The Croatian national football team is a squad with rich traditions, having repeatedly demonstrated its high class at World Cups. Their journey at major tournaments is filled with bright moments, dramatic matches, and achievements.
Their greatest success came at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where they became the runners-up. During the tournament, they navigated a challenging path, defeating Denmark on penalties in the Round of 16 and then the mighty Brazil in the quarter-finals. In the final, however, France proved to be stronger, winning 4-2.
Four years ago, at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Croats once again caused a sensation by finishing third. They reached the semi-finals, where they lost to the eventual champions from Argentina, but then defeated Morocco 2-1 in the third-place match. It's worth noting that Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković became a true star of the tournament by saving numerous penalties.
The history of Croatian football at the World Cup began in 1998. The debut was a success—the team immediately secured third place by defeating Germany 3-0 in the match for bronze. Since then, Croatia has become a regular participant at World Cups, missing only the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Despite some setbacks, such as early exits from the 2002, 2006, and 2014 World Cups, the Croatian team has established itself as a formidable opponent capable of major upsets. Their strength lies in their selflessness, team spirit, and star players like Luka Modrić, who has been the face of the national team for many years.
In 2026, the Croatian national team will once again participate in the World Cup, and their main goal will be to repeat the success of 2018 and compete for the main trophy.
