The team from the Balkans perhaps should have qualified more convincingly for EURO 2016 from what was a relatively easy group. However, a defeat against Norway meant that the Scandinavian side nearly pipped Croatia to second place in Group H. Despite this loss in Oslo, Ante Čačić’s men managed to scrape through by one point thanks to going unbeaten throughout the rest of the campaign.
The team in the instantly recognisable checked shirts find themselves in Group D alongside Spain, Turkey and Czech Republic. With the pool of talent they have in their squad, the Croats will be confident of qualifying from this group and there is no reason why, with the ability they have in their squad, they cannot challenge former European and World champions Spain for top spot.
The above is said with a touch of optimism. Croatia are often tipped to be a good dark horse but their recent record at tournaments has been poor. Since their miraculous third place finish at France 98, they have been eliminated at the group stage of their three World Cup campaigns whilst they have only ever gone as far as the quarter finals at a European Championships since becoming an independent nation.
Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Lovre Kalinic (Hajduk Split), Ivan Vargic (Rijeka), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb).
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev), Sime Vrsaljko (Sassuolo), Gordon Schildenfeld (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Strinic (Napoli), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen).
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), Marko Rog (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb).
Strikers: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Nikola Kalinic (Fiorentina), Marko Pjaca (Dinamo Zagreb), Duje Cop (Malaga), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim).
Luka Modric is a player that has made every team he has played for tick. His club side Real Madrid are known for their ‘Galactico’ approach when it comes to the transfer market. However, when Jose Mourinho took the Croatian midfielder to the Bernabeu from Tottenham in 2012, this seemed to go against the ‘Galactico’ policy. Modric is not the star of the show at Real Madrid by any means but it is very noticeable when he is not in the side – this is the biggest compliment you can pay the 30-year-old.
If Croatia are to live up to their doubtless potential in France then they will need their talisman to take his recent good form for the Champions League winners into this tournament.
Turkey v Croatia – 17 June, 2016
Czech Republic v Croatia – 17 June, 2016
Croatia v Spain – 21 June, 2016
Click here for the full Euro 2016 match schedule.
As explained in my Group D preview, I think that the second qualification position will be fought over between Croatia and Turkey. Both of these sides are what many consider to be dark horses but they have performed poorly at recent tournaments. However, I think Croatia stand a good chance of taking that second spot (most likely behind Spain) and you can get ‘Croatia to finish in the top two’ at 6/5 which is certainly better than a simple ‘to qualify’ bet.
Looking into the knockout rounds, if they came second they would then face the winners from Group E which would most likely mean a fixture against either Belgium or Italy in Saint-Denis. Of course matches are not won on paper but you would think that these two western European nations would have too much for the Balkan side. A bet on them being eliminated in the Round of 16 is priced at 6/4.
I cannot imagine Croatia having one of the tournament’s top goalscorers, however, Juventus’s Mario Mandzukic scored 11 goals for the Turin title-winners this season and you would expect him to be the Croat’s top marksmen. Mandzukic as Croatia’s top goalscorer is priced at 2/1, admittedly not great value but it is one of the more likely bets of the tournament.