For a country of over four million Croatia produce some of the best players around the world. This is their fifth World Cup out of six that they’ve been eligible for and if you add in the fact that in both competitions Croatia has made 10 of the 12 European Championships and World Cups that they have been eligible for it makes you wonder why other bigger countries has such struggles.

Hope #1: Luka Modric or Luka Mozart?

Captain Luka Modric has been directing the midfield of Croatia for many years and has been vital to the national team consistently qualifying for major tournaments. His passing and vision has him employed by the best and with the red and white shirt on he is the best of a generation. Iceland has the better defense of Argentina and Nigeria and Modric will take the challenge and lead the Croats to success in 2018.

Hope #2: Perisic and Pjaca attack the wings.

Ivan Perisic has been a key cog in Inter Milan getting back to the Champions League, one of the few genuine talents on the squad week in, week out. Marko Pjaca is a dangerous type on the wing in his own right. While at Schalke he played with a calculating manager who utilized his skills into a second place finish. These two certified talents will open space around themselves and work for the team in which the spirit is what will see Croatia into the knockout phase.

Hope #3: Defensive lock-down

Nobody is an individual superstar but you shouldn’t be as a defense. A line of ever present leaders in their respective club teams Sime Vrsaljko, Vedran Corluka, Domagoj Vida, and Dejan Lovren are a foursome that is formidable together. There is flexibility too in a team that conceded just five goals in 12 qualifiers. Oh and in case someone goes down there are ready replacements for every formation that manager Zlatko Dalic might choose to use.

The Big Fear: Distractions

It is no secret that the fans and the federation have been at war for some time. The administration has not been stable for a long time and it reeks of corruption. At the 2016 European Championship the squad was noticeably affected by the background shenanigans. The fact that yet again the squad is at another tournament gives hope that the players will learn to ignore what going on around them and play to their abilities.