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Croatia announced their final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday (9 November) as Zlatko Dalic selected his 26-man roster to travel to Qatar in less than 10 days.
Croatia reached the final in 2018 but lost to France after an incredible run in Russia. While some of the players from that edition have since retired, there is plenty of quality within the squad.
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Croatia find themselves in Group F along with Belgium, Canada, and Morocco. It is a tough group but the Croats and Belgians will be favorites to finish in the top two.
Important players like Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Domagoj Vida, and others have been selected for the tournament. We look at three players aged 25 or younger, who fans should keep an eye on while watching Croatia.
#1 Joško Gvardiol - RB Leipzig - Centre back
Joško Gvardiol is only 20 years old but is already one of the best young centre-backs in Europe. He started his career at Dinamo Zagreb before signing for RB Leipzig in 2020.
The defender was loaned back to Zagreb for a season but made his debut for the German side in 2021. Gvardiol is a modern centre-back who loves to play out from the back and progress the ball. He has an eye for goals and plenty of pace that he combines with his strength.
Gvardiol's form over the last 18 months has garnered interest from various clubs across Europe but he chose to stay at Leipzig earlier this summer.
The defender should start for Croatia if they play a back three. However, if Zlatko Dalicin decides to go for a back four, Gvardiol could find himself on the bench behind players like Vida and Dejan Lovren.
#2 Borna Sosa - Stuttgart - Left back
Borna Sosa is a 24-year-old left-back who plays for Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga. Sosa began his career at Dinamo Zagreb before signing for Stuttgart in 2018. He is a progressive full-back who likes to drive forward, and he has a brilliant left foot which Stuttgart uses as a key outlet.
Sosa has made 96 appearances for Stuttgart, scoring three goals and providing 31 assists.
If Gvardiol starts with Sosa playing as a left-back and then Croatia play Ivan Perisic as a left-winger, the two could form a brilliant partnership on the left flank.
Sosa will be a starter, and he is guaranteed to garner interest from Europe's top clubs if he carries his form into the World Cup. In an age of attacking full-backs, Sosa has the potential to be one of the best.
#3 Lovro Majer - Rennes - Attacking midfielder
Lovro Majer plays as an attacking midfielder for Rennes in Ligue 1 and is 24 years old. Majer began his career at Lokomotiva before Dinamo Zagreb signed him in 2018.
In 2021, he signed for Rennes and has made 54 appearances for the French outfit, scoring eight goals and providing 12 assists. Majer was named in the Ligue 1 'Team of the Year' for his performances last season.
Rennes currently sit third in Ligue 1, and Majer is a key player for the team. He has 10 appearances for Croatia, but with the likes of Modric, Kovacic, Brozovic, and others around, he is likely to be a depth option.
Having a creator like Majer in the team is a huge benefit, and with football being relentless at the World Cup, quality depth will be important for any team's progression.
