Following nearly a 10-month break, due to COVID-19 pandemic, Croatia national football team will meet on 31 August in Zagreb, as the new edition of the UEFA Nations League is to begin in September.
FIFA World Cup runners-up will visit European champions Portugal in Porto (5 September), and world champions France at Stade de France in St. Denis (8 September), in a 2018 FIFA World Cup Final rematch.
Zlatko Dalić has called up 23 players, with six players on a stand-by. Goalkeeper Ivo Grbić and defender Marin Pongračić are the new names on the list.
"Even though the circumstances are not great, considering the pandemic, we are all overjoyed to meet following such a long break. September matches are difficult, since many players come directly from their holidays, but every team has similar issues. It is important that internationals have some time to rest, especially regarding an exhausting season that will be completed with the EURO tournament, our main objective", Dalić said.
"Our oppoents could not be any tougher. It is enough to say that we will play away at European champions, and then world champions. We have the utmost respect for Portugal and France, but Croatia has plenty of quality and we will definitely try to overturn the negative streak we have against these two teams. We will check the current form of each and every player, since our priorities are the health of our internationals, FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and the EURO 2020", he concluded.
📝⬇️ The Croatia squad list for the September UNL matches is out now
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) August 17, 2020
Just 2️⃣ weeks left until the Vatreni are finally back in action and we are EXCITED 🥳🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/ymnlNaRlao
Alongside Portugal and France, Sweden will compete in Croatia's UEFA Nations League group. The top team will secure a spot at the final tournament, while the bottom-placed team will be relegated to Group B.
Croatia squad for matches with Portugal and France:
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo), Simon Sluga (Luton Town), Ivo Grbić (Lokomotiva)
Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Šime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Borna Barišić (Glasgow Rangers), Duje Ćaleta-Car (Marseille), Dario Melnjak (Rizespor), Marin Pongračić (Wolfsburg)
Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitić (Barcelona), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Internazionale), Milan Badelj (Lazio), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (CSKA Moscow)
Forwards: Ivan Perišić (Bayern), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Ante Rebić (AC Milan), Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Bruno Petković (Dinamo)
Stand-by: Lovre Kalinić (Aston Villa), Marko Rog (Cagliari), Mile Škorić (Osijek), Ante Budimir (Mallorca), Antonio Mirko Čolak (Rijeka), Filip Uremović (Rubin Kazan)
