Croatia Faces England in Crucial World Cup Opener

Zlatko Dalic knows exactly what is coming. England, in Dallas, to open a World Cup campaign that already feels like it’s walking a tightrope.

Croatia edged past Slovenia 2-1 in Varazdin in their final warm-up, but the scoreline did little to mask the concerns. Form is patchy, fitness is fragile, and the first hurdle is anything but forgiving.

“Maybe, because the first game can destroy everything,” Dalic admitted when asked if he would rather have faced England later in the group.

That line hung in the air like a warning. He has lived this before. At Euro 2024, Croatia were blown away 3-0 by Spain in their opener and never recovered. The scars of that start still shape his thinking.

The contrast is sharp. In 2018, they opened with a win over Nigeria and rode that early surge all the way to the final. In 2022, a draw with Morocco laid a steady platform for another deep run, ending with third place. This time, there is no gentle introduction, no chance to grow into the tournament. Just England, full throttle from the first whistle.

“We can’t choose anything else now. The first game is the most important game,” Dalic said. “Against England we’ll fight, try to do our best and try to win.”

There was no bravado, just a clear-eyed acceptance of the stakes.

The problems start with the team sheet. Mateo Kovacic and Josip Gvardiol, both from Manchester City, are still working their way back from injury. Luka Modric, the eternal heartbeat of this side, scored a beautifully taken goal against Slovenia but did so wearing a protective mask as he recovers from a fractured cheekbone. He, too, is short of rhythm.

“Kovacic, Gvardiol and Modric didn’t play much for a long time and they are not in optimal form,” Dalic said. “Especially Kovacic, he hardly played this season and now we need him. It’s not easy and we need time. Gvardiol is now back but I know they are not at the optimal level. We don’t have a big roster and these are some of our most important players.”

That last sentence cuts to the heart of Croatia’s reality. This is a nation that has punched above its weight for a decade, but it does so with a core that cannot be easily rotated or replaced. When Modric, Kovacic and Gvardiol are not fully ready, the whole structure feels less secure.

England, by contrast, arrive with depth, pace and a long runway of preparation. Dalic knows them too well to underestimate them. He was the man in the dugout when Croatia shattered English dreams in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, but he refused to lean on that history or talk up any lingering psychological edge. Since then, England have beaten Croatia twice, and the dynamic has shifted.

He instead turned his attention to what awaits in Texas. England have been camped in the United States, flying into Miami a week before the game despite the match not kicking off until 17 June in Dallas. It is a statement of intent, and Dalic recognises it.

“A very strong team whose league is the best in the world and who play very offensive, very fast,” he said. “We will have to do something more.”

That “something more” is the great unknown. Can Modric find one more tournament performance from a body that has given everything? Can Kovacic flick a switch after a season on the fringes? Can Gvardiol, just back from injury, anchor a defence against one of the quickest, most aggressive attacks in the competition?

Croatia have made a habit of defying logic on the biggest stage. This time, they may need that defiance from the very first minute in Dallas, or the summer could be over before it ever really begins.