Ante, Zorić and Novaković talk about Croatia’s 2026 World Cup group with England, Panama and Ghana and predict how the group will finish next summer in North America.
PODCAST: Croatia Draw England, Panama, Ghana In 2026 World Cup Group
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See us getting out the group but nothing more than R32 looking at the path. I just don’t see why there is such overconfidence. I am almost certain Dalic will bunker against England (like he did in Euro 2021) and hope for a 0:0 draw, out defense is a lot better than 4-5 years ago but I already see us struggling to get out the half. Panama should be a bank three points and hopefully a multi-goal win. Ghana could be tricky, a mid-afternoon game outdoors with an older squad, but as mentioned Ghana is not what they once were. There are too many flaws in this squad, a lot of guys not playing at their clubs, think the ‘easy’ qualifying campaign masked a lot of issues
It will be a miracle if we make it past the round of 16. Our squad is still squeezing the remains out of our 2018 Russian run. We don’t have the glitter and glamour such as Spain, Portugal, France etc. We do have grit and heart and is what brought us to two consecutive World Cup semi finals. Despite going to penalty kicks four times and one extra time doesn’t phase me. Could have we done better against Japan or Denmark? Most certainly but when it comes to the wire and the later games we can close in and know how to preform when it’s the dying minutes or the full extent. We have to win games in 90 minutes. Champions aren’t made by winning games always in shootouts or extra time. If you look at the last five World Cups. Four of them went to extra time or penalties. Croatia can’t afford to do that all the time though. If we want to pull off a Spain 2010 or Italy 2006. It will have to be prestige goaltending and a solid defence. Do we have either of those? Well our backend has never been better than now. Goaltending is a toss up. We don’t have a legend goalie. Spain and Italy also won with strikers scoring coming from multiple players. They didn’t have a Messi or Mbappe. Germany same squad. Solid defence and legendary goaltending. Muller isn’t an all star and Klose was there to break the World Cup scoring record.
Assessing our group now. England is a team that has a solid but beatable team There isn’t anything special about them. They’ve made two consecutive Euro Finals but just like the Toronto Maple Laughs, they can’t come in clutch when push comes to shove. Kane is older and bores me to death with his play. Most of his goals are from rebounds, tap ins and penalties. Perisic actually has just as many World Cup goals and has scored against better teams and in bigger games. Kane hasn’t scored jack all in a major game or in any competition. He only misses and scores a field goal. Our defence is certainly stronger than them out of every aspect if you want to compare.
Ghana is also no team to be taken lightly. They’ve actually preformed well against European teams in the World Cup and have notable wins against Serbia and Czech. They were close to holding Portugal to a draw the last World Cup. Germany struggled against them in 2014 as well. Besides Kudus as a top Tottenham striker I don’t know any other players that stick out. They definitely have speed and will attack with long balls. Panama I have no clue about and can’t believe they are in another World Cup. England had difficulty against them in Russia and beat them with a last minute goal.
Above all we are the best team in this group. England doesn’t strike me as a giant and won’t go far in this tournament like other European nations. We will have to play most likely Colombia or Portugal if we come second and then Argentina or Spain if we get to round of 16. Bring on whoever. We’ve beaten these teams in the past. We can do it again.
I will predict lots of upsets this World Cup.
-Brazil crashing out and losing to Morocco.
-Germany gets third place
-Uruguay will be pushing Spain for first in their group.
-Norway beat France or Senegal might beat their own African counterparts
-strongest African team will be Ivory Coast.
-Haiti have a goal difference of -12
At least Rijeka had a 3-0 win today.
#1 Tttenham fan channel gushing about Luka and his loan
***.youtube.com/watch?v=Mffz124TkjI
SN published an article the day of the draw after they spoke to the Croatian contingent in attendance – both March games in Orlando – and there will be two friendlies in June (aiming to play both in Rijeka but still TBD)
So we’re still going to play Colombia?
Yes in Orlando
@Crnkovic @Maminjo
Guys, thank you I appreciate your input on Petar Sucic in the other thread, I have nothing to add and am just chewing over your words. Btw @Crnkovic, it sounds like you have played or coached at some level. You write some of the most technical stuff on this forum and I vividly remember what you pointed out about Matanovic some time ago (that he might have a fitness or stamina issue) which I thought made quite a lot of sense.
Ever since Frank Kovacevic got stand-by call his production has really fallen off a cliff (I’m excluding the 2 goals vs. 3rd tier side in the Cup) – good example how a hot streak out of the blue is guilty until proven innocent (i.e. sustainable over the full season) – hopefully he gets warm again – but doubt it
Same thing as the Antonio Čolak situation with Rangers right before the 2022 World Cup.
Yeah he has certainly cooled off since then. However he was injured between late Nov and last weekend (went off injured during HT in Conference League game vs Sigma Olomouc and effectively missed 3 games after that). Franko only has 1 more Conference League game next week before going on his winter break and won’t be back in action until end Jan. With this drop-off in production, I’m not as hopeful now a liga petica club will want to sign him next month.
If he recovers even some of that scoring form, he can easily get a contract in a lower half Bundesliga team.
We have guys like Ljubičiċ playing on Union Berlin. Of course Kovačević can score a gig like that (assuming he restarts that scoring streak).
Marin playing ?
He’s got zero minutes. That’s even worse than JJ 26’.
But I know what you mean – he can/should try to cash in w a better contract while he can
How the F are “Cat 1” tickets wrapping around the corner/behind the net lol
As e.g. look at Philly – sections 109, 112, 128, 131 (those are the worst – but adjacent are also bad) – that’s should not be Cat 1 tickets – those are really crappy seats (if you’re behind the net you 100% want to be elevated)
Great discussion guys. We didn’t talk much about him, but could it be Liva that makes the difference in 2026. I crapped on him for years and he has proven me so wrong. I say we got the way Liva goes and if he gives us more of 2022, we will be more than fine. He plays big for Croatia and we expect the same . Hvala, Liva.
Agreed, I was against Pletikosa over Subasic, but Liva should live for 2026. This will probably his last world cup most likely.
Livaković is still only 30.
He could easily still be with us for the next World Cup too.
I can imagine Liva has so much pent-up energy that if he gets to transfer out next month and play somewhere regularly, he will find his groove quickly and prove his doubters wrong.