Would Croatia winning the World Cup be an upset?
Croatia is a hotbed for footballing talent. Since Yugoslavia’s dissolution and Croatia’s independence in 1991, the national side has been a dominant force in Europe. Since they haven’t won any trophies in that time, their performances sometimes go under the radar, but they have always competed at the highest level.
In their first World Cup in 1998, they came third and have qualified for everyone since then except for 2010. It should come as no surprise they have reached the semi-finals of the 2022 competition.
2018 finalists
Most football fans know that Croatia went on a spectacular run in 2018, all the way to the final. They came up against a dominant France side in a game that ended 4-2 to Les Bleus, but people forget how tightly contested that game was. Croatia actually dominated the ball and had far more shots than their French counterparts; just some clinical finishes got the better of the Balkan nation.
It’s easy to see how people overlook them. Even sportsbooks have their world cup 2022 odds to win as the second worst odds among the semi-finalists at +700, only ahead of Morocco at +1000. People see players like Dejan Lovren, Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić and Marcelo Brozović, who started the World Cup final in 2018 and dismiss them, thinking they are past their best. However, they have blended their experience with new talent and other players who are now in their prime like Mario Pašalić, Dominik Livaković and Mateo Kovačić. They have an abundance of talent that play at top clubs all over Europe; continue to underestimate them at your peril.
Ballon d’Or Winner
What is noteworthy of this Croatia side is the evergreen Luka Modrić. In 2018, when he helped power his nation to their first World Cup final, he broke up the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi duopoly and won the Ballon d’Or. Picking up the award as a metronomic midfielder in an age full of devastating attacking talent speaks volumes of Modric’s control over the game. Even at 37 years old, he still dominates the middle of the park and is a huge reason Croatia has gotten this far.
He may not have all the flash of attackers, but his role in dictating tempo, nullifying danger and seizing control is still something to behold. He never appears to get tired, and even when they were staring defeat in the face against Brazil, his composure on the ball helped in the buildup to their equalizing goal. With Modric on their side, it’s hard to bet against Croatia.
Abundance of talent
The talent doesn’t stop with Modric. The team is well-rounded and has no glaring weaknesses. Their midfield trio of Modric, Kovačić and Brozović would be one of the best in the world if they played together at club level. Before the tournament, people highlighted how good Spain, Germany and even England’s midfield were. However, now it has become clear that the truly dominant middle grouping has been Croatia’s, as they each offer a little bit of everything and can impose their control on a game.
Croatia is one of Europe’s footballing powerhouses. When people have been fawning over Belgium’s golden generation, they should have focused on what was happening in the Balkan nation. If Croatia wins the whole thing, it shouldn’t be that much of an upset.
