How come Croatia with a tiny population

[wiseone]

Mate, why did Croatia not naturalise Dani Olmo? I tend to see him as a Croat even when he is playing for Spain !

[mate]

Mate, why did Croatia not naturalise Dani Olmo? I tend to see him as a Croat even when he is playing for Spain !

We tried.



He is Spaniard through and through and always was aiming to develop in Croatia in order to aspire to the highest level. It worked. He’s pretty popular in Croatia. Played at Leipzig with Gvardiol.

[wiseone]

Very interesting that Olmo left Barcelona to play for Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia . That is not a traditional route for a Spanish player. The young Spanish players who leave usually go to England or Germany.

Mate, why did Croatia not naturalise Dani Olmo? I tend to see him as a Croat even when he is playing for Spain !

We tried.



He is Spaniard through and through and always was aiming to develop in Croatia in order to aspire to the highest level. It worked. He’s pretty popular in Croatia. Played at Leipzig with Gvardiol.

[mate]

Very interesting that Olmo left Barcelona to play for Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia . That is not a traditional route for a Spanish player. The young Spanish players who leave usually go to England or Germany.

Mate, why did Croatia not naturalise Dani Olmo? I tend to see him as a Croat even when he is playing for Spain !

We tried.



He is Spaniard through and through and always was aiming to develop in Croatia in order to aspire to the highest level. It worked. He’s pretty popular in Croatia. Played at Leipzig with Gvardiol.

As we discussed earlier, Croatia is becoming an attractive place for youth development. Olmo knew what he was doing. It really came down to getting earlier exposure and playing time at the top level.

https://www.croatiaweek.com/explosion-o ... -division/

It's not as bad as this author makes it. Most foreigners come from Bosnia, most Croatian. ut 39% of the 10 1st division clubs are foreigners now. That number is being reduced however, as there are strong calls for a greater % to be Croatian.

I personally think Croatians benefit.

[wiseone]

I was wrong about the bolded text.

@Mate- hard lines today. I think this is the end of a generation for Croatia . The Modric-Rakitic-Brozovic-Kovacic era of midfield maestros (and Perisic) have reached the end of the road. There are likely to be mass retirements before the next Euros (let alone the next World Cup).

Gvardiol looks the business, but are there other players of equal potential ready to replace the current players who are likely to retire from international football in the next 1-3 years?

[mate]

I was wrong about the bolded text.

@Mate- hard lines today. I think this is the end of a generation for Croatia . The Modric-Rakitic-Brozovic-Kovacic era of midfield maestros (and Perisic) have reached the end of the road. There are likely to be mass retirements before the next Euros (let alone the next World Cup).

Gvardiol looks the business, but are there other players of equal potential ready to replace the current players who are likely to retire from international football in the next 1-3 years?

Only time reveals what will be.

We can be pretty good fans and pundits.

I misread a lot about Croatia...didn't think Modric and Brozovic would fade so much so fast. And, most of all, how lacking Dalic is as a coach...and how unimaginative the Croatian FA could be, now retaining him after an utter failure the the Euro.

As I posted elsewhere, we have a decent pipeline...but now I doubt we have the leadership to optimally leverage it.

Time will tell.

[mate]

I was wrong about the bolded text.

@Mate- hard lines today. I think this is the end of a generation for Croatia . The Modric-Rakitic-Brozovic-Kovacic era of midfield maestros (and Perisic) have reached the end of the road. There are likely to be mass retirements before the next Euros (let alone the next World Cup).

Gvardiol looks the business, but are there other players of equal potential ready to replace the current players who are likely to retire from international football in the next 1-3 years?

Only time reveals what will be.

We can be pretty good fans and pundits.

But I misread a lot about Croatia...didn't think Modric and Brozovic would fade so much so fast. And, most of all, how lacking Dalic is as a coach...and how unimaginative the Croatian FA could be, now retaining him after an utter failure the the Euro.

As I posted elsewhere, we have a decent pipeline...but now I doubt we have the leadership to optimally leverage it.

Time will tell.

[wiseone]

Mate, how does Croatia keep pulling off this sorcery? I feared for Croatia when I saw that 9 of France's starting 11 had played in a World Cup final and that Croatia started the match with 2 midfielders with a combined age of 70.

On paper it was a mismatch and not a single one of Croatia's players would get into France's team (which was so strong that Olise, Camavinga, Upamecano, Zaire-Emery, Barcola, Pavard, and Hernandez were sitting on the bench).

Yet Croatia won 2-0, had the luxury of Kramaric missing a penalty, and I think France was fortunate to lose only 0-2.

How does Croatia keep pulling off these amazing results?

[mate]

Mate, how does Croatia keep pulling off this sorcery? I feared for Croatia when. I saw that 9 of France's starting 11 had played in a World Cup final and that Croatia started the match with 2 midfielders with a combined age of 70.

