Croatia entered the match against Panama with a completely different mindset compared to what they had expected going into the 2026 World Cup .
The 2-4 defeat against England sent the checkered-shirted team to the bottom of Group L, putting them in a position where they could not afford any more mistakes.
But it was also at that moment that the Croatians had reason to believe, as they still had their leader Luka Modric.
At 40, the legendary midfielder remains the heart and soul of Croatia's game. Against England, he may no longer have the physical presence to cover the entire pitch like in his prime, but every touch of the ball still brings a sense of calm and composure.
In a match where the defense was constantly stretched by the opponent's speed, Modric was still the one who kept Croatia from completely losing their structure and confidence.
Panama is certainly not an easy opponent. The CONCACAF representative played very resiliently against Ghana and only lost due to a last-minute injury-time goal.
Panama has an organized defense, competes fiercely, and possesses sufficient physical fitness to cause difficulties for any opponent.
But unlike England, Panama doesn't possess a squad of players capable of consistently making a difference at the highest level.
That's when Modric's value can make a difference. Matches like these are often decided by a pass that unlocks the defense, a moment of quicker game reading than the rest, or simply the ability to control the tempo when pressure builds.
Modric has spent nearly two decades doing that at the highest level of world football.
Croatia understands that if they don't beat Panama, their chances of advancing will be extremely slim before the final match against Ghana. Therefore, they will almost certainly take the initiative to attack from the start and force their opponents into making mistakes.
Predicted lineup:
Panama (3-4-3): Mosquera; Ramos, Cordoba, Andrade; Murillo, Harvey, Barcenas, Blackman; Martinez, Waterman, Rodriguez.
Croatia (4-3-3): Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Modric, Kovacic, Pasalic; Perisic, Musa, Kramaric.
Prediction: Croatia wins 3-1 .
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nhan-dinh-bong-da-panama-vs-croatia-bang-l-world-cup-2026-2528336.html
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