March 25, 2022 - Zlatko Dalić has revealed the Croatia lineup against Slovenia tomorrow, which kicks off the friendly tournament in Doha. 

The Croatia national football team will play a friendly match against Slovenia in Doha on Saturday at 3 pm, which will be an excellent opportunity for coach Zlatko Dalić to try out the new system.

"I expect the players to show what we have been doing these two days, and we have had great training sessions these two days. I can tell you right away which 11 will start tomorrow. Livaković will be in goal; the back three will be Ćaleta Car, Gvardiol, Pongračić; Perišić, and Juranović will be on the wing, and the three in the midfield are Jakić, Modrić, and Kovačić. Kramarić and Budimir lead the attack.

The decision to play here is one hundred percent right; we are here to get acquainted with the conditions that await us at the World Cup. I need to emphasize that this is great that we have already qualified so we can play more relaxed."

Croatia has not yet secured a place in the second pot for the World Cup group draw:

"There is no relaxation, and we have to play to win, we have two good opponents, and we have to play at the highest level."

Joško Guardiola is one of Croatia's best new players. 

"It all depends on Joško; he has shown his potential, he has to work every day and prove himself again, that is the most important thing. Nevertheless, we got a great player for the national team."

Dalić spoke about their decision to come to Doha for these friendly matches:

"I worked hard to come here, to see the conditions; I wanted to feel this place as a team. We wanted to play against Qatar, but I understand their coach wants some easier opponents. I wish Qatar a lot of luck, they put in a lot of effort, and I have a lot of fond memories here."

Slovenian journalists were interested in how seriously Croatia was preparing for Slovenia:

"We come here with full respect for Slovenia and Bulgaria; Slovenia has a great coach in Kek, we will have a worthy opponent tomorrow. We were preparing for the game, they have already beaten us once, so we know how dangerous they are. I was one of those who invited Slovenia to this tournament."

Guardiol was also present at the press conference and commented on the new system:

"I am not unfamiliar with playing three in the back, as we have been practicing this with Leipzig for half a year. The problem with the national team is that we don't have much time to adjust, but the last two training sessions, we were maximally focused on this, and we will try to transfer that to the game."

Source: HRT

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March 22, 2022 - The Croatia national football team faces two friendly matches against Slovenia and Bulgaria in Doha. Brozović and Vrsaljko will not travel with the team to Qatar, while Brekalo has tested positive for coronavirus. 

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić announced the tournament in Doha on Monday as the national team gathered in Zagreb for the first time since qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. Croatia will face Slovenia and Bulgaria in Doha on March 26 and March 29, reports HNS.

Dalić revealed that Šime Vrsaljko and Marcelo Brozović dropped out due to injuries, while Mile Škorić and Nikola Moro will step in instead.

"Brozović and Vrsaljko dropped out of the original lineup due to injuries, and I'm sorry about that. We gather in Zagreb, but five players come to Doha directly from their clubs. Our motivation is great in the upcoming matches to prepare for what awaits us in June. This will be a very good test for all of us to see what we can do, to prepare for the Nations League," said Dalić, who made it clear that he intends to use all players.

"We invited 25 players, and the idea is for everyone to play. We will give a chance to all the players, but there is no point in burdening them to the maximum. I want to try all the players. Our goal is for everyone to play. We will make two teams for those two games; the players are very busy in their clubs anyway. I think it will be good to relieve them a bit."

"We will play with three in the defense in both games; we will try that system to have another tactical addition. We will have two good games because the opponents are good. We will work on the unity of the national team," Dalić began and added:

"I am looking forward to this gathering and matches because the national team is together after four months. Unfortunately, Brozović and Vrsaljko dropped out due to muscle injuries, both of whom remained at their clubs to rehabilitate. That is why we activated the reserves Škorić and Moro." 

What happened with Petković?

"I do not want to write off Bruno Petković, and I did not write him off. I want him as he was in the qualifications. That is good for us, and I am waiting for him. I want him back in shape; I emphasize in the striker position because I see him there.

