Croatia
Croatia - Group A (Brazil, Mexico, Cameroon)
Their indifferent qualifying campaign and affinity to score meagerly would give Croatia a lean chance to break out of their group. A capable team on their day, Croats can have an impact on the cup if their squad, consisting of EPL and Bundesliga players prominently, can gel together to emulate their predecessors of 90's Golden Generation
Profile - Best Mover
Croatia burst into the world football stage with an emphatic run to third place in their 1998 maiden world cup. Although they have failed to meet the expectations since, they always had been effectual consistently producing world class players. Prior to 1991, they had been part of Yugoslavia and had been admitted to FIFA and UEFA in 1992
Their game play consists of supplying from the wings and scoring from the box while the defense would want to stop the close range shots more effectively
Croatian Football Federation (HNS)
Confederation: UEFA (Europe)
Coach: Niko Kovac (CRO)
FIFA Ranking: 20 (8-May-2014)
Nickname: Vatreni (The Blazers)
Key Players: Srna, Mandzukic, Modric, Olic
Legends: Davor Suker
History - Immediate Impact
Croatia qualified in for the 1998 World Cup and immediately made an impression by finishing third. They've defeated Germany and Netherlands in the process. They couldn't live up to their reputation in the following tourneys
How They Qualified
Croatia finished second behind Belgium in Group A of UEFA qualifiers owing to them losing the way in the middle of the campaign. They had to battle out against Iceland and qualified with an aggregate 2-0 victory over two legs
Prospects - Underdogs of the Group
Brazil and Mexico may prove to be too strong for the Croatian team. They can't just rely on their flanks if they were to qualify for the knockout and in case they edge out Mexico, they have a potential round of 16 encounter with Spain awaiting them
Squad
Goalkeepers:
Stipe Pletikosa (Rostov), Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Oliver Zelenika (Dinamo Zagreb)
Defenders:
Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Dejan Lovren (Southampton), Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Gordon Schildenfeld (Panathinaikos), Danijel Pranjic (Panathinaikos), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev), Sime Vrsaljko (Genoa)
Midfielders:
Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev), Ivan Perisic (Vfl Wolfsburg), Mateo Kovacic (Inter Milan), Marcelo Brozovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Milan Badelj (Hamburger SV), Sammir (Getafe)
Forwards:
Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich), Ivica Olic (Vfl Wolfsburg), Eduardo da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk), Nikica Jelavic (Hull City), Ante Rebic (Fiorentina)
*Mario Mandzukic carries a suspension from qualifiers and will miss the first group game against Brazil
June 11: Midfielder Ivan Mocinic was ruled out of tourney with a recurring ankle problem
May 14: Niko Kovac announced a 30-man provisional squad
June 11: Midfielder Ivan Mocinic was ruled out of tourney with a recurring ankle problem
May 14: Niko Kovac announced a 30-man provisional squad
Fixtures
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