LUKA MODRIC LOOKS LIKE THE STAR

Croatia are rated 11 in the world by FIFA. In the World Cup 98 they finished an unexpected third, but failed dismally in 2006 with two draws against Japan and Australia. But they have always been strong qualifiers as England discovered to their cost. They will fancy their chances of qualifying from this group along with Germany.

It is an experienced side. The former Juventus defender Robert Kovac is still playing for Dortmund in the Bundesliga at 34, the Salzbourg and former Bayern midfield Niko is 36, while AC Milan’s Dario Simic is 35. Monaco’s versatile midfielder Jerko Leko is another experienced player at 28 and in goal there is Spartak Moscow’s Stipe Pletikosa.

They will miss Arsenal’s lively Eduardo up front who was so badly injured at Birmingham earlier in the season. But they still have Portsmouth’s Niko Kranjcar and the highly rated Luka Modric who joins Tottenham next season from Dinamo Zagreb and who could be a major star. The offensive animation and free-kicks will be the responsibility of Shakhtior Donetsk’s Darijo Srna.

Coach Slaven Bilic may be one of the youngest in European soccer at 39 but as Sven Goran Erikson found it, he knows how to motivate a team.