Team: Croatia

Time for Croatia to reassert themselves

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Coach: Zlatko Kranjcar
Captain: Niko Kovac
Winners: Never. Finished third in 1998
Pitted against: Brazil, Australia and Japan
Prospects: A lack of creativity will hamper Croatia but they should progress from a tough group
Odds: 66-1

The trouble with instant success is attempting to maintain the same standard for prolonged spells. In Croatia, recent teams have fallen victim to the side who, in 1998, swashbuckled their way to third spot in their first ever World Cup appearance. Subsequent sides, albeit lacking the class of their predecessors, have folded meekly under expectation and pressure from a passionate, demanding nation, writes Paul O'Hehir

Four years ago Croatia failed to progress from their group and the then manager Mirko Jozic blamed that failure on the immense pressure his players were under. Current boss Zlatko Kranjcar, who succeeded Otto Baric after Croatia's poor showing at Euro 2004, is an astute tactician but despite realising certain limitations in the current crop, has not set about deflecting the spotlight.

A place in the quarter-finals "would be a great success", he said recently. "We can dream. We have some very good individual players and they have shown that we are a strong and unified team. We might be just the ones to cause an upset at the World Cup."

There is little doubt that Croatia are, indeed, strong and unified. They may not boast star names of the past like Davor Suker, Zvonimir Boban, Alen Boksic and Robert Prosinecki but the present players boast a fine work ethic. In qualifying they put together a near-faultless campaign, conceding just five goals in 10 games and finishing unbeaten in a group containing Sweden, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Brothers Nico and Robert Kovac are accomplished and experienced defenders and will form the platform from which Croatia formulate their gameplan. Ahead of them, look for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Dario Srna who scored a series of crucial goals in qualifying.

Croatia will also look towards Anthony Seric. He works tirelessly on the flanks but has irked some Croatian supporters with recent comments about Australia, the land of his birth.

"They (Australians) call me a worm and a traitor, but I have only ever dreamed of playing under the Australian flag," he was quoted as telling an Australian newspaper recently.

But Seric, in fact, was famously selected for both sides the last time Croatia played Australia and, faced with a decision before that 1998 friendly, opted for Croatia. The group game with the Aussies will, then, prove an emotional occasion.

Kranjcar, himself, has drawn criticism from some quarters by selceting his son in the squad. Midfielder Niko (21) has come under scrutiny, particularly over his weight and alleged lack of fitness.

"This team needs Niko, his fellow players have great confidence in him," retaliated the coach. "My message to all those who are raising this issue is 'Leave all hope, Niko will play."

More familiar to these shores, however, is the Rangers player Dado Prso. The burly striker could - injuries permitting - prove a powerful figurehead at the finals but his preparations have been far from ideal, missing much of the season with knee and hamstring injuries. His fitness could well determine the length of Croatia's summer.

World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Tomislav Butina (Club Bruges), Stipe Pletikosa (Hajduk Split), Joe Didulica (Austria Vienna)
Defenders: Robert Kovac (Juventus), Stjepan Tomas (Galatasaray), Dario Simic (AC Milan), Mario Tokic (Austria Vienna), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Igor Tudor (Siena), Marijan Buljat (Dinamo Zagreb)
Midfielders: Jerko Leko (Dynamo Kiev), Niko Kranjcar (Hajduk Split), Niko Kovac (Hertha Berlin), Marko Babic (Bayer Leverkusen), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ivan Leko (Club Bruges), Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb), Jurica Vranjes (Werder Bremen), Anthony Seric (Panathinaikos)
Forwards: Dado Prso (Rangers), Ivan Klasnic (Werder Bremen), Bosko Balaban (Club Bruges), Ivica Olic (CSKA Moscow), Ivan Bosnjak (Dinamo Zagreb).