00:04Croatia entered the official FIFA rankings in 1994, when they were placed 125th in the world.
00:15Four years later, they were ranked fourth, having taken the sport by storm at Euro 96, and especially France 98.
00:24They have rarely left the top 20 ever since, establishing themselves as a powerhouse of international football.
00:34Iterations of a Croatian national team existed as early as 1918.
00:39And between 1941 and 1945, the side representing the Nazi Germany puppet state of Croatia played a series of friendlies
00:48against near neighbours.
00:52But it wasn't until 1990 that the side we recognise today began to emerge.
00:58In that year, while still formally part of Yugoslavia, Croatia took on the USA, who were touring Europe at the
01:06time, and debuted their now iconic checkerboard jerseys.
01:12Two further unofficial friendlies took place, building towards Croatia's recognition as an independent nation in January 1992.
01:26Euro 96 was the first tournament Croatia could qualify for, and they reached it in style.
01:33Topping a qualification group containing recent World Cup finalist group phase to seal a 3-0 victory, was the high
01:39point of Croatia's colourful entry to competitive football.
01:43And put the world on notice, and put the world on notice that this small, new nation had some serious
01:49talent.
01:53That message was reinforced at France 98, when Schuquer's goals led Croatia to victories in their first two World Cup
02:01finals matches.
02:03Another so-off Romania in the round of 16, and the Real Madrid star was at it again in the
02:08quarter-finals, sealing a statement 3-0 victory over Germany.
02:18Schuquer opened the scoring in the semi-final against France, but the tournament hosts equalised almost immediately, and ran out
02:262-1 winners.
02:28But Croatia regrouped to secure a bronze medal, with victory over the Netherlands in the third-place play-off.
02:38It was an unprecedented arrival on the international stage.
02:46In hindsight, World Cup 98 marked the end of Croatia's first golden generation.
02:55The second golden generation began to emerge during a run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.
03:01The squad contained Vedran Chorluka, Ivan Rakitic, and Luka Modric, all aged 22 or under.
03:13Their progress was overseen by Slavin Bilic.
03:17But after he left in 2012, progress stalled.
03:21There was particular disappointment at a poor Euro 2016 campaign.
03:26There was a silver lining to an early exit, the appointment of Zlatko Dalic.
03:35Dalic was the coach who figured out how to maximise the enormous potential of Modric, now into his thirties,
03:42gifting him a free role in midfield alongside Rakitic and the hard-working Marcelo Brozovic.
03:47Together, that trio controlled matches, monopolising possession and feeding Maria Mandzukic and Ivan Parisic ahead of them.
04:00At Russia 2018, Croatia entered ranked 20th in the world.
04:04But a 3-0 group stage victory over Lionel Messi's Argentina put the tournament on notice.
04:14Daniel Subasic's penalty-saving prowess then came to the fore, saving his side in consecutive penalty shootouts,
04:22before an extra-time finish from Mandzukic made Croatia the 13th country to reach a World Cup final,
04:30and the second smallest by both population and land area.
04:37The final against France did not go according to plan, but Croatia still returned to Zagreb to a hero's welcome.
04:48The Covid-interrupted Euros of 2020 were a disappointment,
04:52but the Croatian squad remained one of abundant quality,
04:56enhanced by the emergence of Jozko Vkvaryol in defence.
05:01So a strong performance at Qatar 2022 was still expected.
05:07Even so, it was still an accomplishment to advance out of the group phase at favourite Belgium's expense.
05:14Then, for the second World Cup in a row, survive back-to-back penalty shootouts to reach the semi-finals.
05:20Dominic Ljivakovic this time, writing his name into history.
05:27Dominic Ljivakovic was powerless to deny Lionel Messi's destiny in the semi-finals.
05:32But victory over Morocco gave Croatia a second World Cup bronze medal, to go with Silva, and four years earlier.
05:42Seven possible World Cups as an independent country, six appearances at the finals, and three visits to the podium.
05:51It is a remarkable record.
05:55The challenge now is maintaining that status, as living legends depart the stage.
06:01Modric and Perisic continue to rage against the dying of the light.
06:05But there is only so long they can carry the team on their shoulders.
06:09A third golden generation does not appear to be forthcoming.
06:16But nobody would bet against one materialising.
06:20Croatia have proven repeatedly during their short existence,
06:23that they are not to be underestimated as a leading football nation.
06:29.
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