FIFA WC 2022 | Semi-finalist | Croatia probable playing Xl

Croatia advances to the semi-finals. They beat the tournament’s favorite, Brazil, on penalties (4-2). Croatia will be looking to avenge their World Cup loss to France in 2018 by winning the title this year.

A list of players who played a part in Croatia reaching the semifinal is as follows: 

Luka Modric 

Position: Central Midfielder

Age - 37

Club: Real Madrid

Goals: 0

Assists: 0 

He is the central midfield cog of the Croatian team. He is a multi-talented midfielder with lovely ball control, is good at winning possession, and is also an extraordinary distributor and finisher. He surely deserves a place among the legends of the game.

Modric’s many honors include winning the Best FIFA Men's Player award in 2018, which underlines his individual greatness.

Modric’s humble and unselfish outlook off the pitch, matched by his awareness and influence on it, have turned him into one of the most legendary midfielders of modern times.

And age doesn't seem to be catching up with the Croatian talisman, whose immense leadership and talent will once more provide the catalyst for Croatia to go all the way in Qatar.

Ivan Perisic

Position: Winger/Wingback

Age: 33

Club: Tottenham

Goals: 1

Assists: 2

Ivan Persic has been a mainstay in the Croatia team. At the last World Cup, the attacking winger moved from Inter Milan to Tottenham. Croatia goalkeeper Dalic will depend heavily on the attacking advantage of Perisic, who is likely to be one of the first names on the team sheet. He is also another leader who can lift the team right from the early stages, just as he did in this World Cup. He has scored one goal and has two assists to his name already. Ivan scored one goal against Japan in the round of 16 and had two assists in a 4-1 drubbing of Canada. Croatia will be looking to him to perform his magic.

Marcelo Brozovic

Position: Central midfielder

Age: 29

Club: Inter Milan

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Brozovic turned 30 a few days before the World Cup in 2022. The versatile playmaker can easily exploit his wide range of skills and wealth of experience. Dalic would be looking to him to carry the nation’s hope; he is one of the backbones of Croatia's side.

He is an astute player; he is instrumental in providing balance to teams both in defense and attack. He has made giant steps in recent years and has performed well in Serie A, becoming one of the most consistent performers in his holding role, not just in Italy but in the world.

The Zagreb-born midfielder’s former manager at Inter, his ex-manager Antonio Conte, was instrumental in developing his game, and today Brozovic is reaping the rewards.

Mateo Kovacic

Position: Central midfielder

Age: 28

Club: Chelsea

Goals: 0

Assists: 0 

The trio of Brozovic, Modric, and Kovacic will be one of the most fearsome midfield units on display in Qatar in 2022. In the middle of the park, the Croatians also have quality in depth, boasting another all-rounder in Mateo Kovacic, an uncompromising tackler with the technique to transform loose balls into chances.

He was a key figure in Croatia's title run in 2018, and his experience with his current club Chelsea will make him an even more dangerous presence this time around.

Mario Pasalic

Position: Attacking midfielder

Age: 27

Club: Atalanta

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

He plays as an advanced playmaker or wide central midfielder rather than an out-and-out striker. He will magnify Croatia’s competitive edge in midfield with his ability to ghost into spaces left by the opposition's defense.

 Pasalic netted 13 times for Serie A side Atalanta last season, an impressive tally for a team whose manager Gian Piero Gasperini is a firm believer in positional rotation. So far this campaign, the Mainz-born player has struggled to find the net, but the Croatian international will be looking to add goals this campaign.

Josip Juranovic

Position: Right back

Age: 27

Club: Celtic

Goals: 0

Assists:1

 Juranovic has played both wingback positions in Celtic, though he primarily plays as a right-back. He has no trouble launching an attack by charging forward. In the last match against Brazil, which they won, he was the man of the match in the first half. He created one assist for his team in a 4-1 drubbing of Canada. Juranovic started every match in the World Cup campaign, and Dalic will be hoping he keeps his form until the end of the match.

Andrej Kramarić

Position: Forward/attacking midfielder

Club: Hoffenheim

Age: 31

Goals: 2

Assists: 0

 Kramaric has played every match on the group stage. However, against Brazil and Japan, he was substituted. He scored two goals against Canada. The coach would expect him to add to his total before the competition ends.

Bruno Petkovic

Position: Striker

Club: Dinamo Zagreb

Age:28

Goals:1

Assists:0

 Petkovic was the savior of Croatia, as he scored at the death of extra time (117 minutes) to salvage a draw after Neymar gave Brazil the lead in the first half. He helped his team progress to the penalty shootout, where Croatia beat the mighty Brazilians. Dalic would be relying on the striker in the later stages of the World Cup.

Dejan Lovern

Position: Defender

Club: Zenit

Age:33 

Goals: 0

Assists: 1

 The former Liverpool player has been solid in the World Cup. He helped his team draw the match against Brazil, who boast players such as Neymar, Rafael, Vini Jr., Antony, and so on, where they beat them on penalties. He started every match for Croatia. He also had one assist against Japan, where they drew the match and beat them on penalties. He will be expected to keep the Argentines out of the World Cup.

Josko Gvardiol

Position: Defender

Club: RB Leipzig

Age:20

Goals: 0

Assists:0

Gvardiol is deemed a modern-day center-back. A modern center-back is a defender who performs all the same tasks as a traditional defender but also helps in the progression of the ball, either through passes or carries, and keeps possession. They are looking to start the attack from the backfield while breaking the play. He prefers to advance up the field through passes and carries. He is involved in the attacking phase of the play. He plays alongside Lovern. He can help his team with the title charge.

Mislav Orsic

Position: Forward Midfielder

Age: 29

Goals:0

Assists:2

 Orsic has been vital to Croatia’s charge into the semifinals. His assist was crucial in allowing Petrovic to score the equalizer. Expect him to play a part in their ongoing campaign.

Dominik Livakovic

Position: Goalkeeper

Age: 27

The keeper kept two clean sheets in the tournament. He made a total of 20 saves, of which 11 came from outside the box and eight from the inside. He was named man of the match against Brazil, saving the country's ferocious attack with nine saves. He also thwarted two penalty kicks from Marquinhos and Rodrygo to help Croatia win. Managers will be hoping he maintains his inspired form when they face Argentina and Lionel Messi.

Croatia advances to the semifinals, where they take on Argentina, who defeated the Netherlands also on penalties to advance the semi-finals.