Croatia punches well above its weight for a nation of under four million people. The 2018 runners-up and 2022 third-place finishers have established themselves as one of Europe's most reliable World Cup performers. By 2026, the golden generation led by Luka Modrić will be aging considerably, and the tournament represents a genuine crossroads moment. Whether Croatia can reproduce its knockout-stage heroics or whether the cycle has finally closed will define this campaign. Expect a disciplined, experienced side that rarely beats itself but may lack the dynamism to dismantle elite opponents.
Luka Modrić, approaching his mid-forties in career terms, remains the spiritual and technical heartbeat, though his physical influence will be carefully managed. Mateo Kovačić provides the engine in central midfield, while Andrej Kramarić offers proven goal threat. Joško Gvardiol has matured into one of Europe's finest defenders. Manager Zlatko Dalić has consistently organized Croatia into a compact, possession-recycling unit that excels in transition and set pieces. The system prioritizes structural balance over individual flair, making Croatia hard to break down and dangerous from dead-ball situations.
Group L is genuinely open. England represent the clearest danger and are likely favorites for top spot. Ghana and Panama are beatable, and Croatia should be considered favorites against both on quality and experience alone. A second-place finish is the realistic target. The concern is a slow start — if Croatia drop points against Ghana or Panama while distracted by rotation or fatigue, they could find themselves in a nervy final-game scenario against England. Dalić's pragmatism usually prevents such collapses, but squad depth behind the aging core is a legitimate worry.
PickProphecy users can pick Croatia to advance from Group L with moderate confidence, but not as a banker. The floor is high — Dalić rarely allows disorganized performances — but the ceiling is limited by an aging spine. The main risk is that one of England's warm-up victories, combined with an unexpected slip against Ghana or Panama, forces Croatia into must-win territory before they are ready. Back them to finish second in the group, but treat any pick involving them winning the group outright with considerable skepticism given England's resources.
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