Croatia have always been one of football’s most overachieving nations.
A country of fewer than four million people that reached the World Cup final in 2018, the third-place finish in 2022, and consistently produces world-class midfielders from a talent pool that the bigger footballing nations would give anything to have.
Under Zlatko Dalić, who has been in charge since 2017, Croatia have qualified for their fifth consecutive World Cup and are in Group L alongside England, Panama, and Ghana.
They open against England in Arlington, Texas on June 17 — an immediate test of the highest order.
Here are the 10 best soccer players from Croatia at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Luka Modrić — Midfielder (Captain)
Position: Central Midfielder
Age: 40 | Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Luka Modrić is playing in his sixth World Cup at the age of 40.
That makes him one of only three male footballers in history to do so, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
He left Real Madrid after the 2024/25 season and joined AC Milan, where he continued to perform at a level that defies every reasonable expectation of what a footballer of his age should be capable of.
With 198 caps and 29 international goals, he is Croatia’s all-time record appearance holder and the greatest player the country has ever produced.
He won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, led Croatia to the World Cup final that same year, and has never stopped being one of the most technically gifted midfielders the sport has seen.
He is one of the best midfielders in the history of football and one of the best passers this World Cup will feature.
2. Joško Gvardiol — Defender
Position: Left-Back/Centre-Back
Age: 24 | Club: Manchester City (England)
Joško Gvardiol is Croatia’s most important player after Modrić and one of the best defenders in world football.
He suffered a broken shinbone in January 2026 that threatened his tournament but he played his first game back on May 14 against Crystal Palace and declared himself fit.
The Manchester City defender has won the Premier League and Champions League and has developed into one of the most complete left-backs in European football.
With 48 caps and 4 international goals at just 24, he gives Croatia a world-class defensive option who also contributes significantly in attacking transition.
He is one of the best left-backs in world football and one of the best young defenders of his generation.
3. Mateo Kovačić — Midfielder
Position: Central Midfielder
Age: 32 | Club: Manchester City (England)
Mateo Kovačić is one of four Croatian centurions in this squad and one of the most underrated midfielders in European football.
The Manchester City man has 113 caps and has won the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup with City — a level of club success that very few players of his generation have matched.
He is the link between defence and attack in Dalić’s midfield, covering ground, recycling possession, and driving forward with the technical quality that has defined his career from Real Madrid to Chelsea to City.
He is one of the most accomplished central midfielders Europe has produced in his generation and the perfect partner for Modrić.
4. Ivan Perišić — Forward/Winger
Position: Winger/Wing-Back
Age: 37 | Club: PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Ivan Perišić is heading to his fourth World Cup at 37 years old and refuses to slow down.
With 154 caps and 38 goals, he is second only to Davor Šuker as Croatia’s top scorer in history and one of the most decorated players the country has ever produced.
He scored in the 2018 World Cup final and has been a central figure in every major Croatian tournament run since 2014.
Now at PSV Eindhoven, he is still contributing goals and assists at a high level.
He is one of the best footballers over 35 still performing at the top level of European football.
5. Andrej Kramarić — Forward
Position: Striker/Forward
Age: 34 | Club: TSG Hoffenheim (Germany)
Andrej Kramarić is Croatia’s top scorer in qualifying with 6 goals and the fourth Croatian centurion in this squad with 116 caps and 36 international goals.
At Hoffenheim he has been one of the most reliable goal scorers in the Bundesliga for a decade and brings clinical finishing and big-game experience that Dalić absolutely relies on.
He has been Croatia’s most consistent attacking performer across the past three World Cup cycles and gives Dalić a completely trustworthy option leading the line.
He is one of the most prolific scorers Croatia have produced and one of the most underrated forwards at this World Cup.
6. Dominik Livaković — Goalkeeper
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 31 | Club: Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
Dominik Livaković was the hero of Croatia’s 2022 World Cup run, saving three penalties against Japan in the Round of 16 and then saving again against Brazil in the quarter-finals.
He returned to Dinamo Zagreb in 2025 and has 75 caps for Croatia, making him one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the squad.
He is athletic, composed under pressure, and a brilliant penalty-stopper — a skill that has been worth at least one extra round to Croatia in recent tournaments.
He is one of the best goalkeepers Croatia have ever produced.
7. Mario Pašalić — Midfielder
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Age: 31 | Club: Atalanta (Italy)
Mario Pašalić is one of the most experienced and creative attacking midfielders in Croatia’s squad with 85 caps and 12 international goals.
At Atalanta in Serie A, he has been one of the most consistent performers in Italian football across multiple seasons, contributing with goals and assists in a role that requires intelligence, movement, and technical quality.
He gives Dalić real depth and creativity in the attacking third and is one of the most trusted options in the squad when games need to be opened up.
He is one of the best attacking playmakers Croatia have.
8. Petar Sučić — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 22 | Club: Inter Milan (Italy)
Petar Sučić is the most exciting young midfielder in this Croatia squad and one of the bright futures of Croatian football.
The Inter Milan man plays at one of the biggest clubs in Europe at just 22 and brings the technical quality, press resistance, and creative ability that the next generation of Croatian midfielders will be built around.
With 17 caps, he is one of the youngest and most talented players at this World Cup and the player Croatia fans are watching most closely as the Modrić era draws toward its end.
9. Luka Vušković — Defender
Position: Centre-Back
Age: 19 | Club: Hamburger SV (Germany, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Luka Vušković is the most extraordinary inclusion in this entire Croatia squad.
At just 19 years old, he is one of the youngest players at the 2026 World Cup and is owned by Tottenham Hotspur — a remarkable indicator of the level of talent scouts believe he has.
He is currently on loan at Hamburger SV in the German second division and brings a composure and maturity beyond his years.
At 19, this World Cup is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that could define his entire career trajectory.
He is one of the most exciting generational talents in Croatian football and one of the youngest and most talented teenagers at this tournament.
10. Josip Stanišić — Defender
Position: Right-Back/Defender
Age: 26 | Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Josip Stanišić is Croatia’s first-choice right-back and one of the most promising young defenders in the Bundesliga at Bayern Munich.
With 31 caps, he brings the attacking quality, defensive reliability, and Champions League-level experience that Dalić needs from his full-backs in a Group L that features England’s wide threats.
He is energetic, composed, and gives Croatia a high-quality right-back option that was not available to them in previous tournaments.
He is one of the best young full-backs in German football.
Conclusion
Croatia arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the most experienced and battle-hardened squads in the tournament.
Modrić leads for the sixth and final time.
Gvardiol anchors the defence.
Kovačić and Perišić bring the experience of three World Cup runs.
And a new generation of talent — Sučić, Vušković, Baturina — is ready to carry Croatian football forward.
Group L against England, Panama, and Ghana is winnable.
And if Croatia make the knockouts, you know better than to write them off.
Other players worth watching include Nikola Vlašić, Martin Baturina, Luka Sučić, and Ante Budimir.
Who do you think will be Croatia’s standout player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
