The news
Croatia have officially announced their squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, per Fabrizio Romano. Manager Zlatko Dalic confirmed the selection on Monday, naming a group that combines experienced internationals with emerging prospects as the Vatreni begin their final preparations for the tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Prior context
Croatia have established themselves as one of the era's most consistent overachievers, finishing as runners-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and reaching the semi-finals in Qatar four years later. Those runs were built on the spine of a celebrated golden generation, with captain Luka Modric orchestrating a midfield that has rarely been outclassed on the biggest stages.
The squad blueprint
Dalic's approach has long leaned on a settled foundation in defence and midfield, with attacking output expected to come through collective movement rather than a single talisman. Reporting around the announcement points to Real Madrid's Modric anchoring the senior core, with forward Ante Budimir among the names cited as part of the attacking picture heading into North America.
- Tournament: 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States
- Manager: Zlatko Dalic
- Recent finishes: Runners-up in 2018, semi-finalists in 2022
- Key figure: Captain Luka Modric, widely viewed as making his final World Cup appearance
- Attacking name in frame: Ante Budimir
What it means
This selection effectively defines the window for Croatia's golden generation to chase an elusive first World Cup title. With Modric expected to bow out on the international stage after the tournament, Dalic is balancing loyalty to the veterans who delivered back-to-back deep runs with the need to integrate younger profiles capable of carrying the program forward. The pressure now is to convert continuity into a third straight knockout-stage run against an expanded 48-team field.
Multi-source confirmation
The announcement has been echoed across established outlets, with Croatia Week, Total Croatia News, Goal, and FourFourTwo all framing the squad reveal as the formal kickoff to Croatia's World Cup preparations. The consistent through-line across coverage is the same: a proven midfield-and-defence framework asked to deliver one more deep run before the generational handover.
What to watch next
Attention turns to Croatia's pre-tournament friendlies and Dalic's tactical tweaks as he settles on a first-choice eleven. The next milestone is the group-stage draw context and how the Vatreni navigate the early rounds with Modric's farewell tour as the emotional backdrop.