With just over two weeks to go before Croatia begins its World Cup campaign, head coach Zlatko Dalić has revealed how he intends to approach the team’s opening match against England.
Croatia will face England in Dallas on June 17, with kick-off scheduled for 10 p.m. Croatian time. The clash is widely seen as the toughest challenge awaiting the Vatreni in Group D, which also includes Panama and Ghana.
Speaking on the Prvak podcast, Dalić stressed the importance of Croatia’s first match of the tournament.
Opening Match Could Shape Group
“Of course, we already have a vision in our heads of what we want to do and how we want to do it. Especially for that first match against England, which is the most important one. We have to be truly compact and solid there, and give everything we have in the defensive phase. That is the most important thing for us because, looking at our squad, we are strongest in defence, and up front we will always score a goal. This is a tournament; it is not about dying beautifully, it is tournament football. You really have to be careful. We had Russia and Qatar, where we didn’t concede many goals, and that is important.”
The Croatia coach made it clear that defensive organisation will be central to his team’s approach against England, a side considered among the favourites to progress from the group.
Tough Group Ahead
Following the England match, Croatia will face Panama and Ghana as they seek a place in the knockout stages.
While England are viewed as the strongest team in the group on paper, Croatia enters the tournament with an impressive World Cup record. The Vatreni finished runners-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and secured third place in Qatar four years later.
Captain Luka Modrić is expected to play a key role once again as Croatia looks to make another deep run at football’s biggest tournament.
Focus Turns to Dallas
With the countdown to the World Cup now underway, preparations are intensifying as Croatia seeks to begin the competition with a positive result against England.
A strong start could prove crucial in a group that also features Panama and Ghana, both capable of causing problems on the international stage. However, Dalić’s comments suggest Croatia’s focus remains firmly on the opening challenge awaiting them in Dallas on June 17.
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