Current FIFA Ranking: 10
Highest FIFA Ranking: 3 (July 1998)
Lowest FIFA Ranking: 125 (March 1994)
Football Team Nickname: Kockasti (The Checkered Ones)
Honours: None
Head coach: Zlatko Dalic (since Oct 2017)
Top scorer in qualifying: Andrej Kramaric (6)
Star players: Luka Modric (Milan), Ivan Perisic (PSV), Josko Gvardiol (Man City)
Having failed to progress from the group stage in three consecutive World Cups between 2002 and 2014, Croatia finished runners-up in 2018 before a third place finish in Qatar - but this is likely to be the last such tournament for Luka Modric whilst Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric may not have too many miles left in the international tank.
Another figure who has been around a while is head coach Zlatko Dalic – appointed in October 2017, he is widely regarded as the greatest coach in the history of the national team having led them to the final in 2018, third place in 2022 and runners-up in the 2023 Nations League.
Despite a population of just over 4 million people, Croatia continue to punch above their weight on the world stage and another long run cannot be ruled out in 2026.
Previous World Cup appearances (6):
2022: Third (2-1 v Morocco)
2018: Runners-up
2014: Group stage
2006: Group stage
2002: Group stage
1998:Third
