Croatia boss Niko Kovač has revealed his provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup, and both Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modrić and Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandžukić are in it.
World Cup 2014 squads: Luka Modrić and Mario Mandžukić headline Croatia’s 30-man roster
Croatia’s provisional 30-man World Cup squad is out, and it’s easy to pick out the star names.
Alex Grimm
So too are is Hull City striker Nikica Jelavić and a smattering of talented youngsters like Inter Milan's playmaker Mateo Kovačić, Genoa's versatile full-back Šime Vrsaljko and Fiorentina forward Ante Rebić, in a squad that has a pleasing balance of youth and experience. Let's hope at least some of the youngsters make the final 23.
Australian-born centre-back Josip Šimunić misses out -- he’s currently serving a 10-game suspension after making a fascist salute in the aftermath of the qualifying victory over Iceland that guaranteed Croatia their place in Brazil.
Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (FC Rostov), Danijel Subašić (Monaco), Oliver Zelenika (NK Lokomotiv, on loan from Dinamo Zagreb)
Defenders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Dejan Lovren (Southampton), Vedran Ćorluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Gordon Schildenfeld (Panathinaikos), Danijel Pranjić (Panathinaikos), Ivan Strinić (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kyiv), Šime Vrsaljko (Genoa), Igor Bubnjić (Udinese)
Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla), Niko Kranjčar (Queens Park Rangers), Ognjen Vukojević (Dynamo Kyiv), Ivan Perišić (Wolfsburg), Mateo Kovačić (Inter Milan), Milan Badelj (Hamburg), Ivo Iličević (Hamburg), Marcelo Brozović (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Močinić (HNK Rijeka), Mario Pašalić (Hajduk Split), Sammir (Getafe)
Forwards: Mario Mandžukić (Bayern Munich), Ivica Olić (Wolfsburg), Eduardo da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk), Nikica Jelavić (Hull City), Ante Rebić (Fiorentina), Duje Čop (Dinamo Zagreb)
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