Croats among the Dragons. These are the members of the BiH national team from among the Croatian people who made it to the WC last night.

Nikola Vasilj – born in Mostar on December 2, 1995, is a native of Medjugorje. His father, Vladimir, is better known to the Croatian football public, a former player and goalkeeper of Dinamo who won a bronze medal with Croatia at the World Cup in France in 1998. Today, Nikola Vasilj defends for St. Pauli in the Bundesliga.

Martin Zlomislić – a name known to HNL fans, born in Posušje on August 16, 1998. He played his first football in NK Široki Brijeg, and today he defends the colors of HNK Rijeka, as the first goalkeeper and captain, with which he won the championship last year.

Nikola Katić – the next hero comes from Stolac in Eastern Herzegovina. He was born on October 10, 1996. in Ljubuški. We can safely say that he is a heavyweight among the Croats, because he was expected to be a standard member of the A national team, for which he made one appearance. Unfortunately for him and ours, he suffered a severe anterior cruciate ligament tear while defending Glasgow Rangers colors which kept him out of that story. He is especially remembered by the fans of the Whites of Split because he was part of the generation that brought Hajduk the trophy after 9 years of fasting. In addition to Hajduk, he also played in HNL for Slaven Belupo, where he grew up.

Stjepan Radeljić – Central Bosnian giant was born in Nova Bila on September 5, 1997. He is from Bučić near Novi Travnik. An indispensable member of the starting line-up of the champion HNK Rijeka. He made 4 appearances for the Croatian U19 national team.

Ivan Šunjić – born in Zenica on November 9, 1996 because, as he says, there was no hospital in Kakanj, and he grew up in Zagreb’s Španski. He was born in a town with one of the most beautiful Catholic monasteries in BiH, Kraljeva Sutjeska, from where he moved to Zagreb at the age of 4. Along with Katić, we can also say that Šunjić is a heavyweight and that he was expected to be a standard Croatian representative. He made one appearance for the national team. Dinamo fans remember him as the engine of Bjelica’s Dinamo, which achieved spring in Europe after 49 years of long fasting. Today he performs for Cypriot Paphos.

Ivan Bašić – born in Imotski on April 30, 2002, but he is actually from Posušje, where he grew up and where he took his first football steps. Today he plays in Kazakhstan’s Astana.

Of the six mentioned heroes, as many as four were members of the starting eleven last night. And one more interesting thing. Of the players who were born or grew up in BiH, the largest number of players come from the Croat nation, 6 of them. For comparison, 5 Bosniak players were born or spent at least part of their childhood in BiH.