Profile
A country with a similar population to Ireland, Croatia deserves admiration for the way in which it produces generation after generation of technically-adept players.
In 1998, the team that went all the way to the semi-finals contained icons such as Davor Suker, Robert Prosinecki and Zvonimir Boban.
This side ain't half bad either with the midfield of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and young starlet Mateo Kovacic standing out. Striker Mario Mandzukic who did not let Ireland off the hook at Euro 2012 is a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich.
This is a team more than capable of progressing to the last-16, although qualifying was not without its hiccups.
Latests news and features
Croatia 1998 revisited on Team 33
Meet the Irishman helping Croatia's World Cup cause
TACTICAL PREVIEW: Brazil v Croatia
Watch out for Croatia's Mateo Kovacic in Brazil
QPR's Kranjcar to miss World Cup
Croatia's Simunic gets 10-game ban for "pro-Nazi" song
Croatia sack Stimac despite playoff spot
Davor Suker of Croatia celebrates his goal in the World Cup second round match of 1998 ©INPHO/Allsport
World Cup Record
Appearances: 4
Best Result: Third Place (1998)
Squad
Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Rostov), Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Oliver Zelenika (Lokomotiva Zagreb)
Defenders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev), Sime Vrsaljko (Genoa), Danijel Pranjic (Panathinaikos), Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Dejan Lovren (Southampton), Gordon Schindelfeld (Panathinaikos)
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Mateo Kovacic (Inter Milan), Marcelo Brozovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev), Ivan Mocinic (Rijeka), Sammir (Getafe)
Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich), Nikica Jelavic (Hull City), Ivica Olic (VfL Wolfsburg), Eduardo Da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ivan Perisic (VfL Wolfsburg), Ante Rebic (Fiorentina)
Manager: Niko Kovac
Fixtures and Results
Group A
June 12th - Brazil (Sao Paulo) 3 - 1 (L)
June 18th - Cameroon (Manaus) 4 - 0 (W)
