March 20, 2022 - Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić has called up Osijek defender Mile Škorić and Dinamo Moscow midfielder Nikola Moro to the upcoming friendly matches against Slovenia and Bulgaria in Qatar.

The Croatia national football team will play two friendly matches later this month in Qatar, the host of the 2022 World Cup. The first match is scheduled for Saturday, March 26 at 3 pm against Slovenia. The second match will be played against Bulgaria on Tuesday, March 29 at 4 pm, both at the Education City Stadium in Doha.

These will be the first Croatia national team matches after qualifying for the 2022 World Cup and will serve as preparation for coach Zlatko Dalić and what awaits the team for the rest of the year. This tournament also serves as excellent preparation for the World Cup in Qatar, as the climate and stadiums will be tested. As far as tactics are concerned, Dalić will also test a new formation with three in the backline as there will be no room to experiment in the four Nations League matches in June.

"We'll try a new system with three in the back and we'll see how it works. We'll stick to our tactics so far, but now we have some training, so we will try something different," said Dalić ahead of the tournament. 

"We've tried putting three players in the back a couple of times, but now we have time and we want to try that system. Several of our players play it in their clubs and it could fit."

Dalić subsequently added two players from the reserves list, namely Mile Škorić from Osijek and Nikola Moro from Dinamo Moscow for the friendly matches against Slovenia and Bulgaria. Osijek defender Mile Škorić will join the national team at a gathering in Zagreb on Monday (March 21), while Dinamo Moscow midfielder Nikola Moro will arrive in Doha, where the 2018 World Cup finalists will arrive on Tuesday.

Source: HNS

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

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

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

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.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

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. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

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.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

January 29, 2022 - It'll be a replay of the 2018 World Cup final, with the Croatian Football Federation announcing the 2022 Nations League match between Croatia and France will be played at Poljud on June 6, 2022. 

The Croatian Football Federation Executive Board has decided on the venues for the Croatia national team matches in the UEFA Nations League, opening in June this year, reports HNS. 

The 2018 World Cup finalist will host Austria on June 3 at City Garden Stadium in Osijek (20:45), and three days later a replay of the 2018 World Cup final between Croatia and France at Poljud in Split. The long-awaited spectacle against the 2018 world champions will also be played in the evening (20:45).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hrvatski nogometni savez (@hns_cff)

In this June mini-cycle, the Croatia national team will also face Denmark (June 10) and France (June 13), both away. Croatia completes the Nations League in September with Denmark at home (September 22) and Austria away on September 25 (stadium to be determined). 

Thus, 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).

The Croatian Football Federation will announce ticket sale information in due time, but if the final 2022 World Cup qualifying match against Russia last November tells us anything, we can expect a sellout at Poljud Stadium in June - with hopefully much nicer weather. 

Croatia will not rest at the end of March, either. While the remaining second-placed European national teams will play additional World Cup qualifications, Croatia could play up to three friendly matches as part of their World Cup preparations.

Furthermore, 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. The 2022 World Cup will be hosted by Qatar from November 21 to December 18 this year. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

January 6, 2022 - Coach Zlatko Dalić spoke with the Croatian Football Federation about what we can expect from Croatia football in 2022. 

Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić recently signed a new contract with the Croatian Football Federation. Dalić extended his cooperation until the European Championship, which will be played in the summer of 2024 in Germany. Shortly after signing the contract, he revealed his plans and expectations, reports Gol.hr.

What are your biggest motives?

"Now I am certainly much more motivated with the new contract because I want to prove again that we have quality and get the right results again. From that side, the motivation is really huge. We have a great team, great support from the Croatian Football Federation, my staff, and all prerequisites there," Dalić said.

When asked about his next goal, the coach replied:

"My next goal is for Croatia to qualify for the Euros in Germany after Qatar, where we will have great support, I am sure of that."

How do you deal with pressure?

"The pressure is welcome, but it must be positive. Every Croatia national team coach has one goal - to qualify for a big competition. You have to know how to deal with the pressure and keep your peace, and I somehow succeed in that."

He recently strengthened his professional staff with Mario Mandžukić, who joined Ivica Olić and Vedran Ćorluka as former Vatreni assistants. What can they bring to the coaching staff?

"Well, my goal is for all former Vatreni who have merits in the national team, and who want to work as coaches, to be in the national team. Those with their knowledge and charisma can help a lot, Mario will certainly help a lot, we know what kind of player he was, and he will know how to pass that on to the players."

How will you use this year until the World Cup?

"A year is a big period, but we are already preparing for Qatar. We will have two preparatory matches in March, then six more in the Nations League. We don't have any big unknowns, I expect the players to confirm the quality they showed in the qualifiers. The door will be open for players who impose themselves with their game at their clubs."