I hope that he will come back and that by June, he will be better and understand my message that he is not up to standard and that he can do much, much better. We do not have a more complete and better striker than Bruno Petković when he is in the right form. He has not been written off, and I want him on the national team. "

Who will be in goal?

"Livaković will defend one game, and one by Ivušić. That's the plan. Grbić has no right to be called if he does not defend at his club. The goalkeeper is not in the right condition if he does not defend. So we have no reason to fear, Livaković is defending well, Ivušić as well, and younger keepers are coming. There is also Lovre Kalinić, who is good in Hajduk," reveals coach Dalić.

Brozović and Vrsaljko dropped out, as well as Josip Brekalo

"Something always happens that we did not anticipate, and Brozović and Vrsaljko dropped out. We are following the others, especially the young players, surely some will come to the competition. First of all being Stanišić and Sučić, who are already with us.

There is also Šutalo, but all in good time. We have the basis of the team; we have the breadth because each position is filled with two or three players. We have a combination of experience and youth, new ones give energy, but without more experienced ones, it will not work. We are not in a hurry with the final conclusions; we will give everyone a chance. We follow young players who have an opportunity to jump in with good performances," said Dalić.

Last night, news arrived that national team member Josip Brekalo tested positive for coronavirus and will miss Croatia's first friendly match in Doha on March 26 against Slovenia. Depending on how the situation develops, he will compete in the second match in Doha on March 29 against Bulgaria.

Brekalo recorded 30 appearances for the national team and scored four goals.

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March 7, 2022 - Coach Zlatko Dalić has announced the Croatia player list for Doha friendlies later this month against Slovenia and Bulgaria. 

The Croatia national football team is back this month! Coach Zlatko Dalić has published a list of players he is counting on for friendly matches against Slovenia and Bulgaria in Doha, reports Gol.hr.

Croatia will first play against Slovenia on March 26 at 3 pm, while they will play against Bulgaria on March 29 at 4 pm.

"We want to play good games, we are going to win, but it will be a little more relaxed. We want to make the most of those eight days."

"We will try to play in Doha with three players in the back. That does not mean we will change the system in general. We will try to change our way of playing because after a long time we finally have enough training to try. Some of our players play like that in clubs and we will try to see what it looks like in the national team," announced Dalić.

"4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 were both good at some points, but now we're going to train with three."

Croatia does not go to Qatar without problems.

"We have some problems. Lovren is not in training, I don't know how ready he will be, but he is going to Doha. Majer and Perišić skipped this week, Vrsaljko got hit in the hip. Quite painful, but it won't be dangerous and he will be good in a few days. They stayed in rhythm."

Dominik Livaković is the chosen goalkeeper. 

"Grbić has not defended in the last games. If his status does not change, we will not count on him. He has to defend to be on the national team."

Šime Vrsaljko returns to the national team.

"He is playing again, he has a continuity of games and he is healthy. Now he is playing the way he should for the national team. I need him like this. I want more from him. We had a conversation, no big problems. I hope it gets even better. The conversation remains between us. He plays well; that's what I need."

Dalić wanted stronger friendly matches.

"I wanted one stronger, one slightly weaker game, and it failed because of the organizations. Slovenia and Bulgaria are not top-level, but the matches carry some uncertainty. We need games because of the second strongest group for the World Cup. We can try some things and collect some more points if we need them for the second strong group, although I think it's over." 

Croatia's player list for Slovenia and Bulgaria

Goalkeepers: Livaković, Ivušić, Grbić

Defenders: Vida, Lovren, Vrsaljko, Barišić, Čaleta-Car, Juranović, Gvardiol, Sosa, Pongračić

Midfielders: Modrić, Kovačić, Brozović, Pašalić, Vlašić, Majer, Jakić

Attackers: Perišić, Kramarić, Brekalo, Oršić, Livaja, Budimir

Callups: L. Kalinić, Škorić, Čolak, Moro

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February 26, 2022 - Zlatko Dalić and the Croatia coaching staff are preparing for the upcoming national team gathering in March, when Croatia will play a friendly tournament in Doha against Slovenia and Bulgaria. 

Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić held a meeting with members of his professional staff on Thursday at the HNS headquarters, reports HNS.

In addition to coach Dalić, the meeting was attended by technical director Stipe Pletikosa, assistants Ivica Olić, Mario Mandžukić, and Dražen Ladić, goalkeeper coach Marjan Mrmić, fitness coach Luka Milanović and team manager Iva Olivari, while Vedran Ćorluka and Marc Rochon were justifiably absent.

Dalić spoke with his associates about the upcoming national team gathering in March, the first after November 2021 when Croatia successfully qualified for the World Cup in Qatar. In March, Croatia will travel to Doha to play friendly matches against Slovenia and Bulgaria.

"Although we are in constant contact, it is good when we manage to gather live and talk about what awaits us. I am glad to see all staff members full of energy, enthusiasm, and optimism ahead of the March gathering, which everyone is very excited about. We are following our players in detail, we are thinking about how to make the most of this gathering in Doha both on and off the pitch, and I believe that we will lay a good foundation there for everything that awaits us later in the year," said coach Dalić.

Recall, the Croatian Football Federation management agreed that the Croatia national team would play a friendly tournament in Qatar in March, with two matches in Doha.

Croatia will face Slovenia on March 26 and play Bulgaria three days later. The national team of Qatar will also play in the tournament against Bulgaria (March 26) and Slovenia (March 29). The matches will be played at the stadiums in Doha, where the FIFA World Cup matches will be played. The exact timetables and stadiums will be defined later, and HNS will inform fans promptly about the possibilities of buying tickets.

The Croatia coach and the staff members also watched the Europa League match between Dinamo and Sevilla. The Croatian champion was eliminated after a 3:2 aggregate for the Spanish side.

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February 4, 2022 - Zlatko Dalić spoke to Nova TV after the friendly tournament in Doha was announced, saying he will experiment with a Croatia formation change, namely three players in the back. 

The Croatian Football Federation has agreed to represent the Croatia national team in a friendly tournament that will be played in Qatar in March, during which Croatia will play two matches. Namely, Croatia will play Slovenia on March 26, and Bulgaria three days later. In an interview with Nova TV, coach Zlatko Dalić commented on the national team preparations ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

"My wish was to go to Qatar, to prepare for what awaits us, what is to come in November, to get to know the climate, the terrain, and the ambiance. I am very pleased with this preparatory tour, these matches. They are not extra-quality opponents, but they are certainly good for us at the moment. We expect two really good games. We expect, of course, two wins and good play."

Dalić was asked if Croatia would try to play in a system with three players in the back. "Well, we're going to try to do something about it. We're going to have eight days now to try that. And that is in our plan."

Dalić desires to work on teamwork: "We want to spend those eight days in Qatar as one big team building event, to support each other. So far, every time we gathered, there was a lot of pressure, the imperative of a victory. This time, it is also imperative to win, but it will be a little more relaxed and supportive. We want these new players, and there are several of them, to get better acquainted with the national team and to create a new community."

Recall, the matches will be played at the stadiums in Doha, where the FIFA World Cup will be played. The exact timetables and stadiums will be defined later, and HNS will inform fans promptly about ticket sales. 

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February 2, 2022 - The Croatia national team will participate in a Doha friendly tournament next month as preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar this December. 

The Croatian Football Federation management has agreed that the Croatia national team will play a friendly tournament in Qatar in March. Croatia will play two matches in Doha, reports HNS.

Croatia will face Slovenia on March 26 and will play Bulgaria three days later. The national team of Qatar will also play in the tournament, against Bulgaria (March 26) and Slovenia (March 29). The matches will be played at the stadiums in Doha where the FIFA World Cup matches will be played. The exact timetables and stadiums will be defined later, and HNS will inform fans in a timely manner about the possibilities of buying tickets.

"We wanted to play in Doha in March, so I thank the leadership of the Federation for agreeing to participate in this tournament - it will be a great opportunity to get to know Qatar and feel the conditions that await us - climate, infrastructure, culture.