On paper it was a mismatch and not a single one of Croatia's players could get into France's team (which was so strong that Olise, Camavinga, Upamecano, Zaire-Emery, Barcola, Pavarotti, and Hernandez were sitting on the bench).

Yet Croatia won 2-0, had the luxury of Kramaric missing a penalty, and I think France was fortunate to lose only 0-2.

How does Croatia keep pulling off these amazing results?

Croatia pleasantly surprised me. I was fearing too many older players were on the pitch and would get outrun by a fleet footed and still talented France.

BTW: Croatia also featured plenty of young players. A lot of them could make this French Team. Gvardiol, Stanisic, Sutalo, and Caleta Car won the match. They are our defense, pretty strong.

Baturina, Petar Sucic, and Luka Sucic are rising stars. We have an 18 year old, Luka Vuskovic, who will play for Spurs. Another perhaps world class center back.

We do have strong players. Old and young. Our coach isn't good.

Plus don't count France out on Sunday. They are capable of overcoming 2 goals aggregate. But we will see. I of course will be rooting for Croatia...and hope to see The Super Eagles with Croatia in 2026 here in the USA.

[camex]

Mate, how does Croatia keep pulling off this sorcery? I feared for Croatia when I saw that 9 of France's starting 11 had played in a World Cup final and that Croatia started the match with 2 midfielders with a combined age of 70.

On paper it was a mismatch and not a single one of Croatia's players would get into France's team (which was so strong that Olise, Camavinga, Upamecano, Zaire-Emery, Barcola, Pavard, and Hernandez were sitting on the bench).

Yet Croatia won 2-0, had the luxury of Kramaric missing a penalty, and I think France was fortunate to lose only 0-2.

How does Croatia keep pulling off these amazing results?

Croatia is very good but Deschamps gambled. He experimented Dembele as a 10 behind Kolo Mani. Dembele does not play 10 in club football. He should have started Dembele as a 9 and Olise behind him. Rabiot should have been benched for Camavinga.

[Coach]

In Mbappe and Dembele, Deschamps has two of the form-most wide forwards in the game. There was no need to experiment nor over-emphasise the attack. That the two gravitate towards opposite flanks offered a world of tactical possibilities, arrival at a 4-3-1-2 made no sense.

That being said, Croatia seemingly knit together like a glove whatever the weather. An example to many. Assumed they’d be done when the old horses were reduced to glue and Chinese medicines. There’s still a gallop in their stride yet.

[mate]

In Mbappe and Dembele, Deschamps has two of the form-most wide forwards in the game. There was no need to experiment nor over-emphasise the attack. That the two gravitate towards opposite flanks offered a world of tactical possibilities, arrival at a 4-3-1-2 made no sense.

That being said, Croatia seemingly knit together like a glove whatever the weather. An example to many. Assumed they’d be done when the old horses were reduced to glue and Chinese medicines. There’s still a gallop in their stride yet.

Coach, check out the young guys I listed. Croatia has a wave of players being given big opportunities at big clubs. Like Tottenham, Manchester City, inter Milan, and Bayern Munich.

These are players with world class potential. All we need is a few to pan out. Anchoring a pretty otherwise decent roster of experience and youth.

Pundits are keep expressing surprise as Croatia does consistently well across time. Makes you wonder if they actually follow and even know the game. But this plays to our advantage, flying under the radar.

Let’s see tomorrow. Like I said, France is capable of getting the necessary goals to advance. Croatia will need a 100% effort.

[mate]

Mate, how does Croatia keep pulling off this sorcery? I feared for Croatia when I saw that 9 of France's starting 11 had played in a World Cup final and that Croatia started the match with 2 midfielders with a combined age of 70.

On paper it was a mismatch and not a single one of Croatia's players would get into France's team (which was so strong that Olise, Camavinga, Upamecano, Zaire-Emery, Barcola, Pavard, and Hernandez were sitting on the bench).

Yet Croatia won 2-0, had the luxury of Kramaric missing a penalty, and I think France was fortunate to lose only 0-2.

How does Croatia keep pulling off these amazing results?

Croatia is very good but Deschamps gambled. He experimented Dembele as a 10 behind Kolo Mani. Dembele does not play 10 in club football. He should have started Dembele as a 9 and Olise behind him. Rabiot should have been benched for Camavinga.

Something is not clicking for France. I agree it’s the midfield. Lacks top chemistry,

That said, France controlled the 2nd half. Dembele in particular had some chances but shot poorly. Mbappe is always dangerous but wasn’t given space. Nobody could take the initiative outside Kylian.

I expect a much improved France tomorrow. Again, Croatia has a world class defense. I think it comes down to our midfield not tiring…with Dalic making the proper subs for our older guys.

Our weakness is the coach. Average. Poorly timed subs. Too conservative. I give that he played the right tactics.

Finally we played mid to low block. It worked. Usually we play high block and offensive, hence losing to France in the previous generational cycle. France is the ultimate counterattacking team.