Croatia road to Russia 2018 World Cup
When it comes to Croatia, both the team and supporters can be equally credited for the best and worst episodes of its national team. Similarly to other World Cup qualification processes, the "Fiery" squad led by Zlatko Dalic obtained its ticket only after some very whimsical performances, in which the pressure to qualify right by the end was probably the single most important factor that determined their ultimate success. They will do battle with run-up rival Iceland, Argentina and Nigeria at the onset of the 2018 Russia World Cup. Check Croatia Betting Odds here.
The corruption cases involving important figures of Croat football have been joined by several instances of disastrous behavior by the fan base, effectively disturbing the overall performance of the squad throughout the entire campaign. One such case was the match played against the Republic of Ireland that had to be held behind closed doors as part of a two-game suspension stemming from violent outbursts during previous events. Despite this handicap, the Croats were able to secure a 2-0 victory, with two goals scored by Marcelo Brozovic. The Irish took their revenge when they met again and won 1-0 during June of the following year, putting in evidence an utter lack of strategy and play definition on the part of Croatia. A few months later and after a lackluster draw result versus Finland, coach Anti Cacic was sent away and replaced with Dalic, who had been at the helm of several local and Albanian Clubs.
With Dalic in effective control of the Croats, a 2-0 win was obtained against the Ukrainians, thus allowing the World Cup dream to remain alive through a stint at the play-offs. The ticket finally arrived in a successful confrontation with Greece, in which Croatia demonstrated an obvious superiority. The two friendly meets that took place in March produced mixed results: Croatia lost before Peru 2-0 but managed to defeat Mexico with a single goal; they will soon face the Senegalese for their last practice match before the World Cup. On that very line, Croatia will begin its participation on June 16th versus Nigeria, followed by Argentina on the 21st and Iceland for last on the 26th.
Croatia Key Players
Midfielder Vedran Corluka's injury has keep him out of the field already for some time, and it appears likely he won't make it to Russia, but newcomer Nikola Vlasic will be part of the World Cup roster thanks to his remarkable performance before the Hellenes. Despite Luka Modric's legal entanglements, he will continue to play captain for his team, supported by Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mondzukic's uber-aggressive plays. Goalkeepers Danijel Subasic and Lovre Kalinic have also been summoned, alongside defenders Tin Jedvaj, Zoran Nizic and Josip Pivaric.
Croatia's popularity in the World Cup betting odds market hasn't been much affected, with feature odds that sit comfortably at 33 to 1, right below Uruguay and Portugal. If they're able to survive their own drama for another two months, they'll probably provide us with some very interesting shows.
Enjoy all the best Russia 2018 World Cup betting odds at SKYBOOK.ag, available throughout the entire competition, that include odds on each and every game, plus outright winner, group stage and individual player proposition bets. Make sure to stock up your account in time for this massive event and take advantage of our special promotions.
