We won’t know Croatia’s final path through 2026 World Cup qualifying until March’s Nations League quarterfinals have completed, but we do know one of two scenarios they can get grouped into:
DEFEAT FRANCE: Croatia will play in a 4-team group consisting of Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan.
LOSE TO FRANCE: Croatia will play in a 5-team group consisting of Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands and Gibraltar.
At the end of the day, both group draws were generous to the Vatreni. With only the group winner automatically heading to North America in 2026, Croatia dodged some bullets not being drawn with the likes of Turkey, Hungary or Serbia out of Pot 2 and Scotland/Georgia out of Pot 3.
This is an easy one for me. Qualifying directly for the World Cup is what’s most important here. No questions asked. If I were Dalić, I would treat the two games against France as friendlies, get put into a “cookie cutter” qualifying group with Czechia and Montenegro, and call it a day. Ukraine would give this current Croatian team trouble, Iceland can be dangerous at home, especially in the winter, and Azerbaijan have taken points off of us in past qualifying campaigns. On top of that, if Croatia were to get past France, we would more than likely play the hottest team in Europe — Spain — in the Nations League semifinal round. I don’t see how we could get by them with this current crop of guys in the transitional phase we are currently in. So receiving a harder World Cup qualifying group for a Nations League seminal berth makes no sense to me.
Both Czechia and Montenegro are mediocre European sides who will not only take points off each other, but could even drop points to the Faroe Islands. I would imagine the Vatreni would go 4-0 against Faroe and Gibraltar, and grab 8/9 points against both Czechia and Montenegro over four matches.
World Cup qualifying is what matters here. Nations League is cute and has served its purposed for Dalić and company with seeding and World Cup ranking. I will not be disappointed if we get the easier draw with Czechia and Montenegro after Nations League finishes its quarterfinal games in March.
Another goal for Vuskovic today in 1-1 tie against Mechelen.
Player of the match on both Sofascore and FOTMOB.
Could be sooner rather than later that we’ll actually be getting Croatian updates in Anonymous’s Tottenham reports…..😉
Ivan Juric looks to be heading to Southampton.
A tough situation….won’t be easy to turn the team around at this point in the season.
Hehe
UVXY 28 (when posted) –> 23
S&P500 5850 –> 5970
In 2 hours
😉
Never doubt the brilliance that is Anonymous
Sretan Bozic kids
But the M F-ing dip kids
Keep eyes on UVXY that doesn’t breach 29-level from y’day
Love
Anonymous
*OBVIOUSLY, NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE ❤️❤️❤️
https://bleacherreport.com/post/real-madrid/c533686a-c4d2-4f16-8772-49bbe18f8697
28 trophies !!
Does anyone know if a team from Manchester called United are any good ?
😘😘😘
lol – Dinamo want to steal Galešić from Rijeka
Every window Dinamo buy best players in HNL
Complete embarrassment they don’t Celtic the HNL every year
Rijeka and co should stop selling players to Dinamo (kind of silly they have been doing it – to begin w/)
Anon FYI,
Since Croatian independence Dinamo has won 25 League titles and, in that time, Celtic has won 19.
Great news for the NT – hopefully they sign this guy – Krama moves down pecking order / gets benched – so Dalic doesn’t have to call him up / play him anymore
#####
x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1869698304206164147
Hoffenheim are in advanced talks to sign Gift Orban as new striker from Olympique Lyon.
Negotiations underway.
@MatteMoretto
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Re Ivanusec being a bench warmer
Just in
Per @transfersdotcom guess which world class team (probably the BEST team in the world) looking to buy Feynoord CM Quintin Timber in January ?
😘😘😘
It’s unfortunate that many of the NT players are so crap they can’t even fight their way on teams like Feynoord – and the only chance they might get is if the team sells better players – but it is what it is
🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
Ivanusec could be heading back to Dinamo on loan in the new year ?
Bad news for Hajduk.
Dinamo will come back injury free and with likely reinforcements.
Hajduk will probably sell a player or two and hope for the best.
Very true, but its funny how we always debate about who will win the league between Dinamo and Hajduk, meanwhile Rijeka are sitting on top.
Rijeka is in a similar position as Hajduk.
They too will probably sell a few players in January and hope for the best.
Dinamo is still best positioned to take the crown, simply because they haven’t been at 100 percent (so they will get some of that back soon) and are actively looking to add more talent and depth in January.
Dinamo should not just be first but be well ahead every year a la Celtic in Scotland
All the other clubs are net sellers – either to Dinamo or outside HNL
I mean Rijeka sold 4 of their best players Ivanovic labrovic hodza pjaca – and are 1st
Dinamo adds players every window – they pick the best
Look at Goal difference in the league – Dinamo scores a lot but let in like 2-3x more goals than teams around them
Yet the back 4 are all non-Croats – at very least replace the bums in defence w young Croat kids on the way up – no way they can do worse
How is Rijeka 1st ?
