Croatia's national football team was established in 1991 and have been one of the most successful small nations in football. They finished runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and third in 2022, producing stars like Luka Modrić, Davor Šuker, and Zvonimir Boban.

Zlatko Dalić has managed Croatia since 2017, leading them to the 2018 World Cup final and 2022 third-place finish, establishing them as consistent top-tier contenders.