The Croatian lineup that finished the duel with the French - with reserves 21-year-old Franjo Ivanović, 22-year-old Martin Baturin, 27-year-old Nikola Mora, 27-year-old Franjo Jakić, 27-year-old Martin Pogrančić and 30-year-old Mario Pašalić, along with five who played all 120 minutes: 30-year-old Dominik Livaković, 24-year-old Josip Stanišić, 28-year-old Duje Ćaleta-Car, 25-year-old Josip Šutalo, 23-year-old Joško Gvardiola and 21-year-old Petar Sučić - is a lineup that will, without a doubt, be the foundation of the Croatian national team in the World Cup qualifiers.
And in two matches against Montenegro - on September 8th and November 17th.
"We need to rejuvenate the team," said coach Zlatko Dalić, who, after the dramatic elimination against France, also suffered criticism from the domestic media for fielding an old lineup in two strong matches against the world vice-champion.
"Croatia cannot build its future on veterans playing top-level matches every three or four days," is the headline of Jutarnji List.
What about "veterans"?
Dalić substituted five players during the match at the Stade de France - 39-year-old Luka Modrić, 36-year-old Ivan Perišić, 33-year-old Andrej Kramarić, 33-year-old Ante Budimir and 30-year-old Mateo Kovačić.
Six players who started the match against France were 30 or older - Modrić, Perišić, Kramarić, Budimir, Kovačić and Livaković, and a seventh, Pašalić, also entered.
"I wanted to replace both Kovačić and Modrić, I wanted to change them at 1:0, but then the French scored the second goal," Dalić added.
The Frenchman's second goal was preceded by a turnover by Luka Modrić, who, according to Index, "played his worst game in a Croatian jersey."
"The Croatian captain won only five of the 14 duels he was in, was out-dribbled six times, and lost possession ten times," the statistical analysis reads.
DON'T MISS IT
Luka Modrić is a legend of European football, the most decorated and greatest football player Croatia has ever had, but the question is when he will retire from the national team.
No one in Croatia has the answer to that question, not even Luka himself, who is, quite deservedly, left to play as long as he feels the strength and need for the team.
Will they play against Montenegro in the qualifiers?
Just a day after the first match (Croatia hosts Montenegro on September 8th) he will turn 40 years old.
In the final year of his contract with Real Madrid, the big question is whether he will enter another, not-so-easy qualifying cycle culminating in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Or does he really want to say goodbye to the national team on the American continent, when he is almost 42?
Whether Modrić plays or not, it is clear that against Montenegro on the field it will not be "the same" Croatia that recorded historic results in previous years, with bronze at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and silver in the 2023 Nations League.
Many great footballers from that generation are slowly passing away, Modrić and Perišić, as the best of the best, are still holding out, the question is for how long.
Montenegro will almost certainly be confronted by the new Croatia, seen in extra time in the duel with the French team at Saint-Denis, albeit with several young but already top stars, such as City's Joško Guardiola, or great talents led by Baturina and Sučić.
And such a Croatia, currently the 13th national team in the FIFA rankings, is a clear favorite against Montenegro, but it is also clear that against such a Croatia, Robert Prosinečki's team has a greater chance of surprising than if they had France as their rival.
And it was a little lacking...
Bonus video:
