Who To Watch – Croatia vs Mexico

Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen) & Duje  Čop (Sporting Gijon)

We are less than 24 hours away from the Croatia vs Mexico game. Some fans have voiced their frustration over the lack of top tier players,  but what many people fail to realize is that all of the players on the current roster are fighting for a spot on the senior team’s roster. That means a team full of hungry players, willing to give 100% to show the coach that they deserve a call up.

Since many fans may not be familiar with most of the players on Saturday’s roster, we wanted to put together a list of the players we think you should be keeping a close eye on.

Most fans are familiar with these two, as they’ve already made over a handful of appearances with the Vatreni. At only 21 years of age, Jedvaj is a promising defender who has already shown us what he can do on the international stage. Duje Čop will not only lead the squad as captain, but will also look to make a good impression on the coaching staff. With a lack forward attacking options on the current roster, Čop looks to solidify himself as a 2nd or 3rd forward option.

Lovro Majer (Lokomotiva) – Attacking Midfielder

A 19 year old attacking midfielder, who has already earned a name for himself at Lokomotiva. He’s already seen Europa League action, scored the go ahead goal to get Lokomotiva in the Quarterfinals of the Croatian Cup, and seen 3 caps for the U-18 & U-19 teams collectively. After watching him practice this week, you can see why many Croatians are excited to see this youngster progress. His touch, passing, and field awareness far exceed his age, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s part of any of the goals Croatia score tomorrow.

 Nikola Vlasic (Hajduk) – Midfielder/Winger

While Hajduk may not have impressed supporters this year, they have some exciting talent that will be showcased this weekend. At 19 years of age, Nikola Vlasic has already racked up 7 goals and 78 appearances for Hajduk. During practice sessions this week, we got to see a glimpse of what this kid could do. Explosive speed, crisp delivery from the wing, and the ability to beat multiple players 1v1. While Pjaca and Perisic have the wing positions locked for the time being, Vlasic should be a good second option in the upcoming years.

Fran Tudor (Hajduk) – Right Back/Winger

I’m giving this kid the “bulldog” nickname. While he may be the shortest player on the pitch (5’7″), his pace and never give up attitude were on display this week. On multiple occasions, Tudor shook off players twice his size, and moved at an amazing right of speed down the wing. As a bonus, Fran was mentored by Danijel Pranjic before coming back to Hajduk, where he scored his first goal in his first appearance for the club.