Croatia VS England

Ranked 13th in the global standings, Croatia boasts extremely rich experience in top-tier international tournaments. Their midfield forms the absolute core of the squad, with veteran playmakers led by Luka Modric showing exceptional command over game tempo. They excel at stretching and disrupting opponents' defensive lines with consecutive short passes, backed by elite-level game reading capabilities. The team builds their system around midfield possession, with fully flexible pace on both offensive and defensive transitions. Their set-piece tactics are highly polished, and they hold clear advantages in aerial duels. Their main weakness lies in the squad's relatively high average age: their fitness level tends to drop notably as the game wears on after sustained high-intensity duels. They lack explosive pace on the wide areas, leaving their full-backs under huge defensive pressure when facing opponents' fast counterattacks. Playing at their home ground in Rijeka with full support from local fans, Croatia will prioritize locking down midfield possession first, and wear down their opponents gradually with their signature possession-based play.