Croatia 2022
Croatia at Qatar 2022 confirmed their status as the most remarkable small nation in World Cup history. Four years after reaching the final in Russia, Luka Modrić now 37 led his country on another extraordinary run. In the group stage, Croatia drew with Morocco and dispatched Canada 4-1. The round of 16 against Japan went to penalties, where Dominik Livaković saved three kicks to become the hero. In the quarter-final, Brazil the pre-tournament favourites took the lead through Neymar in extra time, but Bruno Petkovic equalised with minutes to spare, and Croatia won the shootout. The semi-final against Argentina was a 3-0 defeat Messi and Julián Álvarez too strong. Croatia claimed third place, their second medal in two World Cups. Modrić, magnificent to the end, confirmed that Croatia population four million punch above their weight like no other nation on earth.