I think the opponents are tailor-made, two quality teams that will be a good test for what awaits us next. First of all, we are looking forward to the gathering, to continue to build a community that will be key to success in the competitions that await us later in the year," said the Croatia national team coach, Zlatko Dalić.

"We are glad that we have reached an agreement on participating in this tournament in Doha, given the desire of the coach Dalić and the national team to play in Qatar, so that we can acclimatize to everything that awaits us at the end of the year. The most important thing is that our direct placement in Qatar has enabled us a peaceful year in which we can prepare well for the World Cup, and participating in this tournament will be an important step in that direction," said HNS President Marijan Kustić.

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November 22, 2021 - Mario Mandžukić has been added to the Croatia national team coaching staff ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar! 

After agreeing in principle with coach Zlatko Dalić on joining the Croatia national team coaching staff, Mario Mandžukić today formally agreed to cooperate with the president of the Croatian Football Federation Marijan Kustić and was appointed a coach in Croatia's professional staff, reports HNS.

Mandžukić joins Zlatko Dalic's professional staff after ending an impressive playing career this summer, including 89 appearances and 33 goals for Croatia and a silver medal at the World Cup in Russia. His outstanding club career was especially marked by periods at Bayern and Juventus, with which he won eight big titles each, a total of 23 in his prosperous career. With Bayern, he won the Champions League in 2013, scoring a goal in the final, while in 2017, his spectacular scissor-kick goal was not enough for Juventus in the final.

"Thanks to coach Dalić and President Kustić for the trust - we easily agreed on cooperation, which I am extremely looking forward to. I know how much the national team meant to me as a player, and I want to pass that passion and experience to the new generation. It's great that we have secured a direct spot in Qatar; we now have a year to peacefully prepare well for the World Cup through friendly matches and the Nations League. I enter this job with a lot of responsibility, desire, and ambition, and I will do my best to help the coach, colleagues in the staff, and, of course, the entire national team in the coming period," said Mandžukić.

"I always say that Croatia players should stay close to the national team, and that is why I am thrilled that Mario is with us again. In talking to him, I was convinced of how dedicated, interested, and willing he is to help, and I think his exceptional experience will be beneficial. I think we got a valuable reinforcement in the staff because I know with how much effort and commitment Mario approaches everything in life, and that is why I look forward to working again," said coach Zlatko Dalić.

"Of course, as a federation, we supported the agreement between the coach and Mario, which will certainly make an important contribution to the work of the professional staff. His playing career, both the national team and the club, can be a role model for every young player, and I do not doubt that everyone will learn a lot from him. As a player, he was a symbol of fighting spirit, hard work, winning guard, and unwavering character, and I am glad that he will be able to promote these values as a coach in the A national team," said the president of the Federation Marijan Kustić.

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November 22, 2021 - Now that Croatia has qualified for Qatar and we can start making rough plans for next year, what are the 2022 World Cup costs for Croatia fans in Qatar? 

We are one year away from the 2022 World Cup. It will be opened by the host Qatar in the 1st round Group A match on November 21, 2022, starting at 1 pm local time, or 11 am Croatian time, at Al Bayt Stadium.

Four matches will be played every day in the competition's group stage at 11:00, 14:00, 17:00, and 20:00 Croatian time in the first two rounds, and at 16:00 and 20:00 in the third round when teams from the same group will play at the same time. The final is scheduled for December 18 at 16:00 at Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Croatia will play in its sixth World Cup, and since its debut in France in 1998, it missed only South Africa in 2010. Croatia became the seventh national team to qualify for the World Cup and did so earlier than ever. Qatar, Germany, Denmark, Brazil, France, Belgium, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Argentina have also qualified. So far, only 13 national teams are known. The remaining national teams will be learned in January, February, March, and June.

Asia has four more rounds in their two qualifying groups. The top teams leading to a spot in Qatar are Iran, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, while the third-placed teams (the winners play each other and the winner goes to the intercontinental playoffs) are the UAE and Australia. Another 12 national teams from the Asia zone will qualify for the World Cup.

