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ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Croatia's World Cup gets real on Tuesday night. After opening with a 4-2 loss to England that left them bottom of Group L, the Vatreni face Panama in Toronto (7 p.m. ET) in a match they can ill afford to drop — and head coach Zlatko Dalić wants his team to play like the favorites they are.
"We must approach the game as favourites and be brave," Dalić said at his pre-match press conference, in remarks published by the Croatian Football Federation. Everyone is healthy, he said, with no doubts over the starting lineup — but Croatia must be sharper than it was against England, especially defensively. The team gifted England too much, he acknowledged, and made its own job harder.
Dalić was careful not to dismiss the opponent. Panama defend in a compact structure, he said, with mobile, disciplined players and the pace to punish on the counterattack — a side that was the better team for much of its 1-0 loss to Ghana and perhaps did not deserve to lose. Croatia, he stressed, is a challenge for any opponent, but will only be as good as it allows itself to be.
Kovačić: character in the hard moments
Midfielder Mateo Kovačić, speaking in a separate account published by the federation, struck the team's recurring note — that Croatia is at its best when circumstances are toughest.
Kovačić, who said he is feeling better by the day after an injury-disrupted year and is now fully fit, called Panama a difficult opponent but insisted Croatia is focused on itself. The team overcomes hard moments through character, pride and unity, he said, and while there were positives against England, there was also plenty to improve. Croatia cannot live on past glory, he added — this is a new tournament, and a new match.
A nod to the young and the old
Dalić used the eve of the match to back one of the young players who had a difficult England debut. Defender Luka Vušković, he said, is a great talent and the future of Croatian football — and the opener should serve as valuable experience rather than a setback. The coach drew a comparison to Joško Gvardiol, who endured early growing pains in 2021 before developing into a world-class defender, and said he expects a similar path for Vušković.
Both Dalić and Kovačić, like teammates throughout the team's stay in the region, also paid tribute to captain Luka Modrić, who is set to make his 200th appearance for Croatia against Panama. Dalić called Modrić the greatest Croatian footballer in history and his "right-hand man" on the pitch, praising the 40-year-old's example for younger players. Kovačić pointed to Modrić's character — a player who never gives up — as the key to his longevity.
The diaspora factor
Dalić also looked forward to the support awaiting Croatia in Toronto, home to a large Croatian community. The team always draws tremendous backing from the diaspora, he said, and expects the fans to be its "12th player." It is a special occasion for supporters and players alike, he added, and the team will try not to disappoint.
That backing has been a theme of Croatia's North American tournament — including in Alexandria, where the team has been based throughout the group stage and will return after the Panama match to prepare for its finale against Ghana in Philadelphia on June 27. Croatia needs a strong showing in Toronto to revive its hopes of advancing to the expanded tournament's Round of 32.
