at the World Cup, while Tottenham’s Ivan Perisic remains a regular.
Chelsea target Josko Gvardiol has the highest market value.
Croatia Odds at 2022 World Cup
Behind only Belgium in World Cup betting for Group F at 11/4 to win the section, Croatia are expected to make it into the knockout rounds, but a quarter-final appearance is unlikely with odds of 3/1.
They are way out at 25/1 to repeat their placing of runners-up from 2018.
Bet on Croatia at the 2022 World Cup with 888sport today!
