Croatia

Croatia

The Croatia national football team, known as the Vatreni (The Blazers), is one of Europe's most admired sides despite the country's modest population of around four million. Founded in 1912 and affiliated with FIFA since 1941, Croatia burst onto the world stage with a stunning third-place finish at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, led by the iconic Davor Šuker. The team reached its peak by finishing runners-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with Luka Modrić winning the Golden Ball. Croatia then secured bronze again at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The squad plays home fixtures at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb (38,076 capacity). Other legendary players include Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinečki, and Ivan Rakitić.