They sold 4 of best players Labrovic Ivanovic Hodza Pjaca (to Dinamo)
Hajduk sells players every yr
Dinamo buyer every window (including the best from HNL)
Dinamo should be Celticing the HNL every year
Manchester City – I wonder if Pep is trying to get sacked to get a payout from his new contract? or they know the 115 charges might be coming so this is the season to get the points deductions. He keeps saying how he isn’t good enough for the job or he wants to quit? strange responses.
Gvardiol- He has been good in the attacking parts of his game but has to do better defensively. Sometimes it seems like he gets overwhelmed and doesnt know who to mark. Also, a lot of teams this season have been using fast paced wingers to get behind him and Walker. I wonder how long before the media turns on Gvaridol? since he does have a huge price tag on him.
Kovacic – Came on around the 68th minute. He managed to hold the ball and establish a passing flow to the game for about 10 minutes but then the team started to fall apart. You can tell him and Rodri are what City is missing in the middle part of the field.
Let’s use the France matches as a chance to give the young legs a run out.
Under 30 crew only.
We simply do not give enough opportunities to our younger players.
I’ll take group L and keep it moving.
Why will France give us the L ?
Ok Ante it’s time to put up a blocker every time Tottenham is mentioned on here it’s getting ridiculous.
Moze. Vrime je.
Why are we getting Tottenham updates? Who gives a rats ass?
+1
DUDE. No one gives a fuck about your Tottenham. Geezus Christ.
Let’s get over the “small nation” crap we fall into. Most of the teams in our possible draw are really crap, like really bad. Start playing to win everything and just play hard every game . Montenegro, Faroe Island , come on -are these really places? Barely a country . Yes, we have a small country coach and that is what worries me more than who we play. Just hope Dalic gets a job coaching Gibraltar. That’s the right job for him . Any decent coach and we’re not even talking about this draw or that draw. Any kind of decent coaching and we skin these guys like a pig at a Licki picnic
Agree
Coach Dalić resume is now the envy of many national team coaches. How easily we forget when things aren’t going well. There is much said against Coach Dalić on this site and some of it may be justified, but I will take what he has given to Croatia any day. Just ask England and Brazil a little about him. In late 2017, the national team was in a crisis. They had to win their last game on the road to even make the playoffs to qualify for the World Cup. Coach Dalić comes in and the rest is history. He has merited the chance to coach the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Viva Zlatko!
FT Hajduk 2 v Rijeka 2
Poor second half, Rijeka first on goal difference on 33 points same as Hajduk and seven points more than Dinamo.
Selahi for Rijeka 2 – 2, after 47 minutes.
Kalik again for Hajduk 2 – 1 after 36 minutes.
Good match so far.
Gvardiol scored in the Manchester derby
He also let a a guy get behind him for the winning goal. Let’s face it. He’s just not a good defender. Croatia’s back line is just not good enough. And for anyone looking at how easy the WC qualifying draw is, remember that Croatia plays down to its competition. And the other teams are happy they get Croatia instead of the big boys. Hopefully for once they go undefeated in a qualifying campaign but I wouldn’t count on it.
Hajduk 1 v Rijeka 1
Jankovic after 12 minutes, following a catastrophic error by Hajduk goalkeeper Lucic. He tries to play out, the pass gets intercepted and Jankovic lobs the keeper. Rijeka playing with the wind and looking the better team.
Horrible error by the keeper. Speaking of horrible — holy shit those Rijeka kits are among the hideous-est I’ve ever seen.
Agree those shirts look awful.
Hajduk 1 – 0, Anthony Kalik after 7 min, with a great strike from 20 meters into top left corner.
Durdov starting for Hajduk but the 17 year old is being outmuscled so far.
Hajduk v Rijeka about to KO. Looks like a sellout, pitch is in good condition however it is windy again and let’s hope that BURA does not have a big impact on the match ?
Ivanovic subbed in the 69th. Good days work for the youngster
Excellent performance
He ran more in 70 minutes – than Baturina has in his life !
9.7 FOTMOB
9.2 Sofascore
3 goals
1.86 xG
2.00 xG+xA
6 total shots
4 shots on target
9 touches in opposition box
31 touches
3 key passes
16/19 passes
1/1 successful dribbles
1/1 accurate long balls
Ivanovic hat-trick in 52 min !
