Croatia’s Euro 2024 campaign ended in heartbreak, prompting questions about the future of their celebrated golden generation. Tearful manager Zlatko Dalic struggled to maintain composure as he addressed the media, the morning after a devastatingly late equalizer against Italy sealed their fate. While mathematical elimination wasn’t confirmed until Slovenia’s draw with England hours later, effectively closing any route as one of the best third-placed teams, Dalic seemed to sense the inevitable: the end of an era, not just for this tournament, but potentially for a cycle of iconic players and perhaps his own tenure.
Throughout Euro 2024, Croatia boasted phenomenal support in Germany. Tens of thousands of fans flocked to Berlin, Hamburg, and Leipzig, creating a vibrant, boisterous, and overwhelmingly loud atmosphere. This passionate support is typical at major tournaments, but the sheer scale was unprecedented. Against Italy, Croatian fans outnumbered their counterparts by an estimated four to one.
“This signifies that the national team has evolved into a movement,” a visibly moved Dalic stated on Tuesday. “It’s a cult, a national symbol. I urge them to remain united and continue supporting this national team, loving it in both defeat and victory.”
Croatia’s remarkable ascent in recent World Cups – reaching the final in Russia 2018 and the semi-finals in Qatar 2022, alongside a Nations League final appearance in 2023 – has amplified their fanbase significantly. However, the core of this successful team is aging. Luka Modric, the midfield maestro, is 38. His midfield partners, Marcelo Brozovic (31) and Mateo Kovacic (30), are also past their peak years. Ivan Perisic is 35, Andrej Kramaric is 33, and Ante Budimir is 32. Dalic himself has been at the helm for seven years.
After a painful group stage exit at these Euros, sealed by Italy’s dramatic late goal on Monday, is this the conclusion for one of European football’s most compelling teams of the last decade? Similar to the pressures faced by Gareth Southgate with England, Dalic, despite Croatia’s improved results since 2018, has faced severe criticism back home following underwhelming performances at Euro 2024.
To deem their tournament a complete disaster would be an overstatement. Had their matches against Albania and Italy concluded just minutes earlier, Croatia would have secured six points instead of two and progressed from Euro 2024’s notoriously challenging group.
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However, given the extraordinary heights of the previous two World Cups, disappointment, anger, and blame are rife regarding what went wrong. This Euro 2024 showing marks Croatia’s poorest major tournament performance since the 2014 World Cup, where a 3-1 defeat to Mexico led to a group stage exit.
“I accept full responsibility for this failure,” Dalic stated, while remaining silent on his future with the national team.
Succession Planning and Tactical Shortcomings
While the aging of Modric and his contemporaries is inevitable, a valid critique of Dalic’s tenure is the apparent lack of a clear succession plan for the team’s core. A pre-tournament friendly victory against Portugal (2-1) did little to persuade Dalic, fans, or the media that Croatia needed a rejuvenation. In fact, the result arguably heightened expectations, reinforcing the belief that the golden generation was capable of one final flourish at the Euros.
Dalic opted for the same starting XI in the opening group game against Spain as in the Portugal match. However, the context was significantly different. Portugal were missing several key players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe, Joao Cancelo, and Rafael Leao. It was, after all, just a friendly. “Following a strong performance against Portugal, a great game, it seemed illogical to make changes,” Dalic maintained.
His unwavering loyalty to the older guard – understandable given their unprecedented success for Croatia (“As long as I live, I will be grateful to them,” he affirmed in Germany) – has come under scrutiny. Marcelo Brozovic, in particular, has faced criticism, with suggestions that his move to Saudi Arabia and Al Nassr has diminished his intensity in defensive midfield.
Missed Opportunities for Youth Integration
Fringe players like Ajax left-back Borna Sosa were largely overlooked. Perisic started at left-back against Albania, appearing every bit of his 35 years, especially considering his recent ACL injury. Atalanta’s Mario Pasalic also saw limited game time.
Younger talents, considered the future of Croatian football, were given scant opportunities. Dinamo Zagreb’s 21-year-old Martin Baturina, touted as the “next Modric,” played only five minutes throughout the tournament. Luka Sucic, a dynamic 21-year-old midfielder from Red Bull Salzburg, made a belated start against Italy and was among Croatia’s better performers.
