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“With fire in our hearts, for Croatia all as one!” That's their slogan.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lvHpkndatM Croatia will have the honour of kicking off the opening match of the World Cup against the hosts. They will be wanting to 'spoil the party' and 'make things difficult' for Brazil and 'ask a question' of them 'in and around the box'.  You will be able to spot Croatia on the pitch by their picnic blanket looking kits. This year's Croatian squad will probably realistically struggle to overcome Brazil's home advantage on the opening day, but they're no mugs and have a good chance of surprising and definitely will hope to finish above Mexico and Cameroon. History  The slavs have done quite well for themselves despite not yet winning anything in the relatively short time they've competed as their own footballing nation, obviously forming not long after their independence from Yugoslavia. They finished in 3rd place, their best position to date, in their World Cup debut in 1998, convincingly beating Germany before bowing out to France, the eventual winners. Croatian legend Davor Šuker won the Golden Boot in the same tournament. Here are all his goals in video with horrible quality and music, from the 90s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGb885UExus They haven't really impressed as much as their opening tournaments (also reaching the quater-finals of the Euros in 96 and 08) but have always been a proud nation with some big names in most of their squads.  Many English posters will remember them as the team that condemned Steve McClaren as 'the wally with the brolly' when we failed to qualify for Euro 2008 after Scott Carson's howler set them on their way to a 2-3 victory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6dqnu2AZQM Croatia were absent from the World Cup in 2010 and will be hoping to make an impact this time around after a bit of a turbulent qualifying campaign. Road to the Finals  Igor Štimac, who also featured in the 98 squad, led the side in qualifying, and initially looked to contest the overrated Belgium at the top of the group, but eventually started to fall away. A 0-1 loss at home to Scotland might be pinpointed as the moment things started to slide. Štimac did secure his team a play-off spot though; if I remember right it was basically guaranteed when they held their bitter enemies Serbia to a 1-1 draw in Belgrade in a volatile game that saw a player each sent off.  Josip Šimunic took one for the team to stop Sulejmani breaking free for a potential winning goal, known in the business as a proper crunching challenge. Štimac resigned after losing to Scotland again in the final qualifying match and Niko Kovač, previously the Under-21 coach, took over to shakily steer Croatia through their play-off against the underdogs Iceland and into the finals.  Despite his heroics against Serbia, Šimunic will not be joining the squad in brazil as he has been banned for 10 matches for doing the ‘Za Dom’ salute after their win over Iceland, which is apparently pro-Nazi and fascist – another new offensive gesture we have all learned this year along with Anelka’s quenelle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-NRQz0P6vg Another Šimunic fact: he was the one Graham Poll gave 3 yellow cards to in 2006. Current Squad The Croatian team going into the tournament isn’t the best ever but it has some great players in and some familiar faces too. Here’s some you might know.  As mentioned, Niko Kovač will manage the team in the finals, a young and handsome man who was influential in recent tournaments as a player, but has been relatively untested with managerial experience outside of youth teams. Anything could happen.  Darijo Srna will captain the squad, a veteran of the team who knows how to win, decorated with trophies at Shaktar Donetsk who he also now captains, including the UEFA cup in 2009.  Dejan Lovren has impressed as a centre-back in the Premier League since joining Southampton this season, playing an important role in their fairly resilient defence in a successful season. you can see here as above that Croatians have heart and pride.  Ivan Rakitić (left) has more recently been winning the Europa league this year with Sevilla. It's apparently cool, and good, and important, to have a gay man in a national team, and thanks to this gif some people reckon Ivan is, for Carrico.  Luka Modrić has had a great season with Real Madrid, putting in very impressive performances in the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich despite losing out on the league title to Atlético. He wasn't so amazing in the final but who cares he just won it anyway, Croatia have some winners for sure.  Mario Mandžukić is the subject of transfer speculation and might be let go by Guardiola, but not for any real failing on his part. He gets some German trophies this year as well. He will be leading the line for Croatia.  Eduardo is still knocking about as well. He's in the preliminary squad. And many more. Here's the full provisional squad, with 7 players to be cut and Barcelona-bound youngster Alen Halilovic already missing out.  Croatia have odds of about 175/1 to win the tournament so it will take something special to be remembered this time around. but maybe they will!
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May 25, 2014 14:33
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Yeah their FAs had to agree to close each ground to away supporters in their respective fixtures but they were still allowed in the same group. But Spain are allowed to avoid Gibraltar.
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May 25, 2014 15:18
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vivisectvnv posted:Srna, Modric, Rakitic, Mandzu...bunch o dreamboats. speaking of..  Niko Kranjčar is OFF THE PLANE with a ruptured hamstring he picked up in the play-off final. QPR had to apply to the Croatian FA for special permission to play him in the first place and this is what they get for allowing it.
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May 26, 2014 16:59
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