 "FIFA World Cup 2018: Croatia's midfield fulcrum in the spotlight as Denmark prepare for change of approach in last 16 clash")
World Cup football isn’t simply about the tactics and the technicalities – more often than not, it is about the quaint stories surrounding the players, the tid-bits of an inspiring display which seep into the folklore, the rich aroma of excitement which boils over from the eleven men to the entirety of a nation watching with bated breath back home. It is the fashion in which World Cup appearances make a place for themselves in the sporting culture for generations to follow which make it all the more special for the smaller nations, and who can appreciate it better than Croatia or Denmark!
The match at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium will be Croatia’s first Round of 16 appearance in the last two decades, and this ‘golden generation’ of Croats would love to emulate the heights of their first ever World Cup display after independence. One of the two nations to make it out of the group stages with a perfect record, Croatia are the favourites tonight, but there is no denying that this test would be way tougher than the ones they faced in the previous two weeks, even more so than Argentina.
After all, Denmark are chasing a piece of history themselves. Nobody gave the Danes much thought when they were drawn alongside France, Peru and Australia, but Age Hareide’s side has a sense of conviction in their playing style rarely seen among the lesser experienced nations in the World Cup. While Croatia had dazzled in the group stages, Denmark barely survived. They were infinitesimally fortunate to earn all three points against Peru, did the bare minimum against Australia and booed off by spectators after their goalless draw against France, but they are still unbeaten in the competition.
Denmark were frustrating to watch in their first three matches, scoring only on two occasions. Hareide defended their displays on nerves, promising a different approach in the knockouts, having had to field questions from the Danish press regarding his modus operandi. The Norwegian has received some criticism due to his long-ball approach which has restricted the likes of Christian Eriksen and Thomas Delaney, but results speak for themselves. Denmark have gone on a seventeen-match unbeaten run and it is all down to their manager and the incredibly talented bunch of players who execute his schemes with utter conviction.
“We know that we don’t seem like the most fearsome bunch to go up against. We’re not going to lose 5-0 by trying to play tiki-taka football. But people shouldn’t get used to seeing us play like we did against France. It’s seldom that we play like this, and the game against Croatia will be a very different spectacle,” Delaney explained.
The game against Croatia will be a different spectacle, mostly because Croatia are cut from a different cloth than France. The Croats have showcased an energetic, vibrant brand of football – blowing away oppositions with absolute ease. And at the heart of it all lies the midfield fulcrum of Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic.
The ‘El Clasico’ opponents provide Croatia with an elite midfield dynamic, ably backed by talented youngsters like Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic and Ante Rebic. The Vatreni are not only fascinating because of their assured displays, but they have created a buzz of epic proportions because of the widespread belief that this summer will be the one when the Croats will peak as a team. And the evidence is certainly there. Croatia did not concede a single goal from open play. Neither did Denmark, but Croatia simply haven’t allowed their opponents to assert themselves – controlling the tempo at every juncture.
They have looked infallible even in moments of doubts – Modric in particular capturing the attention of millions even though the Real Madrid midfielder has operated with a similar intensity over majority of the past decade. Modric’s genius is often under-appreciated, the petite playmaker barely finding a mention among football’s modern greats, probably because of his humility and calmness. Modric, however, revels in the fact that his cerebral style of play doesn’t garner much attention – going about his job and orchestrating wins.
“We’ve played fantastically in the group stage. We must be proud of that. But for this new game, we must forget all that went before. It is a stern test for us, but it is high time that this generation hurdles this obstacle which we haven’t hurdled since 1998,” Modric told reporters, before adding, “I expect us to be capable of doing that – we are full of self-confidence.”
A quarter-final appearance against arguably the best midfield of the tournament in Spain or the hosts Russia is at stake, but it isn’t simply about progression to the next round. While Croatia finally has the team to better their semi-final appearance in 1998 and potentially go the entire distance, the Danes are looking to galvanise a sporting revolution worthy of Michael Laudrup’s Class of 1986.
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