Having been the surprise package at the last World Cup, when they went all the way to the final in Russia, Croatia represent something of a wild card four years later.

The team has been through ups and downs since that impressive run in 2018, with manager Zlatko Dalic changing his personnel extensively with an influx of young talent following a disappointing 2020, but retaining a core of his more experienced campaigners. Such has been the turnaround in generations, that two of those men who played for Croatia at the last World Cup are now Dalic’s assistant managers.

After a worrying period of decline, Croatia seem to have rebounded at the perfect time to build momentum for the World Cup, winning their last four competitive matches to top a Nations League group featuring France, Denmark and Austria, reaching the tournament finals for the first time.

Which Chelsea players do Croatia have?

Mateo Kovacic is likely to be a key player for Croatia in Qatar, having featured in every match as they topped their UEFA Nations League group earlier this year. In fact, he has only missed five of his country’s competitive fixtures in the last three-and-half years, one through suspension and the rest after withdrawing from the squad due to injury.

He is expected to be a main player in a familiar role for him at international level, on the left of a midfield three, alongside long-time team-mates Marcelo Brozovic and Croatia captain Luka Modric, as the centre of the pitch is the one area of Dalic’s side which has remained largely unchanged throughout the period of rebuilding since the last World Cup.

Who else is in Croatia's squad?

Zlatko Dalic becomes the first man ever to lead Croatia in a third major tournament, but despite that longevity he has named a much-changed squad, with only eight survivors from the team which reached the final of the last World Cup named among the 26 this time around.

Goalkeepers: Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid), Ivica Ivusic (Osijek), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb)

Defenders: Borna Barisic (Rangers), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josko Gvardiol (Leipzig), Josip Juranovic (Celtic), Dejan Lovren (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Josip Sutalo (Dinamo Zagreb), Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens)

Midfielders: Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Kristijan Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Luka Sucic (Red Bull Salzburg), Nikola Vlasic (Torino, loan from West Ham United)

Forwards: Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Livaja (Hajduk Split), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Perisic (Tottenham Hotspur), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb)

What teams are in Croatia's group?

Croatia were drawn in Group F, which seems to be one of the hardest to predict. However, the two European sides, Belgium and Croatia, will fancy their chances of progressing after both sides reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup in 2018 and retain a core of experienced players from those campaigns.

It is less clear what kind of competition Croatia can expect from their other two opponents, though. A fresh generation of Canadian players have been breaking new ground for that country, securing only their second appearance at a World Cup and first in over 35 years.

Morocco are also something of an unknown, after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations and mixed results since culminated in a change of manager three months ago, although they do have a familiar face in Hakim Ziyech returning to their squad.

When are Croatia's fixtures?

Morocco v Croatia, 23 November, 10am, Al Khor

Croatia v Canada, 27 November, 4pm, Al Rayyan

Croatia v Belgium, 1 December, 3pm, Al Rayyan

How did Croatia qualify?

An uninspiring start to World Cup qualifying, combined with a last-16 exit at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, led to question marks over manager Dalic’s future, but a reshuffle among his playing and coaching personnel kickstarted their campaign.

Following Croatia’s opening defeat to Slovenia and unconvincing home wins over Cyprus and Malta, they started to hit their stride in September last year. Performances based on defensive solidity meant that loss to Slovenia ended up being their only defeat, as they won five of their seven qualifying matches after the Euros, conceding just three goals in the process.

Their qualification was still in doubt, though, going into a high-pressure, must-win final game in Group H against Russia on a heavily waterlogged pitch during a torrential downpour. A hard-fought 1-0 win was enough to leapfrog their opponents and top the group by a single point to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

What is Croatia's World Cup history?

The story of Croatia’s previous World Cup appearances is relatively short, having been part of Yugoslavia for much of the tournament’s history, before making their debut as an independent nation in 1998.

It was quite an introduction, though, matching the best-ever first appearance – of Portugal in 1966 – by going all the way to the semi-finals before being beaten by hosts and eventual champions France. Victory over Netherlands in the play-off ensured Croatia finished third. However, the next four World Cups saw Croatia fail to get out of the group stage, or qualify at all in 2010, before their resurgence at the most recent tournament in 2018.

They won all their opening three games to top their group, five points clear of second-placed Argentina, before further victories over hosts Russia on penalties and England in extra time, to reach the final. Once again, France proved their nemesis as Croatia were beaten 4-2, but the team were still greeted as heroes on their return following the country’s best-ever World Cup performance.