The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has been a decent ride for the 2018 runner-up Croatia. After a win and a couple of draws in the group stage, it finished second and faced Japan in the pre-quarters, against who it managed to win via penalties and enter the quarterfinals. While Ivan Perisic has been the top performer for the side, coming up with two crucial assists in the tournament so far, top midfielder Luka Modric has also been inspirational despite his struggles. While many have wondered if this could be the latter's final competitive tournament in Croatian colours, national head coach Zlatko Dalic feels otherwise.