After losing to Spain on penalties, Croatia won the UEFA Nations League runners-up, and after the 2018 World Cup, the Plaid Army missed out on the title again.
The Lattice Legion dreams for six years
Since Croatia's independence in 1992, the Croatian Football Federation has been a member of FIFA. At the 1998 World Cup, the Plaid Legion, who played for the first time, unexpectedly reached the semi-finals and finished third, with Suker winning the Golden Boot.
Under Modric's leadership, Croatia performed miracles one after another, reaching the final of the 2018 World Cup and eventually losing to France to finish second. In the 2022 World Cup, Croatia lost to Argentina in the semifinals and finally won the third place after defeating Morocco.
Unlike the World Cup, Croatia had significantly worse results at the European Championship, reaching the quarter-finals only in 1996 and 2008, but failing to qualify for the semi-finals.
Croatia also stumbled in this UEFA Nations League, losing 3-0 to Austria in the opening match, and then drawing at home by France. Unfavored, Croatia beat France to top the group with a win of four games, becoming the ninth team in history to qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals.
In the semi-final against hosts Netherlands, Croatia reached the final for the second time after the 2018 World Cup thanks to two goals in extra-time.
The golden generation dreams are shattered
For Spain, it's a race for the title. For players such as Modric and Perisic, this may be their last chance to win the championship, and it is the most important match in Croatian sports history. Perisic said: "Our generation has won bronze and silver medals, and we have the strength to win gold. ”
In the final against Spain, the match went to extra time again and went to the penalty shootout again. Unfortunately, Mayer and Petkovic missed two penalties and the Plaid Army regrettably lost their most important game.
Since 2018, Croatia has lost two of its eight appearances in international competitions in extra time, losing to Spain twice. Dalic called the Legion the greatest Croatian national team of all time, and despite failing to win the title, the Legion still deserves the title.
From finishing second and third in two consecutive World Cups to winning the UEFA Nations League runner-up, the golden generation led by Modric has created miracles. Finishing third in the World Cup and runners-up in the UEFA Nations League in just six months, what the Plaid Army lacks may just be luck.
There are people who follow
Before the UEFA Nations League, Modric hinted that he would quit the national team. The departure of the golden generation of players is indeed regrettable, but Dalic has also gradually completed the replacement.
Compared to the 2018 World Cup, the Plaid Army has been given a new look, with only five players remaining in the team. Gervadior, who rose to fame in the World Cup, is only 21 years old, Sutaro and Stanašić are only 23 years old, and Ivan Nušeć is only 24 years old.
From Boban, Prosineschi and Suker to Modric, Perisic, Rakitic, Mandzukic and now Gvadior and Sutaro, the constant emergence of talented players is the basis of Croatia's repeated miracles.
Livakovic also revealed the secret of Croatia's success, "We really behave like a team, we are very cohesive, like a family, I think that's the main reason. We support each other and every time we play for the national team, we give our best. ”
With great players and a united dressing room, even if the golden generation of players retires, the Plaid Army will still be expected to continue to storm the championship in the future and achieve their ultimate dream.