Croatia

The 2018 runners-up seal quarter-final spot where they will take on Brazil.

“The players can be confident that they can play on the world stage. “The players showed a new era of Japanese football, and they should use this feeling of being upset and try to win in the next time. We are a small nation, but we fight for what we want.” “We practised penalties in training yesterday and he made several saves. The defeat represented Japan’s fourth from four World Cup last-16 matches; they have never before advanced to the tournament's quarter-finals. “It seems that we can't do it without a drama,” said relieved Croatia captain Modric, who sat out the shoot-out after being substituted on 99 minutes.

#Al Wakrah Croatia is ...

In an even 90 minutes of regulation play, Daizen Maeda put Japan ahead in the 43rd minute by sweeping in a close-range finish. Japan had been looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time but fell short again, just like in 2002, 2010 and 2018. On its run to the final four years ago, Croatia needed extra time in each round in the knockout stage - and twice came through a penalty shootout.

For the longest time, the likes of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic have been central to Croatia's greatest moments. Not so in the win over Japan.

[Mario Pasalic](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/189668/Mario-Pasalic), 27, and Lovro Majer, 24, are in and out of the starting lineups for [Atalanta](/football/team?id=105) and Rennes respectively. In total, [Dejan Lovren](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/123560/Dejan-Lovren) and [Marcelo Brozovic](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/178383/Marcelo-Brozovic) were the only holdovers who lasted until the final penalty against Japan. [Marko Livaja](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/165580/Marko-Livaja), 29, is back in Croatia at Hajduk Split. [Denmark](/football/team?id=479) and hosts Russia) before outlasting [England](/football/team?id=448) in extra-time in the semifinal. [Chelsea](/football/team?id=363) mainstay, a guy who scored 91 Bundesliga goals for Hoffenheim and a Tottenham star whose resume includes [Bayern Munich](/football/team?id=132), Inter Mila and [Borussia Dortmund](/football/team?id=124). Nikola Vlasic, 25, was a bust at West Ham and [Everton](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/198940/Everton) and is now at [Torino](/football/team?id=239). [Domagoj Vida](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/148110/Domagoj-Vida), the hulking defender who was a mainstay for Croatia at Russia 2018, enveloped both players in a bear hug. In a World Cup that may well be the last for a number of bonafide superstars -- from [Cristiano Ronaldo](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/22774/Cristiano-Ronaldo) to [Luis Suarez](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/125088/Luis-Suárez) to [Lionel Messi](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/45843/Lionel-Messi) -- you may have wondered whether you had just witnessed Modric's final moments on the biggest stage of all. Vida was on the bench; [Andrej Kramaric](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/139520/Andrej-Kramaric) was substituted earlier, [Ivan Perisic](http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/103485/Ivan-Perisic) would come off later. [Russia](/football/team?id=454), he dragged Croatia to the World Cup final and won the Ballon D'Or. The other is the cinematic tale of the veteran superstars joining forces for one last big score, riding their experience and mental toughness to the quarterfinal of a World Cup. except it was the emotion that comes from the red and white chequers on the front of the shirt, not the name on the back of the jersey.

Croatian blue-chip hotel operator Valamar Riviera [ZSE:RIVP] said on Tuesday its supervisory board approved a business plan for 2023 which foresees 25.95 m.

Valamar also said it will continue to pay special attention to investments in sustainability such as green construction, the use of renewable energy sources and high level of energy efficiency in its capital investments. The investments include funding for the Istra premium camping resort and other locations, as well as digitalisation, energy efficiency and sustainability projects, the company said in a filing to the Zagreb bourse. The company manages 38 hotels and holiday villages and 15 campsites along the Croatian Adriatic coast and in Austria.

DOHA, Qatar — In terms of population, there's no contest between Brazil and Croatia. “Brazil has 200 million people, we only have 4 million,” Croatia coach ...

“That shows the will and the commitment and the faith of the whole team,” Dalić said. But it’s a totally different thing to represent your country, because this is patriotism — it’s pride, it’s emotion, so it’s different. “We will always give everything we’ve got, especially this generation of players.” It’s character. It’s mental strength. But we are brave, defiant and loyal,” Dalić said.

Zlatko Dalic has labelled the Brazil squad “scary” but reminded that his players are not “some big underdogs” as they prepare to face off in the World Cup ...

"We have to be very smart in our approach. "If we are looking at it realistically, Brazil is the best team at the tournament. However, Brazil represent a pretty obvious threat to their hopes of a repeat performance at least, especially with star player Neymar returning on Monday from the ankle injury he sustained in their opening game. "It will be a different game than against anyone we have played so far, because Brazil likes to play football. "We want to give maximum effort … Croatia came from a goal down in normal time to eventually

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic described their World Cup quarterfinal opponents Brazil as “terrifying” but backed his resolute side to rise to the enormous ...

“It is a great team, but I believe that we can challenge them, we need to be smart... “Brazil is the favourite, let’s face it,” Dalic told reporters on Tuesday. “Brazil have self-confidence, a splendid atmosphere in the team, which is visible, as well as top players...

The morning after his side ended Japan's dream of reaching the quarter-finals, Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic ...

They also met in the group stage eight years prior to that in Germany, which Brazil also won. “We are more than happy to reach the quarter-finals.” We will fight until the end,” he told reporters when asked about the potential clash with Brazil. Modric was unable to last the full duration of the game against Japan. In Qatar, Dalic is looking to go one better than in Russia four years ago when the Croats reached the final. But the talismanic Luka Modric still remains the beating heart of this side at the ripe age of 37.