Modrić, Perišić, Brozović highlight Croatia World Cup squad

By: The Associated Press Posted: 5:20 AM CST Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — The veteran core of Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić and Marcelo Brozović were included in the 26-man team that Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić announced for the World Cup on Wednesday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/11/2022 (1386 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Croatia, a finalist in 2018, is in Group F with Belgium, Canada and Morocco for the tournament in Qatar.

Forwards Josip Brekalo of Wolfsburg and Antonio Mirko Čolak of Rangers were among the eight players cut from a preliminary 34-man team announced 10 days ago.

FILE - Austria's Stefan Posch, left, duels for the ball with Croatia's Ivan Perisic during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Austria and Croatia at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File)

AC Milan winger Ante Rebić hasn’t played since he criticized Dalić following the team’s last-16 loss to Spain at last year’s European Championship. Rebić wasn’t even included in the preliminary team and was also excluded from the World Cup squad.

Croatia opens Nov. 27 against Morocco and then plays Canada four days later, before taking on group favorite Belgium on Dec. 1.

Croatia will also play a pre-tournament friendly with Saudi Arabia in Riyadh next Wednesday.

CROATIA:

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivica Ivušić (NK Osijek), Ivo Grbić (Atlético Madrid).

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Dejan Lovren (Zenit St. Petersburg), Borna Barišić (Rangers), Josip Juranović (Celtic), Joško Gvardiol (Leipzig), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josip Stanišić (Bayern Munich), Martin Erlić (Sassuolo), Josip Šutalo (Dinamo Zagreb).

Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Inter Milan), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (Torino), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Kristijan Jakić (Eintracht Frankfurt), Luka Sučić (Salzburg),

Croatia's Luka Modric is in action during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Croatia and Denmark at the Maksimir stadium in Zagreb, Croatia, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Forwards: Ivan Perišić (Tottenham), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Bruno Petković (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hadjuk Split).

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports