The golden generation of Croatia made history on Wednesday when they beat England 2-1 in the second semi-final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia to reach their first ever major tournament final.
They now play against France in the all-important final on Sunday at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow and we shall look at three reasons why Croatia can upset tournament favourites France and go all the way to clinch their maiden World Cup title.
3. Golden generation's golden opportunity
The Croatian team of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France was dubbed as the golden generation due to their third-place finish but this 'second' golden generation has overshadowed the former by going a step further and reaching the final.
The Croatian camp is well aware that unlike traditional football playing countries such as Germany, Argentina and Brazil they can't build a strong squad every four years to become title contenders.
Croatia had to wait 20 years to reach the World Cup knockout stage and will look to take full advantage of this opportunity.
2. Croatia's never-say-die attitude
Croatia began their World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Nigeria following which they hammered South American heavyweights Argentina 3-0 to ensure a Round of 16 spot.
They won their group with nine points and were clear favourites to win the Round of 16 tie against Denmark.
The game against Denmark got off to a surprising start as Croatia conceded early. However, a couple of minutes later Croatian striker Mandžukić scored to bring his side level.
Croatian skipper Luka Modrić had a chance to give his side the lead in the 116th minute from the penalty spot but was denied by the Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and the game had to be decided on penalties.
1. The Midfield Prowess
Croatian midfielders Luka Modrić (Left), Ivan Rakitić (Center) and Mateo Kovačić (Right)Croatia have reached great success in recent times due to their formidable midfield.
Players such as Ivan Rakitić, Ivan Perisić, Mateo Kovačić and skipper Modrić have been vital in building a strong midfield that has been the essence of this Croatian golden generation.
The transitional play of Croatia has been one of its greatest strengths and the midfield has played an absolutely pivotal role in that.Historically, it has been evident that a strong midfield is absolutely vital for a team's success.
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