Croatia vs Brazil- Prediction, Lineups & More

Croatia vs Brazil Preview

Tite’s balletic Brazil will face their litmus test when they square off against the steady and sturdy Croatia at Education City Stadium on Friday, in what will be the first quarterfinal of the men’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar. 

If slight murmurs of scepticism surrounding the Selecao’s efficacy were starting to dawn after their last two group games, Brazil dazzled and danced them away in their stimulating performance against South Korea on Monday. 

Every time the men’s World Cup is on, the five-time champions Brazil ritualistically enter the lifting-the-cup chat. But this time around, they are the bookkeeper’s favourites for good measure. Alongside France, they’ve been one of the most impressive and exciting teams attack-wise, although it can be argued that they are yet to face their toughest test. 

However, unlike the last three tournaments, where the weight of the Selecao’s gilded footballing past and lofty aspirations for the future became too heavy to handle for the squad, throughout this tournament, they have coped well with the country’s expectations and displayed remarkable self-belief, assurance, and composure, as well as, happiness and dance moves! 

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📷: Lucas Figueiredo / CBF pic.twitter.com/3C1SZ6pwYt

— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) December 5, 2022

For the eighth consecutive time, Brazil are in the last eight of the men’s FIFA World Cup, but this also has been the stage that has given them the most grief lately. The Seleção have bowed out in the quarterfinals thrice in the last four editions. What’s more, they’ve been booted out by European teams in the last four World Cups. 

Perhaps, in their own entertaining but efficient, pleasurable but proficient manner, Tite’s team would want to set the record straight come Friday. 

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Meanwhile, standing on the other end of the spectrum is Croatia’s method and route of progression. Taking the sting of the game by making it bland, slow, and cagey has been their superbly successful mantra in tournament football. Since the Euros’ disappointment versus Spain in 2021, Croatia have only lost once in 20 games.  

The Round of 16 victory against Japan was a classic example of the Croatian template. For the majority of the regular time action, it appeared like the Samurai Blue were running all over the Vatreni, who started the oldest playing XI in a men’s World Cup since France in the 2006 final against Italy. 

Despite…