While Brasil have a host of household names(well those houses that watch football) what do we need to know about Croatia?

Mateo Kovacic

Young midfielder Mateo Kovacic had not had the best of seasons in Inter Milan as he struggles to nail down a first team place. The 20-year old has had no such problems on the international scene however, producing some excellent performances for Croatia.

Struggling to adapt to life as a deeper-lying playmaker having burst onto the scene as an attacking midfielder, rumours are that the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool are monitoring his situation with Kovacic with regards to signing him over this summer’s transfer window.

The former Dinamo Zagreb apprentice is known for his excellent runs from deep and his eye for an assist and Croatia will be looking to their young starlet to provide a creative spark on the counter attack.


3) Eduardo da Silva


Even if it’s just during the national anthems, it may be worth watching former Arsenal man Eduardo. The former Arsenal forward was born in Rio De Janeiro and moved to Croatia at the age of 16 before going on to gain citizenship.

Currently at Shakhtar Donetsk, Eduardo has gone on to earn over 60 caps for Croatia but supposedly still considers himself a Brazilian at heart according to his mother, who admitted her son may sing both national anthems.