How difficult is it for you to lead the national team during a pandemic?

"The match in Split against Russia or in Osijek against Slovakia showed how much the national team means to people. In Split, there was rain, bad weather, cold, and an almost full stadium. So, nothing prevented our people from coming to support the national team that serves to reunite us all. The national team brings us together and I think we are doing great things," said Dalić.

You can watch the full interview in the video below. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

January 2, 2022 - Will Croatia win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar? One British psychic who predicted Brexit, Boris Johnson's victory, and juicy Royal Family news seems to think so. 

As we welcome a new year, football fans can hardly stop thinking about just how busy this calendar year is for their beloved sport, and they can't help but predict what they think will happen in 2022.

Gol.hr reports that one interesting forecast has been made by the British psychic Jemima Packington, better known under the working name Mystic Veg, who predicts the future with the help of asparagus. Yes, you heard that right.

"Croatia will be the world champion in football, and the World Cup in Qatar will be shrouded in controversy," pointed out the British psychic.

The British tabloid Mirror claims that Mystic Veg successfully predicted Brexit, Boris Johnson's victory in the parliamentary elections, Harry and Meghan's departure from the royal family, and many other events.

"I accurately predict 75 to 90% of things. I've been told that my predictions this year are among the most controversial, but I'm just following what the asparagus tells me," says Mystic Veg.

Whether or not Mystic Veg is correct remains to be seen, as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar takes place this winter, from November 21 to December 18. Croatia's World Cup group rivals will not be revealed until April this year. Nevertheless, Croatia should be in the second strongest hat. 

But even before the World Cup, Croatia will compete in the UEFA Nations League against France, Denmark, and Austria, in an intense schedule that hosts four games in June and two in September this year. 

Croatia will also begin preparing for the busy year ahead with two friendly matches in March. We will find out if Mystic Veg is correct about the World Cup in precisely 349 days, or 11 months and 15 days.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

December 17, 2021 - The UEFA Nation's League Group 1 schedule has been announced. Croatia will open the competition with home games against Austria and France next June. 

The European Football Federation (UEFA) has announced the Nations League Group 1 schedule, which features the national teams of Croatia, France, Denmark, and Austria.

"We are in the elite group and every opponent is tough, but I can say that the draw was not bad. It seems to me that it will be easier than the first two years and I expect, of course, good results. I was expecting Italy, but we got France from the strongest hat. There is no way we can avoid them and I guess we have to play until we beat them. Austria and Denmark are national teams we can play with," was how Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić reacted to the draw held on Friday. 

"The Nations League is always important, but it has caused me problems in the past because we were not successful. Now I expect better games and to present ourselves properly. There will be good matches, the group is great and everything will be great preparation for the World Cup in Qatar," concluded Dalić.

Croatia will open the competition in June next year with home games against Austria (June 3) and France (June 6). This will be followed by away matches against Denmark (June 10) and France (June 13). Croatia will play at home against Denmark on September 22 and visit Austria on September 25 to close out the group stage. 

The cities hosting the group matches will be announced at a late date.

SCHEDULE

June 3, 2022: Croatia - Austria

June 6, 2022: Croatia - France

June 10, 2022: Denmark - Croatia

June 13, 2022: France - Croatia

September 22, 2022: Croatia - Denmark

September 25, 2022: Austria - Croatia

It is not yet known how this Nations League season will affect the qualifications for Euro 2024. UEFA has said that this has not yet been decided.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

December 16, 2021 - The UEFA Nations League draw was held tonight. Croatia has been drawn into Group 1 against France, Denmark, and Austria. The 2022 Nations League competition will be played next June and September. 

Croatia learned who they will play in the 2022 Nations League tonight. The Croatia national team will play in the elite A league against 

Croatia was placed in the third strong hat and could not be drawn against England, Poland, and Switzerland. As in the previous edition, Croatia would face two stronger opponents and a slightly less attractive national team from the weakest, 4th hat.

Potential opponents for Croatia in the A league were one national team from each of these three strong groups:

Group 1: France, Spain, Italy, Belgium
Group 2: Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany
Group 4: Wales, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary

What is particularly interesting are the dates that UEFA has planned for these six group matches. Due to the complicated football calendar thanks to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which will be played in November and December next year, the Nations League dates have been tightened to just two months.

Namely, the Nations League will be played in June and September, with four games in just two weeks in June next year, while two games are planned for September.

From June 2 to 14, i.e., across 12 days, UEFA has planned four games to be played every three days. This term is not ideal, as footballers will already be exhausted after the club season come to an end. 

It is not yet known how this Nations League season will affect the qualifications for Euro 2024. UEFA has said that this has not yet been decided.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.