2026 World Cup Team Notes Croatia: After Modric, can they continue to drag into overtime?

Croatia is not a favorite for the title in the traditional sense.

But you'd better not touch them in the knockout rounds.

This is the team that will take the game to the deep end the most. In 2018, all three knockout rounds in Russia, Denmark, Russia, and England went to overtime. Others' legs felt heavy after 90 minutes, but Croatia seemed to have just begun to settle accounts. Modric, Rakitic, Mandzukic, and Perisic don’t play like fairy tales from a small country, but like a group of old craftsmen: don’t rush, grind slowly, and wait for you to make mistakes.

They lost to France in the final. The score was 2 to 4, but after that World Cup, no one dared to regard Croatia as a "dark horse".

In 2022, they're at it again.

In the game against Brazil, Neymar worked continuously with his teammates at the end of the first half of overtime and scored through the goalkeeper. A lot of teams died at that moment. Croatia does not. In the 117th minute, Petkovic shot on a counterattack and the ball deflected into the net. In the penalty shootout, Croatia won again. There are so many talents in Brazil, and they were finally dragged into the most familiar room in Croatia.

This is the scariest thing about Croatia.

They're not necessarily better than you, but they know how to make the game longer, narrower, and uncomfortable.

In 2026, I still like Croatia to cause trouble, but I don't like them reaching the finals again.

The reason is clear: after Modric, control of the game needs to be redistributed.

Data cannot explain a player like Modric. He's not just responsible for passing the ball. He is responsible for telling the team when to be fast, when to be slow, when to hide the ball, and when to take sudden risks. Many teams have midfielders, and Croatia has someone who can stabilize their mood.

But in Croatia in 2026, we can no longer assume that Modric can save every possession.

Kovacic can still advance, Brozovic's experience is still there, and Mayer, Baturina, and Sucic have to take over more of the ball. Gvardiol is already the core of the backcourt, able to dribble, fight, and provide advancement from the left. Goalkeeper Livakovic has proven himself in competitions, and penalty shootouts are not unheard of.

The problem is in the frontcourt.

Croatia's most comfortable way to win in the past was to stall the game in the midfield, slowly test the wings, and rely on Mandzukic-style hard points to solve problems in the penalty area. Now their frontcourt is more spread out. Kramaric is smart, Budimir can stand in the penalty area, and Petkovic has a fulcrum, but the explosive power and continuous impact of this line are not like the first gear of the championship.

This means that every time Croatia wins a tough battle, it has to pay a high cost.

They can push the game into overtime, they can upset the better teams, and they can still stand in the 110th minute. But playing like this for two or three rounds in a row is difficult. Age, physical fitness, and depth of substitutes will all come to collect the bill.

The best path for Croatia is to keep consumption as low as possible in the group stage and continue to do what they are familiar with in the knockout stages: no chaos in the midfield, no free throws in the backcourt, and one or two set pieces and counterattacks in the frontcourt. If you let them score first, the game will become ugly and difficult to play. Because they'll hide the ball, chop up the rhythm, and drag you down to your breath.

My judgment on Croatia is: the quarterfinals, the semifinals have a chance, but the finals will be difficult.

They still have big-game experience, midfield memories, and the temperament of not being in a hurry to die.

It’s just that the World Cup will not stop at Modric’s feet forever.

In Croatia 2026, what really needs to be answered is: when the person who can slow down time is no longer omnipotent, can others continue to drag this team into deep water.

2026 Croatia list (organized by position)

Note: The following is the current team organized as of April 2026 based on official competitions and regular national team recruitment in the past two years. The final 26 people are subject to official registration.

• Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Nediljko Labrovic
• Defenders: Joshko Gvadiol, Josip Strutalo, Martin Ellic, Marin Pongracic, Josip Julanovic, Josip Stanisic, Borna Sosa
• Midfielder: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Lovro Mayer, Martin Baturina, Luka Suchic, Mario Pasalic
• Forwards: Andrei Kramaric, Ante Budimir, Bruno Petkovic, Ivan Perisic, Luka Ivanushec, Marko Piaca

If you also like to watch the World Cup from the perspective of characters and positions, you can play a game here: https://wordlecup.today/en/football/