FIFA World Cup 2018 Group D: Croatia

By Mutlu Demirtastan

ISTANBUL

Croatia is aiming to break new ground in the 2018 World Cup when it plays against Argentina, Iceland and Nigeria in Group D.

So far, the best achievement of the country in the top football contest has been in the 1998 FIFA World Cup when it emerged third.

Nicknamed "Vatreni" (The Blazers), Croatia were in the same group with Turkey, Iceland, Ukraine, Finland and Kosovo in the World Cup's European qualifiers.

Croatia completed this stage in the second spot with 20 points after leaders Iceland got 22 points.

Then Croatia went to the playoffs where they eliminated Greece.

Turkish heavyweights Besiktas' Domagoj Vida will play in defense for Croatia.

The team's midfield has two well-known stars -- Real Madrid's Luka Modric and Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic. The Spanish La Liga duo is expected to be in Croatia's first eleven.

Two Italian Serie A players, Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic and Inter's Ivan Perisic are expected to contribute in the offense.

Mandzukic has given a major boost to Croatia in the World Cup qualifiers since he scored five goals.

Croatia has qualified for the World Cup four times and their best achievement was coming third in France 1998.

After their heroic performance in 1998, Croatia was unable to retain its success in the following World Cup tournaments as the Balkan team got eliminated in the group stage in 2002, 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Croatia's World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Lovre Kalinic (Gent), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb).

Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Ivan Strinic (Sampdoria), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Josip Pivaric (Dinamo Kiev), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Duje Caleta-Car (Salzburg)

Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka)

Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Ivan Perisic (Inter), Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Pjaca (Schalke 04), Ante Rebic (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Manager: Zlatko Dalic