World Cup 2018: 5 unfancied teams that could go all the way at Russia 2018

#2 Croatia

The Croatians will be a team to be feared at the World Cup

Croats still have very fond memories of their World Cup debut in 1998; a tournament where the “Golden Generation” were led by inspirational captain Zvonimir Boban and included players like Igor Štimac, Robert Prosinečki, star striker Davor Šuker among others.

For a tiny nation of 4.2m people, this small Balkan nation has produced more than its fair share of talented footballers and will look to cause another upset in the World Cup in Russia.

The Croats have the experience and players to get them through and will fancy their chances against the world’s best teams in 2018.

Led by captain and Real Madrid’s midfield maestro Luka Modrić, Vatreni (The Blazers) have a squad with more genuine stars than even established football nations like the Netherlands and will be looking to these stars to lead them to the promised land.

Players like Mario Mandžukić, Ivan Rakitić, Ivan Perišić and others are well regarded and will ask questions of any team who takes them lightly as evidenced by their beating of Spain at Euro 2016.

With Argentina, Iceland, and Nigeria their opponents in Group D, expect coach Zlatko Dalić and his team to give any ill-prepared “big team” a black eye.