FIFA World Cup 2018: Five reasons why Croatia can shine at the tournament

#2 Experience

The Croatian team is full of experienced campaigners

If there is one thing that Croatia are not lacking in, it is the top-level experience. Of the 23-man squad that they will take to Russia in 2018, only three players have won fewer than 10 caps while an incredible 15 have 30 or more international appearances to their name.

But these are not simply players who play their club football at modest teams. Many are playing in the best leagues in the world, with 16 players featuring in Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues.

Several have experience of turning out in the biggest matches, with Rakitic, Modric and Kovacic all featuring for Real Madrid and Barcelona – arguably the two biggest clubs in the world – while Mandzukic turned out in a Champions League final for Juventus little more than a year ago.

Even Duje Caleta-Car, who has one cap to his credit, was a Europa League semi-finalist with RB Salzburg this season.

Perhaps they lack a superstar name, but this is a squad that is replete with players who are used to facing pressure on a weekly basis. Being in the spotlight of the world should not faze them.