Dalic admits Croatia’s World Cup opener against England ‘can destroy everything’

Zlatko Dalic sees Croatia’s World Cup opener against England as pivotal to their summer fortunes, admitting a softer first match may have been preferable for a team struggling with form and fitness issues. Croatia beat Slovenia 2-1 in their final friendly before flying to the US but Dalic is likely to face several selection issues when they face England on 17 June. The Manchester City pair of Mateo Kovacic and Josip Gvardiol are both coming back from injury and it adds to the sense that Dalic’s side, who finished third in 2022 and runners-up four years earlier , risk starting their tournament on the back foot. “Maybe, because the first game can destroy everything,” Dalic said when asked whether he would have preferred to play England later in the group stage. “At Euro 2024 we lost 3-0 to Spain in the first game and we fell down, couldn’t come back. But in the past we’ve beaten Nigeria [in 2018] and drawn with Morocco [in 2022]. “We can’t choose anything else now. The first game is the most important game. Against England we’ll fight, try to do our best and try to win.” Luka Modric, wearing a protective mask as he recovers from a fractured cheekbone, scored a beautifully taken goal in Varazdin but is among a handful of Dalic’s stalwarts lacking match sharpness. “Kovacic, Gvardiol and Modric didn’t play much for a long time and they are not in optimal form,” he said. “Especially Kovacic, he hardly played this season and now we need him. It’s not easy and we need time. …