There are 10 teams from Africa, and a draw for the play-off pairs next week in which, according to the FIFA ranking, the seeded teams will be Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Nigeria, and unseeded Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, and DR Congo. After that, two matches will be played in March, and the winners will go to the World Cup.

There are six rounds left in the CONCACAF zone, and all eight national teams still have mathematical chances. Canada, the US, and Mexico are in the lead for a spot in Qatar, while Panama could see an intercontinental play-off.

No one has dropped out yet in South America. Brazil and Argentina have secured the World Cup, and eight spots can still be claimed. Ecuador and Colombia are the most likely, and if Peru finished the qualifications now, they would go to the playoffs. 

Eleven national teams should participate in Oceania qualifiers next year, and the winner will also go to the playoffs. In Europe, on the other hand, there are 12 more nations fighting for Qatar, which will be divided into three tournaments. The winners of each will go to the World Cup.

Thus, there are 19 places left and 61 national teams fighting for Qatar. 2022 World Cup matches will be played at eight stadiums in five cities, Al Khor, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrahu, Doha, and Lusail. Qatar is a country with about 2.8 million inhabitants, located on 11,581 square kilometers, which is less than the area of the four Dalmatian counties combined (12,951 km2), so distance is no problem. Namely, the southernmost Al Wakrah to the northernmost Al Khor is only about 70 kilometers by road.

But coming to the Arabian Peninsula from Croatia is another story. 

Jutarnji List made an approximate estimate of how much the World Cup in Qatar would cost for Croatia fans if the World Cup were played in November and December this year, and if Croatia remained in the tournament from start to finish, like in Russia 2018.

The cheapest direct return flights from Zagreb - Doha today are around 4,600 kuna, with the possibility that you can find flights of up to 4,000 kuna for fans who have no problem changing several times and extending the trip to ten hours. The direct Zagreb - Doha flight lasts 5 hours and 15 minutes.

FIFA has not yet announced ticket prices or ticket sales. Suppose the amounts are in the range of the 2018 World Cup, the total consumption of a Croatia fan who would stop watching Croatia only in the final is 13,000 kuna. The cheapest tickets for three matches in the group stage would cost $315, for the round of 16 $115, for the quarterfinals $175, for the semifinals $285, and the final $455. In total, it is $1,345 US dollars or almost 9,000 kuna.

There is currently a lot of affordable accommodation in Qatar, though the quality is questionable. For example, you can find an apartment in Doha for 9,200 kuna for four people (two beds) via Airbnb for a month, which is 2,300 kuna per person. Admittedly, there are few of these offers, but likely none like this during the 2022 World Cup. However, it's safe the say that private one-month accommodations could be found for 5, 6, 7 thousand kuna per person.

The cheapest accommodation for an individual through Booking.com is currently 14,000 kuna/month. Jutarnji thus calculated a minimum of 15,000 kuna/month plus the daily cost of food, drinks, and transportation in Qatar, requiring at least 20,000 kuna for those who do not seek luxury but see Qatar as a great adventure.

A large pizza is around 90 kuna in well-known branded pizzerias and fast food menus around 40 kuna, calculated from Qatari riyals (1 rial is around 1.8 kuna). If the World Cup starts today, between 25,000 and 30,000 kuna would be needed for the average Croatia fan in Qatar for a month, providing Croatia goes to the final. 

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November 15, 2021 - Croatia has qualified for the 2022 World Cup, making Zlatko Dalić the most successful Croatia national team coach we have seen. 

Just over four years ago, Zlatko Dalić took over the Croatia national team at its worst. Led by Ante Čačić at the time, Croatia drew against Finland in Rijeka and needed an away victory against Ukraine to secure additional qualifications for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Čačić was sacked, an unknown Dalić was announced as the coach, and proceeded to defeat Ukraine and Greece in additional World Cup qualifications. We all know what happens next. 

Four years later, Zlatko Dalić became the first Croatia coach to take the national team to three major competitions. In the meantime, he led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final. Zlatko Dalić is thus the most successful Croatia national team coach, reports Index.hr.

