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ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Croatia held its final press conference in Alexandria on Thursday, closing out nearly a month based in the city before the team buses to Philadelphia for a decisive World Cup group-stage match against Ghana on Saturday.
It fell to defender Joško Gvardiol and midfielder Nikola Moro to speak on the team's last day of media availability at Episcopal High School, where Croatia has trained throughout the tournament. Both players said the focus now is squarely on Saturday, when Croatia — needing a result to secure its place in the Round of 32 — closes Group L play.
Gvardiol on his return
Gvardiol, the Manchester City defender regarded as one of the team's cornerstones, used the session to address a difficult stretch. Head coach Zlatko Dalić had said a day earlier that it was "a miracle" Gvardiol made it to the World Cup at all after breaking his leg roughly six months ago, and that the 23-year-old could not yet be expected to perform at his usual level.
Gvardiol struck an even tone about it. He said it is his second World Cup and that he is happy to be there, acknowledging he has not played to his own standard but adding that he is still young and will improve. He said he does not follow the media closely and prefers to focus on the team, though he accepts the scrutiny that comes through the mixed zone and from supporters.
Reflecting on the injury, Gvardiol said he could not point to a single lesson from the time away. He did not have a clear sense of how it happened, he said, but suggested his body had reached a limit — and that the forced break may have served as a chance to reset. It is something many athletes face, he said, and he was glad to be back.
A familiar opponent
Gvardiol also previewed a notable subplot: he will line up against Antoine Semenyo, his Manchester City club teammate, who plays for Ghana. There was no need to talk up Semenyo's quality, Gvardiol said, because he trains alongside him and has faced him in the Premier League. He described Semenyo as fast, strong, intelligent and unpredictable, and said it would fall to Croatia's defenders to prepare well and be ready for him.
It is the second time at this World Cup that a Croatia player has faced a club teammate from the opposing side; defender Josip Stanišić lined up against his Bayern Munich teammate Harry Kane in the opener against England.
Taking on a leadership role
Asked about his place among a changing Croatian squad, Gvardiol spoke about an emerging responsibility. He recalled being welcomed into the national team as a younger player by veterans including Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Andrej Kramarić and Mario Pašalić, and said the time is approaching for the younger generation to take on that role and usher in the next wave of players.
The match against Panama marked Gvardiol's 50th appearance for Croatia, a milestone he downplayed, deflecting instead to Modrić's 200th cap.
Moro: patience against Ghana
Moro, the Bologna midfielder, said the win over Panama gave the team a boost but cautioned that Ghana presents a strong test. The key, he said, is patience: Ghana defends deep, is dangerous on the counterattack, and has shown it can score late, having found a goal in the closing stages against Panama and defended resolutely against England. Croatia had limited time to analyze the opponent, he said, with two training sessions remaining to prepare.
What's next
Croatia faces Ghana on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (5 p.m. ET) in a match that will determine whether the team advances to the Round of 32. The Vatreni need at least a draw to keep their hopes alive, with a win likely securing second place in Group L.
The press conference marked the team's last scheduled media availability in Alexandria, the Northern Virginia city that has served as Croatia's home base since early June.
