Croatia target another World Cup shock as remarkable tournament run continues
Croatia are preparing to defy their small population size once again at the upcoming World Cup as they seek to build upon successive top-three finishes.
The European nation boasts a population of fewer than four million people but continually outperforms international heavyweights on the biggest stage.
Defenders such as Josko Gvardiol and former midfielders like Ivan Rakitic admit even they cannot fully explain their homeland’s extraordinary consistency.
A history of overachievement
The national side officially joined global governing body Fifa in 1992 following independence from Yugoslavia.
Despite their relatively brief footballing history, the Balkan outfit have reached the same number of semi-finals as England.
Their domestic division ranks a lowly 20th in Uefa’s coefficient list, sitting behind both Cyprus and Austria.
By contrast, European champions Italy possess a population of nearly 60 million but have failed to qualify for the past three global showpieces.
‘Maybe it is in the food’
Manchester City centre-back Gvardiol was a standout performer during the march to the bronze medal in Qatar four years ago.
The 22-year-old joked that diet might play a part before offering a more measured assessment of their collective spirit.
“Maybe it’s in the food,” Gvardiol said.
“All I can say is that we have good players who are mostly playing in top teams, and when we are with the national team, we give everything.”
Passion overcomes infrastructure
Rakitic was an instrumental figure during the spectacular run to the 2018 final in Russia where his team were ultimately defeated by France.
The former Barcelona playmaker, who retired from international duty in 2019, believes intense national pride fuels their performances.
“Truly we don’t know how it works, but I think it’s about the love for the country and feeling so proud,” Rakitic explained.
“We know that maybe our infrastructure is not at the highest level, but we give our best and I think that’s why we have big results.”
The upcoming tournament will suitably mark the 30th anniversary of the country’s first major international appearance at Euro 96.
