For a nation of just four million people, Croatia’s record at the World Cup is one of the most remarkable in the history of the tournament. With England vs Croatia betting markets generating significant interest ahead of their Group L opener in Dallas, here is a look at the moments that have defined Croatia’s extraordinary World Cup story.
1998: A debut for the ages
Croatia’s first World Cup appearance in France in 1998 announced them to the world in the most emphatic way possible. Under manager Miroslav Blazevic, they topped their group with victories over Jamaica and Japan before producing one of the tournament’s great shocks in the quarter-finals, dismantling a Germany side containing Lothar Matthaus 3-0 in Lyon.
Davor Suker, the Real Madrid striker, was the heartbeat of the team, his intelligent movement and clinical finishing earning him the Golden Boot with six goals, making him the oldest winner of that award in tournament history at 30.
They fell to hosts France in the semi-final before defeating the Netherlands 2-1 in the third-place playoff, Suker scoring the winner. For a nation making its World Cup debut, third place was beyond all reasonable expectation.
2018: The final
20 years after their debut heroics, Croatia went further still. Under Zlatko Dalic, a team built around the midfield genius of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, and Ivan Perisic reached their first World Cup final in Russia, defeating Denmark, Russia, and England in the knockout rounds, with all three matches requiring extra time or penalties.
Their semi-final victory over England, coming from behind to win 2-1 after extra time, was the defining result, and Mandzukic’s winner with nine minutes remaining is one of the most significant goals in Croatian football history.
Modric was awarded the Golden Ball as player of the tournament and subsequently won the Ballon d’Or, the first player outside Messi and Ronaldo to claim the award in over a decade.
The 4-2 final defeat to France was painful, but reaching the showpiece itself was an achievement that placed Croatia among the great stories of the modern World Cup era.
After losing the final and being awarded the best player accolade, Modric said: “Obviously I liked the recognition and thanks to those who chose me, but clearly I would have preferred to have won the World Cup.
“It wasn’t to be and now we will rest and in the coming days celebrate this because it is still a huge thing for Croatia, but right now the feeling is bittersweet.
2022: Third place again
Qatar 2022 demonstrated that 2018 had been no fluke. Croatia reached the semi-finals again, defeating Brazil on penalties in the quarter-finals in one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches before losing to Argentina.
They then defeated Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoff, with Modric, Perisic, and an ageing squad defying every expectation to finish on the podium for the second time in five World Cups.
World Cup odds heading into 2026 reflect a Croatia side significantly older than those that achieved the above, but those who have dismissed them before have consistently regretted it. Their history at this tournament demands respect, however much the squad has aged.
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