Since participating independently in UEFA and FIFA competitions, Croatia has missed only two major competitions - Euro 2000 and the 2010 World Cup. Miroslav 'Ćiro' Blažević and Slaven Bilić are the only two Croatia coaches comparable to Zlatko Dalić, considering they are the only coaches who have led the national team in more than 50 games. Interestingly, no other coach on the bench has endured more than 25 games, which only testifies to how explosive the Croatia bench is.

Ćiro Blažević was the only coach who could successfully lead the national team in the 90s, and with the bronze medal at the 1998 World Cup, he earned the 'coach of all coaches' nickname. 

On the other hand, Slaven Bilić made the biggest tactical and personnel revolution in the national team's history. And with 42 wins in 65 games, he is by far the most successful coach in terms of win-loss ratios. 

Nevertheless, after defeating Russia, Zlatko Dalić not only qualified for his third major competition in a row, but for the second time, he showed that he does not need additional qualifications for such an achievement. Furthermore, after a weak start, he showed that it was unnecessary to switch coaches to ensure the national team would come out on top in critical qualification moments, putting him ahead of Blažević and Bilić today. 

From the beginning of his term, Zlatko Dalić was nearly doomed to fail, primarily because he was unknown compared to former coaches. He also did not have the full support of HNS and was seen as a temporary solution.

And Dalić's road to success was no walk in the park. Recall, Croatia experienced many painful defeats under Dalić, from losing a record 6:0 to Spain and another blunder against Portugal. Croatia has also played poorly against much weaker opponents, like Slovenia, Hungary, or Azerbaijan. And Dalić has not escaped media criticism.

However, the essential criteria for the success of a coach are qualifying for major competitions and getting good results. Dalić first took Croatia to the World Cup, reached the final for the first time, and then qualified for two major competitions, finishing first in the qualifying group.

No one before him has shown such peaks and continuity, and that is why the verdict is clear: as far as the Croatia national team and its coaches are concerned, Zlatko Dalić sits alone at the top. 

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November 15, 2021 - The Croatia national team schedule in 2022 is slowly coming together after the Vatreni qualified for the World Cup at Poljud on Sunday. But the World Cup isn't the only big competition Croatia will play next year. 

The Croatia national football team defeated Russia at Poljud on Sunday and qualified for the 2022 World Cup, which Qatar will host from November 21 to December 18 next year, reports Gol.hr.

It will be Croatia's sixth World Cup and the third consecutive major competition in which the Vatreni qualified under coach Zlatko Dalić.

In addition to the World Cup host, Germany, Denmark, Brazil, Belgium, France, Serbia, Spain, and Croatia have qualified for Qatar. A total of 32 national teams will take part, but there is still a long way to complete the entire list of participants.

The World Cup group draw will be held on April 1, 2022, in Doha. On that day, coach Dalić and the players will learn the three national teams they will compete against in the group stage of the World Cup.

At this moment, while the European and other qualifications are still ongoing, it is impossible to know much more about Croatia's fate in the draw or the seed they will be given. 

But before all of that, we have the UEFA Nations League.

Namely, on December 16, the draw for the 2022 Nations League will be held, and a day later UEFA, will announce the exact schedule of matches, which will be held in only two national team windows in 2022.

For example, four Nations League rounds will be played from June 2 to 14, and the remaining two in the second half of September (from 22 to 27).

This does not mean that Croatia will rest at the end of March. While Russia and the remaining second-placed national teams will play additional World Cup qualifications, Croatia will play maybe three friendly matches as part of the World Cup preparations. Therefore, it will be a great chance for Dalić to test the form of the current national team members and those players on his national team radar. 

Significant dates for Croatia:
December 16, 2021: Nations League draw
December 17, 2021: Nations League match schedule announcement

March 21 to 30, 2022: 2-3 friendly matches

April 1, 2022: World Cup draw

June 2 to 4, 2022: First round of the Nations League
June 5 to 8, 2022: Second round of the Nations League
June 9 to 11, 2022: Third round of the Nations League
June 12 to 14, 2022: Fourth round of the Nations League

September 22 to 24, 2022: Fifth round of the Nations League
September 25 to 27, 2022: Sixth round of the Nations League

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