FIFA World Cup 2018: Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Mario Mandzukic named in Croatia's 24-man squad

Zagreb: Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic named on Monday a 24-man World Cup squad, which will be eventually reduced by one player, and is led by international stars Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic. Croatia are appearing at the World Cup for the fifth time and have been drawn alongside two time former champions Argentina, Nigeria and Iceland in a tricky Group D. “I didn’t have many dilemmas … I firmly believe in these players,” Dalic told reporters. [caption id=“attachment_4477501” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Croatia midfielders Luka Modric (R) and Ivan Rakitic. AFP[/caption] “One of the stoppers will be removed from the list.” After gathering in Zagreb this weekend the squad leaves for preparations in the Adriatic town of Rovinj. Croatia face Brazil in a pre-tournament friendly on 3 June at Anfield and take on Senegal five days later in Osijek before flying out to Russia. “I wanted strong matches to see our situation, to correct some things. These two matches will give us a real picture,” said the 51-year-old Dalic. The match against Brazil would be a “copy” of the one to be played against Argentina, he said. World Cup squads must be reduced to 23 players by 4 June. Croatia squad: Goalkeepers (3): Danijel Subasic (Monaco/FRA), Lovre Kalinic (Gent/BEL), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb) Defenders (9): Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas/TUR), Ivan Strinic (Sampdoria/ITA), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool/ENG), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Josip Pivaric (Dinamo Kiev/UKR), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Matej Mitrovic (Club Brugge/BEL), Duje Caleta-Car (Salzburg/AUT) Midfielders (6): Luka Modric (Real Madrid/ESP), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona/ESP), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid/ESP), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina/ITA), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan/ITA), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka) Forwards (6): Mario Mandzukic (Juventus/ITA), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan/ITA), Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan/ITA), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim/GER), Marko Pjaca (Schalke/GER), Ante Rebic (Eintracht/GER)