Croatia — World Cup 2026 Squad & Fixtures

Croatia have appeared at six World Cups and reached the semi-finals three times, 1998, 2018, and 2022, a rate no other nation with fewer than ten appearances matches. The 2018 run to the final included a 3-0 group-stage win over Argentina and penalty-shootout victories over Denmark and Russia before France beat them 4-2 in the decider. In 2022, they took the bronze with a 2-1 win over Morocco, extending a tournament pedigree that Davor Šuker's 1998 squad started with a third-place finish in France. Luka Modrić has been the creative constant across all three deep runs, ageing into the tournament's most durable midfielder.

Croatia finished second in UEFA Group D for 2026, qualifying directly after a campaign in which they lost only once, a 1-0 defeat to Turkey in Istanbul. The group included Wales and Armenia, neither of whom took points off Croatia in the reverse fixtures. Their 12 points from 8 matches came from a controlled rather than explosive qualifying style: few goals scored, fewer conceded, results ground out in the way tournament teams learn to grind them. Qualification was secured with a match to spare.

Croatia arrive at every major tournament with the same question: can an ageing core still produce the discipline that carried them to three consecutive semi-finals? The answer has been yes often enough that doubt feels like a mistake. Group F pairs them with Spain, Scotland, and Tunisia, Spain will test Croatia's ability to keep the ball against a side that dominates possession, while Scotland and Tunisia will test their patience against lower blocks. Croatia's path to the knockout round runs through match management rather than outright dominance, a style they have refined across a decade of tournament football.

Luka Modrić remains the metronome: his ability to find space between the lines and play passes that advance Croatia's shape by ten metres with one touch has not declined with age. Joško Gvardiol covers ground that his centre-back partnership should not allow, stepping into midfield to win the ball and then recovering into position with a speed that lets Croatia play a high line without the risk it usually carries.