He made a beautiful run to outside of him and the cross field pass into him was excellent – and than Ivanovic BLEW RIGHT PAST Vuskovic – and a marvellous finish a la Suker on Schmeichel
Vuskovic terrible on the play – it was obvious the pass was coming cross field – he should have pushed up and intercepted it (there was time) – and than he kind of just let Ivanovic blow past him – didn’t even put out an arm to push him off the ball or go in for a tackle – weird
Vuskovic really struggling to deal with Ivanovic’s pace (he fast but he’s not Micky VDV fast) – he definitely not ready to play in the Premier League this year
Here’s the hat-trick goal
https://x.com/FootballReprt/status/1868328474886418556
Franjo again in the 52nd
Here is Ivanovic’s 2nd goal
https://x.com/GoalsXtra/status/1868321674036379789
Ante – he’s scored 4 goals this week – we should probably mention him in the weekend close-up
Hehe
Just as Anonymous posts Ivanovic best player he does it again
Second goal of the half Ivanovic
Vuskovic made a bad decision as front post man was already covered – so he drifted that side – while leaving Ivanovic open in front (Ivanovic was his man – Vuskovic even looked over his shoulder before he drifted over)
They played the entire half every ball to Ivanovic – either he drove forward and did a 1v1 leading to a shot or crossed it to a team-mate – or a team-mate made an under-lapping run into space in front of him – he passed it – and went to front of goal – sometimes they built-up from right side – and Ivanovic was making smart runs in central channel to find space (that’s how the 2nd goal occurred)
Really RELENTLESS play by Ivanovic – over and over again driving forward – love to see it
Yeah, you posted it alright lol
Ivanovic again in the 45th
Franjo Ivanovic goal
He created / had several chances beforehand – so well deserved
He’s been the best player on field first half
Vuskovic second best
Some good 1 vs 1 battles b/w the two
Frigan hasn’t touched ball much – only couple of times
Devine being played around in the midfield – he dropped deep a couple times to start the build up / for them to play thru the press – not much success
Ivanovic staying hot. His side up in the 40th
Correction: Vuskovic, Alfie Devine, Frigan vs. Ivanovic
Will 2024 be known for the
Silliness of Split and Saint-Denis
and/or
Rotten Rotterdam and the Barfing Bernabeu
Take your picks – make your bets – sooner the better – before the betting lines move in response to $$$ flow
@ 10 ET
Vuskovic vs. Ivanovic
Crnac
All identified by Anonymous as top prospects – and as such – all in starting XI
btw: the morons who are saying Czech won their group over Ukraine – so better to face Ukraine – too bad you don’t understand the WC rules
Top 4 NL Group winners – who do not finish top 2 in their WC group – go to the WC play-offs – even if they finish LAST in the group
Czech and Gibraltar are 8th and 14th rank NL Group winner
So Gibraltar – a team that has lost EVERY qualification game (46) they’ve ever played for EURO and WC and have always finished last in their group – if they finish last once again this time – and every pot 1 or 2 team in every group finish top 2 – they would be one of 4 NL Group winners going to the WC play-off
More realistically, Czech has an “insurance policy” going into qualifying – as long as not more than 3 of the 7 NL Group winners ranked ahead of them finish outside top 2 in their group – Czech is guaranteed a WC play-off spot before the first kick-off (even if they finish last in the group)
The other group (winner of France/Croatia) includes zero NL group winners
The other dumb thing is the Club World Cup (which is even dumber than the Nations League) starts June 14 2025
So w/ Nations League semi / finals occurring the week before – you can reasonably expect many National teams will be “missing” key players for Club World Cup i.e. the Clubs won’t let them go will have to call in “sick”
Just way too many fixtures across the board these days for Club and Country
If Kovacic and Gvardiol can survive the year relatively unscathed it will be a Međugorje miracle
If Bjelica gets the sack today
Will the National Team use this change to appoint him and send Dalic to Qatar ?
Remember the geniuses who told us Bjelica should be NT coach – bc of the Monaco performance in the Maksimir swimming pool ?
Will Dinamo appoint Petar Sucic as manager/player ?
12 games no Petar Sucic
12 games no Dinamo win
Baturina Packaged Deal Petar Sucic
Anonymous – of course – pointed this out after game 2
Imagine being one of the MORONS who doubted the brilliant Anonymous ?
LMAO
You’re welcome if you’ve also made big $$$ betting against Dinamo since then
No Petar Sucic in line-up – bet against Dinamo
Rinse and repeat – 12 for 12 hit rate – that’s 100% success rate
Mind you, this is even with refs still favouring them (e.g. Dinamo goal y’day shouldn’t count as Baturina placed ball outside the corner quadrant) – sad
In other news – please see wonderful compilation of Dejan Kulusevski – the BEST all-around midfielder in the world – and only 2 years older that Baturina
Perhaps the Baturina sympathizers on this site should watch and learn what it takes to be the BEST all-around midfielder in the world – start at his work rate and defensive dominance/contribution and go from there i.e. elite dribbling, elite carrying, elite creativity, etc etc etc etc
https://x.com/untitledsnippet/status/1868045720378339526
What makes you think France is going to let Croatia lose the QF ?
Analyze from France POV
That is one way to look at. For Modric that logic may be questionable. I think he wants a title one way or the other and it’s hard to tell if he has it in him to continue on into the World Cup. If not, he may really push for that Nations League Title, and Dali along with him.
I think any tournament is about the win personally. But yes, the World Cup and that star on the jersey means that much more.
Two options
1) Win NL title (ie next 3 games) but don’t qualify for WC
2) lose NL QF and qualify for WC
You have to pick one
100% of people will be pick 2)