00:00.
00:07Croatia entered the official FIFA rankings in 1994,
00:11when they were placed 125th in the world.
00:18Four years later, they were ranked fourth.
00:21Having taken the sport by storm at Euro 96,
00:25and especially France 98,
00:27they have rarely left the top 20 ever since,
00:31establishing themselves as a powerhouse of international football.
00:37Iterations of a Croatian national team existed as early as 1918,
00:41and between 1941 and 1945,
00:45the side representing the Nazi Germany puppet state of Croatia
00:49played a series of friendlies against near neighbours.
00:55But it wasn't until 1990 that the side we recognise today began to emerge.
01:01In that year, while still formally part of Yugoslavia,
01:06Croatia took on the USA, who were touring Europe at the time,
01:09and debuted their now iconic checkerboard jerseys.
01:16Two further unofficial friendlies took place,
01:19building towards Croatia's recognition as an independent nation in January 1992.
01:29Euro 96 was the first tournament Croatia could qualify for,
01:33and they reached it in style,
01:36topping a qualification group containing recent World Cup finalists Italy.
01:41Zvonimir Boban and Robert Prozinewski were influential,
01:45but the superstar was Davor Shuker,
01:48who found the back of the net a continent leading 12 times.
01:54Shuker was no slouch at the finals either,
01:57scoring three times as his side reached the quarter-finals.
02:01His lob over Peter Schmeichel during the group phase to seal a 3-0 victory
02:06was the high point of Croatia's colourful entry to competitive football,
02:10and put the world on notice that this small, new nation had some serious talent.
02:21That message was reinforced at France 98,
02:24when Shuker's goals led Croatia to victories in their first two World Cup finals matches.
02:30Another saw off Romania in the round of 16.
02:33The Real Madrid star was at it again in the quarter-finals,
02:37sealing a statement 3-0 victory over Germany.
02:46Shuker opened the scoring in the semi-final against France,
02:49but the tournament hosts equalised almost immediately,
02:53and ran out 2-1 winners.
02:55But Croatia regrouped to secure a bronze medal,
02:59with victory over the Netherlands in the third-place play-off.
03:06It was an unprecedented arrival on the international stage.
03:13In hindsight, World Cup 98 marked the end of Croatia's first golden generation.
03:22The second golden generation began to emerge during a run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.
03:28The squad contained Vedran Chorluka, Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric, all aged 22 or under.
03:41Their progress was overseen by Slavin Bilic.
03:44But after he left in 2012, progress stalled.
03:49There was particular disappointment at a poor Euro 2016 campaign.
03:54There was a silver lining to an early exit.
03:56The appointment of Zlatko Dalic.
04:02Dalic was the coach who figured out how to maximise the enormous potential of Modric,
04:07now into his thirties, gifting him a free role in midfield alongside Rakitic and the hard-working Marcelo Brozovic.
04:16Together, that trio controlled matches, monopolising possession and feeding Maria Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic ahead of them.
04:27At Russia 2018, Croatia entered ranked 20th in the world.
04:32But a 3-0 group stage victory over Lionel Messi's Argentina put the tournament on notice.
04:41Daniel Subasic's penalty-saving prowess then came to the fore, saving his side in consecutive penalty shootouts.
04:49Before an extra-time finish from Mandzukic made Croatia the 13th country to reach a World Cup final.
04:57And the second smallest by both population and land area.
05:04The final against France did not go according to plan.
05:08But Croatia still returned to Zagreb to a hero's welcome.
05:16The Covid-interrupted Euros of 2020 were a disappointment.
05:20But the Croatian squad remained one of abundant quality.
05:24Enhanced by the emergence of Jozkod Gvarijal in defence.
05:28So a strong performance at Qatar 2022 was still expected.
05:34Even so, it was still an accomplishment to advance out of the group phase at favourite Belgium's expense.
05:41Then, for the second World Cup in a row, survive back-to-back penalty shootouts to reach the semi-finals.
05:48Dominic Ljivakovic this time, writing his name into history.
05:55Ljivakovic was powerless to deny Lionel Messi's destiny in the semi-finals.
06:00But victory over Morocco gave Croatia a second World Cup bronze medal.
06:04To go with silver from four years earlier.
06:10Seven possible World Cups as an independent country.
06:14Six appearances at the finals.
06:16And three visits to the podium.
06:19It is a remarkable record.
06:23The challenge now is maintaining that status.
06:26As living legends depart the stage.
06:29Modric and Perisic continue to rage against the dying of the light.
06:33But there is only so long they can carry the team on their shoulders.
06:37A third golden generation does not appear to be forthcoming.
06:43But nobody would bet against one materialising.
06:47Croatia have proven repeatedly during their short existence
06:50that they are not to be underestimated as a leading football nation.
06:56Now you will continue to see the changes in the history of the Lorenzen.
06:56The london.
06:56The true religion.
06:57The ron.
06:57The return of the sven.
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