England Haven’t Won Anything in 60 Years, We Have Three Medals

"England haven’t won anything in 60 years, we have three medals," said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic ahead of the opening match, adding, "They say we are done, but we are here." Sport 5 Published: 10.06.26, 20:43 (GETTY) | Photo: Sport 5

Croatia has only 3.8 million residents, yet the national team from Eastern Europe is one of the best teams in the world. On Wednesday, the Vatreni will begin their seventh World Cup, when they face England. Zlatko Dalic, who led Luka Modric and his teammates to historic achievements, including reaching the 2018 World Cup final and finishing third at the 2022 World Cup, spoke ahead of the tournament and delivered several interesting quotes: "Since 2018 they have been saying we are old, and yet together with France and Germany we have won the most medals in the 21st century. England haven’t won anything in 60 years, we have three medals. They always underestimate us and say we are finished, but we are still here, thanks to our discipline and hard work. It is much harder to stay at the top than to reach it."

The coach continued: "This is a knockout tournament, there is no room for beauty or enjoyment, we will play pragmatic football and focus on results. Everything starts with defense, I prefer to win 1-0 rather than 4-3. There are players who have been with us since 2018, although eight years have passed they still have an important role, and I am aware that we will need to push young players."

"England will be our toughest challenge, but we have scouted and we know everything we need to know. I already know the lineup, these games give us answers."

While all eyes are on Luka Modric and the veteran generation, one of the most intriguing stories comes from the back line. Luka Vuskovic, the 19-year-old center back, is considered one of Croatian football’s biggest prospects and one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe. After an excellent season in the Bundesliga and a first run in the national team jersey, he arrives at the major tournament as the next big thing for the team.

Modric, who will lead the squad despite being 40, arrives after a difficult season at Milan. The midfielder recovered from a cheekbone fracture and even played wearing a protective mask, scoring in the final warmup match against Slovenia. The captain will appear at his fifth World Cup and hopes to add another chapter to his remarkable career. World Cup 2026. Found a language mistake?