Croatia's golden generation will not pass away. Entering the Croatia FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with veteran captain Luka Modrić at the helm, the Vatreni are burdened with some of football's most dramatic recent history. All you need to know about Croatia's path to North America.
Zlatko Dalić is the name of Croatia's head coach whose name is synonymous to that of the country's most glorious footballing chapter. The 55-year-old tactician has been at the helm since 2017, leading Croatia to the 2018 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals and 2022 third place. However, as World Cup preparations ramp up, Croatia finished 10th in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola men's ranking chart, securing a spot in the top-tier of football.
Dalić has a preference for a compact, disciplined 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system that moves seamlessly between defence and attack. His operation is all about position control, physicality, and Luka Modrić's brilliance on the ball. Since he started his career, Croatia has proven to be a tough team to defeat, particularly in knockout football, and to continue to perform at high levels on major occasions.
After announcing his 2026 roster, Dalić has reiterated his confidence in the choices he and his coaching staff made together and suggested that there would be minimal changes leading up to the deadline.
The new form has been good. Croatia qualified for the World Cup with very little drama as they were consistent with the sort of play they can put on at the tournament.
After defeating their four opponents, Croatia got the green light to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a dominant style. Dalić's side won seven of their eight matches, with their only dropped points coming in a goalless away draw against Czechia. Croatia finished the campaign with 26 goals and four goals conceded.
Croatia qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a 3-1 win over the Faroe Islands in front of their home fans in Rijeka on November 14, 2025. Joško Gvardiol, Petar Musa and Nikola Vlašić were responsible for the goals in Croatia.
| Stat | Figure |
| Matches Played | 8 |
| Wins | 7 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Goals Scored | 26 |
| Goals Conceded | 4 |
| Group Position | 1st |
In qualifying, Striker Andrej Kramarić was in the lead for Croatia with six goals. The campaign showcased the tactical maturity and teamwork of the Croatian squad, the kind that ensures that football fans and experts like those at OKBet are able to keep an eye on Vatreni's World Cup numbers.
Croatia will meet together on May 25 and make preparations in Rijeka where they will host Belgium in a friendly on June 2. The squad is on the road to Varaždin on June 6 for a friendly game with Slovenia on June 7.
Croatia is in Group L with the USA and Mexico, the latter being in Canada.Croatia is in Group L (along with the USA and Mexico). Their campaign against England begins in Arlington, Texas on June 17 before they head to Toronto on June 22 to take on Panama. The last time they play is on June 27 against Ghana in Philadelphia.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | City |
| June 2, 2026 | Belgium (Friendly) | TBC | Rijeka, Croatia |
| June 7, 2026 | Slovenia (Friendly) | TBC | Varaždin, Croatia |
| June 17, 2026 | England | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, Texas, USA |
| June 22, 2026 | Panama | BMO Field | Toronto, Canada |
| June 27, 2026 | Ghana | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, USA |
The highlight of the Group L program is the rematch against England, in which Croatia made one of the most incredible upsets in World Cup history. For fans watching the FIFA Club World Cup 2026 on OKBet, the match has been garnering attention since the group stage began.
Croatia have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in France in 1998 and their seventh overall appearance in 2026, the fourth consecutive.
Croatia is a World Cup sideshow team, having won the second place once in 2018 and the third place twice (1998 and 2022). This makes them the only country that has won 3 World Cups medals as an independent country.
| Tournament | Result |
| France 1998 | Third Place |
| Japan/Korea 2002 | Group Stage |
| Germany 2006 | Group Stage |
| Brazil 2014 | Group Stage |
| Russia 2018 | Runners-Up |
| Qatar 2022 | Third Place |
| USA/Mexico/Canada 2026 | TBD |
Croatia has appeared in 30 World Cup games, won 13, and has netted 43 goals in their World Cup history. The highlight of their World Cup was their victory over Cameroon, 4-0 in the group stage of the 2014 edition.
Croatia's biggest success has been the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They had won three straight knockout rounds against Denmark, Russia and England, but were defeated in the end by France, 4-2, in Moscow. The campaign had global appeal to football fans, and made the small Adriatic state a strong figure in football.
Croatia is also the team with the most World Cup penalty shootout wins for their mental fortitude, a testament to their quality of mind.
The 40-year-old Modrić, one of the best midfielders of his day, still plays for Croatia. The former Ballon d'Or winner has the record of 196 appearances for Croatia.
Modrić at 40 is a pragmatic and symbolic presence. He has the ability to speed and slow down and finds passes in tight situations and he also sets an example. He will likely be the last player to see the World Cup 2026 and that fact brings an emotional factor to Croatia's entire campaign.
Joško Gvardiol - The Manchester City center-back is one of the best defenders in Europe. Croatia coach said he is hoping Gvardiol will be fit for the tournament, and will be ready to be used as a starter in the opening match against England.
Mateo Kovačić - Kovačić is another Manchester City veteran who offers quality and energy box-to-box in midfield. He has a great partnership with Modrić and that makes it one of the most experienced central midfield combinations in the tournament.
Andrej Kramarić - Croatia's top scorer in qualification, the veteran striker scored six times. He is the most dangerous attacking threat due to his movement and link up play as well as his poaching instinct.
Ivan Perišić - The seasoned winger contributes with width, crossing ability and goals from deep positions. Perišić joins Pašalić and Kramarić in the roster of senior players in the team.
The next generation in the midfield of the Croatian team will be the three youngsters Martin Baturina, Luka Sučić and Petar Sučić, who will be expecting their big time out to come in the tournament, hoping to replace Modrić in the near future.
Petar Musa - The Inter Miami forward was rewarded for solid form in recent games. Musa's comeback to the national team was marked by standout performances, including a goal and an assist in Croatia's recent qualifying campaign, which was his first appearance for the side in two years.
A real challenge for Croatia will be the Group L draw. One of the favourites of the tournament is England, who won the 1966 World Cup. But the past has consistently proven that Croatia is a country that can do the best when under pressure.
Team Strengths:
Potential Weaknesses:
The Verdict: Croatia might not be considered as a favorite to take home the FIFA World Cup 2026, but they should not be underestimated once the knockout stages start. It would not come as a surprise to anyone who has followed the Vatreni for ten years or more to see him move onto the quarters or further.
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The journey to the 2026 FIFA Club World Cup is a tale of football in Croatia that is as intriguing as it is captivating. A tiny country of less than 4 million can claim three World Cup winners, a host of top players and a style of football that is consistently above its class.
This will be Croatia's seventh World Cup appearance and the Vatreni will have everything they need to get North America to remember their name with Luka Modrić at the helm one last time, Joško Gvardiol at the back, and a group of talented youngsters ready to come up big.
Keep track of all FIFA news and event updates on OKBet sports betting. We are a reliable source of football-related information in the Philippines and we are dedicated to responsible and informed reporting.
Since 2017, Zlatko Dalić has been at the helm of Croatia. He guided Croatia to the 2018 World Cup semi-final and to third place in the 2022 edition.
As captains of their European qualification group, Croatia won seven out of eight matches, conceding just four goals en route to their group top spot. They qualified on November 14, 2025, with a 3-1 win over the Faroe Islands.
Croatia's top scorer in qualifications was Andrej Kramarić who netted six goals.
The game with England kicks off June 17 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The most successful time for Croatia at the FIFA World Cup has been 2018, the year they qualified for the final but ended up losing to France. They have also come in third in 1998 and 2022.
Team captain Luka Modrić, who has played 196 matches for the Croatian national team and won the Ballon d'Or in 2018, is at the heart of the Croatian squad for FIFA World Cup 2026.
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