Croatia
FIFA #12
A nation of four million people that keeps producing world-class midfielders and reaching World Cup finals. Modrić is somehow still there, still brilliant, still refusing to acknowledge the concept of aging.
📍 In the US
Staged in the Chicago area, which has a significant Croatian-American community dating back over a century. Croatian flags were appearing in the northern suburbs before they appeared on UEFA's radar, and the red-and-white checkerboard will be visible from well outside the stadium.
Style
Midfield-dominated and technically precise, winning the ball high and keeping it until they find a gap through disciplined combination play.
Rivals
Italy. A complicated Adriatic relationship that extends well beyond football — their World Cup encounters have done nothing to simplify the centuries of history between these neighboring nations.
Home Base
A country of 4 million on the Adriatic coast where football is taken with an intensity that feels disproportionate to the geography. Split and Zagreb produce club-level passion that gets entirely redirected into the national team during tournaments. The chessboard jersey may be the most recognizable kit in international football.
Human Rights
Freedom House
Political rights and civil liberties score (higher = more free)
Reporters Without Borders
Press Freedom Index ranking (lower = more free, out of 180 countries)
UN Human Development Index
Human Development Index score (higher = more developed, 0–1 scale)
Transparency International
Perceived public sector corruption — higher is cleaner
ILGA World
Legal status of same-sex relationships