Croatia's World Cup Opener Against England: A Defining Moment

Zlatko Dalic knows exactly what’s coming.

Croatia open their World Cup campaign against England on 17 June in Dallas, and their head coach is under no illusions: this first step could define the entire summer.

“Maybe, because the first game can destroy everything,” he admitted when asked if he would rather face England later in the group.

That line hung in the air like a warning. Croatia have lived both sides of that reality – and recently.

A brutal lesson, a familiar stage

At Euro 2024 they were blown away 3-0 by Spain in their opener and never truly recovered. The campaign collapsed before it had even found its rhythm. Dalic hasn’t forgotten.

But he also remembers the other openings. Nigeria beaten in 2018. Morocco held in 2022. Each time Croatia used that first result as a launchpad, first to a World Cup final, then to third place.

This time, though, the stakes feel sharper. The opponent is England. The memories are rich. The margins, Dalic knows, are thin.

“We can’t choose anything else now,” he said. “The first game is the most important game. Against England we’ll fight, try to do our best and try to win.”

Wins, worries and a thin margin for error

Croatia arrive in the US on the back of a 2-1 win over Slovenia in Varazdin, a friendly that settled nerves more than it solved problems. The result was welcome. The questions remain.

Dalic’s squad is creaking in key areas. Mateo Kovacic and Josip Gvardiol, both from Manchester City, are working their way back from injury. They are not alone.

“Kovacic, Gvardiol and Modric didn’t play much for a long time and they are not in optimal form,” Dalic said. “Especially Kovacic, he hardly played this season and now we need him. It’s not easy and we need time. Gvardiol is now back but I know they are not at the optimal level. We don’t have a big roster and these are some of our most important players.”

That last sentence cuts to the heart of it. Croatia do not have the depth to simply rotate stars in and out. When their core is bruised, the whole structure feels it.

Modric masked, but still decisive

Even in that context, Luka Modric remains the emotional and technical centre of everything. In Varazdin, the 38‑year‑old played in a protective mask as he recovers from a fractured cheekbone – and still produced the game’s standout moment, a beautifully taken goal that underlined his enduring class.

The finish was vintage Modric. The picture around him is less reassuring. Match sharpness is missing, minutes have been scarce, and Dalic knows he is asking a lot of legs that have carried Croatia deep into tournaments for six years.

Yet Modric with a mask is still Modric. For Croatia, that matters.

England memories, but no mind games

Dalic, of course, has history with England. He was on the touchline in Moscow in 2018 when Croatia came from behind to win their World Cup semi-final, a night that still lingers in English football’s psyche.

He refused to lean on that storyline. England, he pointed out, have beaten Croatia twice since. Whatever scars remain are England’s to discuss, not his.

What he did acknowledge, though, is the scale of the task.

“A very strong team whose league is the best in the world and who play very offensive, very fast,” he said. “We will have to do something more.”

England have already settled into their US base, flying to Miami a week before the match despite the game being in Dallas. Dalic spoke approvingly of that detailed preparation, a nod to the seriousness of the challenge.

A pivotal night in Dallas

So Croatia head into their opener caught between pedigree and vulnerability. Third place in 2022. Runners‑up in 2018. Yet now wrestling with form, fitness and a schedule that offers no gentle introduction.

The equation is stark. Survive England and the path opens. Stumble badly, as they did against Spain last summer, and the climb back may be too steep this time.

Dalic doesn’t have the luxury of easing into this World Cup. He has England, a bruised but proud core, and one shot at starting on the front foot.