Croatia might have finished second and third at the last two World Cups but coach Zlatko Dalic insisted reaching this week's four-team Nations League finals was a considerable achievement for his team.Croatia play hosts Netherlands in the first of the semi-finals in Rotterdam on Wednesday, followed by Ita
Croatia might have finished second and third at the last two World Cups but coach Zlatko Dalic insisted reaching this week's four-team Nations League finals was a considerable achievement for his team.
“We had problems in the first two editions of the Nations League, but now we achieved a great result by beating France and Denmark in our group, finishing first and reaching the final,” he told a press conference on Tuesday. Croatia were runners-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia but in the first edition of the Nations League less than two months later lost 6—0 to Spain and finished behind England and Spain in their group.Yet to reach the 2023 finals, they won away in both Paris and Copenhagen in mid-2022 before then going to Qatar and taking World Cup bronze.
First they must get past the home team who have a strong record at the Feyenoord Stadium. “The game against the Netherlands will be very difficult for us,” added captain Luka Modric.
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