Lovro Zvonarek, a highly-rated 19-year-old attacking midfielder at Bayern Munich, remains uncapped and saw minimal Bundesliga action last season.
Tactical Inflexibility and Defensive Frailties
Dalic’s tactical approach at Euro 2024 appeared uncertain. He rotated outfield positions extensively, changing right-backs, left-backs, and centre-backs. Josko Gvardiol was shifted between roles, and six different players featured in the three forward positions. The only constant was the central midfield trio of Modric, Kovacic, and Brozovic – once lauded by Dalic as the world’s best.
While this midfield unit wasn’t the primary problem, a lack of energy and creativity was evident, both within and around them. Modric, despite still being a talisman, lacked consistent rhythm after limited starts for Real Madrid last season. Kovacic also had a relatively low number of starts for Manchester City, and Brozovic was playing in the less intense Saudi league.
Scorer. Leader. Record-breaker.
🇭🇷 Luka Modrić 👏@Vivo_GLOBAL | #EUROPOTM pic.twitter.com/W5cID41gTq
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 24, 2024
A significant issue was Croatia’s porous defense. After conceding just four goals in qualifying, they conceded six in just three Euro 2024 group games. A key weakness was defending crosses, particularly in-swinging deliveries.
Defensive Lapses on Crosses
Against Spain, despite packing the penalty area, Dani Carvajal, one of the smallest players, ghosted in unmarked to score from an in-swinging cross. Multiple Croatian players were nearby but failed to challenge.
A similar vulnerability was exposed during Euro 2024 qualifying against Wales. Harry Wilson scored from another in-swinging cross, despite Croatia having numerical superiority in the box.
The pattern repeated against Albania. Qazim Laci headed in another in-swinging cross, exploiting a gap between centre-backs Sutalo and Gvardiol. Albania’s late equalizer also stemmed from a cross that Croatia failed to defend adequately.
Structural Issues and Midfield Positioning
Gaps between Croatia’s centre-backs were a recurring theme, often linked to their ball-dominant midfield trio. Against Spain, Kovacic and Brozovic dropped deep between the centre-backs during build-up play. When possession was lost, this expansive setup created a wide gap between the central defenders, leaving them vulnerable to direct attacks.
This vulnerability had been evident earlier in the Spain game. Croatia’s expansive positioning in transitional moments left them exposed through the centre.
Dalic’s Response and Tactical Tweaks
Following the Albania draw, Dalic acknowledged his team’s shortcomings. “We couldn’t do anything right,” he admitted, criticizing their slow tempo and midfield giveaways. He also noted their lack of aggression, evidenced by zero yellow cards in the first two games. He even pointed out Perisic’s age as a factor.
Dalic’s tactical response against Italy was to overload the midfield, effectively deploying a 4-6-0 formation with Kramaric as a central attacker.
This approach offered more control but sacrificed attacking dynamism. Croatia lacked pace upfront and struggled to capitalize on their lead. Ultimately, desperate late defending cost them again, with Italy scoring in the 98th minute to snatch a draw and eliminate Croatia.
Zaccagni’s composure and finish in the final minute… 🥶#EUROGOTT | @AlipayPlus pic.twitter.com/pHyMHLzfot
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 24, 2024
A Lap of Honour, Not a Last Dance
The enduring image of Croatia’s Euro 2024 will be a distraught Luka Modric, clutching his man-of-the-match award – a bittersweet memento of an unwanted occasion.
A generation that emerged around 2008 and flourished from 2016 to 2023 appears to have reached its end. Croatia has faced generational transitions before. The 2002 World Cup marked the close of the 1998 semi-finalist generation, featuring legends like Davor Suker and Robert Prosinecki. Now, Modric and Perisic, Croatian football icons, are likely to follow suit.
Croatia’s Euro 2024 wasn’t a final flourish, but perhaps a poignant lap of honour for a generation that has indelibly marked Croatian football history.
(Top photo: Maja Hitij – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
