Dalic Bites Back at England Doubters Before Dallas Showdown with 'Worn Out' Croatia

Ahead of Wednesday's World Cup clash in Dallas, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic has hit back at critics questioning his side's credentials, while simultaneously landing a jab at England's historical pedigree on the global stage.

The matchup pits Thomas Tuchel's heavily favored England against a Croatian team bristling with veterans well past their commercial peak. Luka Modric anchors the squad at 40 years old, with Ivan Perisic (37), Andrej Kramaric (34), and Mateo Kovacic (32) forming the backbone of Dalic's aging ensemble.

The two nations bring recent history into the contest, having met at Euro 2020 when England prevailed 1-0, though Croatia exacted revenge in the 2018 World Cup semi-final with a 2-1 triumph under Dalic's stewardship.

Rather than dodge questions about his squad's advancing years, Dalic deployed a cutting counterargument, reminding observers of Croatia's remarkable tournament record. The Balkan nation reached the 2018 final and claimed third-place finishes in both 1998 and 2022—an achievement he contrasted sharply with England's drought.

"They've been writing that since 2018," Dalic told Croatian broadcaster RTL. "We may be older and more worn out since then, but together with the French and Germans, we are the team with the most medals in the 21st century.

"Look at England, which is neither old nor worn out, and hasn't won a medal in 60 years. Croatia has three medals in 30 years. We've been at the top level for eight years. It's harder to maintain excellence than to achieve it, and Croatia is doing it very successfully. We're still at the top of world football. Worn out and old, but we're pushing."

Despite his spirited defense, Dalic offered fulsome praise for England's attacking arsenal, singling out Harry Kane as a particular threat.

"They have the best striker in the world, they have Kane and Kane can do a hell of a lot," Dalic acknowledged. "We will do a lot, we will do our best not only to defend ourselves but to attack, to go forward.

"There will be set pieces, which will be quite difficult but we are prepared for that. I expect a great game and it will be a great preparation for the next two games in the group."