00:07Croatia entered the official FIFA rankings in 1994, when they were placed 125th in the world.
00:18Four years later, they were ranked fourth, having taken the sport by storm at Euro 96,
00:24and especially France 98. They have rarely left the top 20 ever since, establishing themselves
00:32as a powerhouse of international football. Iterations of a Croatian national team existed
00:40as early as 1918, and between 1941 and 1945, the side representing the Nazi Germany puppet
00:48state of Croatia played a series of friendlies against near-neighbours.
00:55But it wasn't until 1990 that the side we recognise today began to emerge.
01:01In that year, while still formally part of Yugoslavia, Croatia took on the USA, who were touring
01:08Europe at the time, and debuted their now iconic checkerboard jerseys.
01:16Two further unofficial friendlies took place, building towards Croatia's recognition as
01:22an independent nation in January 1992.
01:29Euro 96 was the first tournament Croatia could qualify for, and they reached it in style,
01:35topping a qualification group containing recent World Cup finalists Italy.
01:41Zvonimir Boban and Robert Prozinewski were influential, but the superstar was Davor Shuker,
01:48who found the back of the net a continent leading 12 times.
01:54Shuker was no slouch at the finals either, scoring three times as his side reached the quarter-finals.
02:01His lob over Peter Schmeichel during the group phase to seal a 3-0 victory was the high point
02:07of Croatia's colourful entry to competitive football, and put the world on notice that this
02:13small, new nation had some serious talent.
02:20That message was reinforced at France 98, when Shuker's goals led Croatia to victories in their
02:27first two World Cup finals matches.
02:30Another saw off Romania in the round of 16.
02:33The Real Madrid star was at it again in the quarter-finals, sealing a statement 3-0 victory over Germany.
02:46Shuker opened the scoring in the semi-final against France, but the tournament hosts equalised
02:51almost immediately, and ran out 2-1 winners.
02:54But Croatia regrouped to secure a bronze medal, with victory over the Netherlands in the third-place
03:01play-off.
03:05It was an unprecedented arrival on the international stage.
03:13In hindsight, World Cup 98 marked the end of Croatia's first golden generation.
03:22The second golden generation began to emerge during a run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.
03:29The squad contained Vedran Chorluka, Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric, all aged 22 or under.
03:41Their progress was overseen by Slavin Bilic, but after he left in 2012, progress stalled.
03:49There was particular disappointment at a poor Euro 2016 campaign.
03:54There was a silver lining to an early exit, the appointment of Zlatko Dalic.
04:02Dalic was the coach who figured out how to maximise the enormous potential of Modric,
04:07now into his 30s, gifting him a free role in midfield alongside Rakitic and the hard-working Marcelo Brozovic.
04:16Together, that trio controlled matches, monopolising possession and feeding Maria Mandzukic and Ivan Parisic ahead of them.
04:27At Russia 2018, Croatia entered ranked 20th in the world, as a 3-0 group stage victory over Lionel Messi's
04:35Argentina put the tournament on notice.
04:41Daniel Subasic's penalty-saving prowess then came to the fore, saving his side in consecutive penalty shootouts,
04:49before an extra-time finish from Mandzukic made Croatia the 13th country to reach a World Cup final,
04:57and the second smallest by both population and land area.
05:04The final against France did not go according to plan, but Croatia still returned to Zagreb to a hero's welcome.
05:15The Covid-interrupted Euros of 2020 were a disappointment, but the Croatian squad remained one of abundant quality,
05:24enhanced by the emergence of Jozko Gvaryol in defence.
05:28So a strong performance at Qatar 2022 was still expected.
05:34Even so, it was still an accomplishment to advance out of the group phase at favourite Belgium's expense.
05:41Then, for the second World Cup in a row, survive back-to-back penalty shootouts to reach the semi-finals.
05:48Dominic Livakovic this time, writing his name into history.
05:55Livakovic was powerless to deny Lionel Messi's destiny in the semi-finals,
05:59but victory over Morocco gave Croatia a second World Cup bronze medal,
06:04to go with silver from four years earlier.
06:10Seven possible World Cups as an independent country,
06:14six appearances at the finals,
06:16and three visits to the podium.
06:18It is a remarkable record.
06:23The challenge now is maintaining that status,
06:26as living legends depart the stage.
06:28Modric and Perisic continue to rage against the dying of the light,
06:32but there is only so long they can carry the team on their shoulders.
06:37A third golden generation does not appear to be forthcoming.
06:43But nobody would bet against one materialising.
06:47Croatia have proven repeatedly during their short existence,
06:51that they are not to be underestimated as a leading football nation.
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