World Cup: Kramaric confident talented Croatians can repeat 2018 final feat
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(From left) Croatia's Mislav Orsic, Andrej Kramaric and Borna Sosa during training in Qatar on Nov 18, 2022.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Qatar 2022 has copped criticism for its Nov 20-Dec 18 scheduling in the middle of the European season. But Croatia forward Andrej Kramaric believes it is not necessarily a bad thing to have a World Cup when players are “not so tired’’.
The 31-year-old forward, in an interview facilitated by the Bundesliga, told The Straits Times: “When you have the World Cup at the end of the season, most of the players have played a lot of matches and they get tired. So maybe it’s going to be a good time for them to be at this World Cup because they are not so tired.”
Croatia, the runners-up at the previous edition, are in Group F alongside 2018 semi-finalists Belgium, Morocco and Canada, while Group E comprises Spain, Germany, Japan and Costa Rica.
The Hoffenheim man could well meet familiar faces from the Bundesliga in the round of 16 but, again, he is unfazed even if the Germans are out to make up for their shocking group-stage elimination as defending champions four years ago.
He said: “Maybe we will face Germany (Group E winners will meet Group F runners-up and vice-versa). There are so many good players and players with potential in Germany. They have a crazy team but I’m going to be honest, we are not afraid of the Germans. It will be a very intense and interesting game which Croatia will win.”
Kramaric has every reason to feel confident. At the last World Cup, they beat Argentina, Nigeria and Iceland in the group stage, overcame Denmark and Russia on penalties, edged out England after extra time before losing 4-2 to France in the final.
Veterans like Danijel Subasic, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic have retired from international football but there are still seasoned campaigners like Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Kramaric and highly rated youngsters such as 20-year-old RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
With a population of just four million, or about three-quarters of Singapore’s population, to pick from, Croatia have done remarkably well since gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. They finished third on their World Cup debut at France 1998 and qualified for every edition except for South Africa 2010.
Croatian national football team players ride a bus as people gather for a "heroes' welcome" in tribute to their national team, after reaching the final at the Russia 2018 World Cup, at the Bana Jelacica Square in Zagreb.
Kramaric said: “It’s not only football (that Croatia are good at). It’s basketball, handball, water polo; it doesn’t matter which sport. We are just talented, we are gifted like this and we are born with the talent.”
Then he added tongue in cheek: “Maybe it’s because of the nice women we have.”
On a more serious note, he explained that talent development was the key, saying: “Almost every year, you can find new 16-, 17-, 18-year-old players who are fantastic. And there are so many more behind the scenes but sometimes the character and the wrong lifestyle mean they end up not showing their talent.
“But it’s totally crazy that one population of four million people can produce so many talents that perform in almost every sport, and I hope that it is going to continue like this.
“At the other end (of the age spectrum), when you see Luka Modric who has won everything at club level and how he is playing at 37, he is the perfect example for us to be motivated, to get better and want to win more games.”
Kramaric also reminisced about the reception they received at the Bana Jelacica Square in Zagreb after they returned home from Russia in 2018.
More than 250,000 people donned red-and-white and waved the Croatian flag as observers described the homecoming as the biggest event the nation has had.
The players’ open-top bus travelled for hours to cover the 15km from the airport to the city centre, as the country bonded over the singing of their national anthem, and the ardent feeling of national pride and joy.
Kramaric, who scored against Russia and came on as a substitute in the final, said: “Actually we didn’t realise during the World Cup what was happening in Croatia and, when we came back to our nation, the reception was something impossible and unreal.
“It was maybe the most special moment in my life, and it will be nice to feel it again.”
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