What Croatia did last World Cup wasn't that much of a shock to me as they played really well as a team. The fact that they were able to go that far in the tournament was not due to chance, but due to a magnificent football display on the field.
I am not saying that repeating something like that is impossible, but it certainly is quite a challenge that's for sure. However, even in this tournament, Croatia has a very competent squad that is made up of players with a lot of potentials. What really surprises me is that they have a really talented midfield that can feed the attackers really well.
Players such as Luka Modric and Ivan Perišic are well past their prime. I am doubtful whether they will be able to repeat their performance from the 2018. But this is world cup, and with each edition we get a different team which surprises everyone. Last time, it was Croatia. This time it can be Serbia, Senegal or some other team that is not even in our radar. One advantage for Croatia is that they are being placed in a relatively easier group, along with Belgium, Canada and Morocco. Finishing among the top2 won't be hard for them.
Well personally, I think Modric is in very good shape, in Belgium we have Haazard and we all know how well he plays, and even more so when he is in his team, Candá I see it as a team that can be or look somewhat weak , but I am considering that Croatia has the potential to reach a final, these countries are incredible, but as the tournament goes on and they qualify they become very strong, and they have always had very good players, I think that Croatia will pass and it will easily reach the semifinals, as it has done on occasions that have made us dream, of course I see it that way, we still have to wait to see how the players are grouped and with what strategies they can go out to play, everything depends on it.
France has already made its call-up for the World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Alphonso Aréola (West Ham) and Steve Mandanda (Marseille);
Defenders: William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern), Raphael Varane (Man. United), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern), Lucas Hernández (Bayern), Jules Koundé (Barcelona ) and Theo Hernández (Milan);
Midfielders: Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) and Jordan Veretout (Marseille);
Forwards: Kylian Mbappé (PSG), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (Milan), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern) and Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
Will this be a competitive team for the World Cup?
OK.. finally we have confirmation regarding the French squad. Not many surprises. We got confirmation that N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba will miss out as a result of injury. Karim Benzema is the captain, and despite the absence of Pogba, the squad still contains a lot of fire, with players such as Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann. And as expected, younger players such as Eduardo Camavinga and Matteo Guendouzi have been added to the squad. But needs to be seen whether they will be included in the starting XI.
I really think that France is going very well armed, there is also something that has made me very curious, is Benzema injured? and did Deschamps ignore it? when Deschamps accepted Benzema almost because of pure world pressure? this is something that is quite controversial, I know that Deschamps had to have a lot of influence from Zidane, Zidane had to put his hand in for Benzema, we also cannot forget that Benzema is a player who is injured in his finger and will still play, I admire that determination of the French.
The fact that Mbappé and Benzema are together on the pitch will be an explosion of great plays if and only if they understand each other on the pitch, otherwise it will be a very distant game and I think Deschamps will manage to control that.