Mateo Kovačić

Mateo Kovačić is a midfielder in Croatia's 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, named on 18 May 2026 and listed in the midfield group alongside Luka Modrić, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Luka Sučić and Martin Baturina. The Manchester City midfielder is 32 at kick-off and brings 111 senior Croatia caps and five international goals into the tournament, his fourth senior World Cup after Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

Croatia meet England, Ghana and Panama in Group L, opening against England at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on 17 June. Dalić's side qualified by winning their UEFA qualifying group on 14 November 2025, and Kovačić is one of the more experienced names in the Croatia midfield, a regular for the national team for more than a decade.

Kovačić is a central midfielder whose game is built on ball retention and counter-pressing: he keeps possession under pressure and wins it back quickly when Croatia lose it. An explosive first step for a midfielder lets him dribble out of tight spaces and carry the ball through the lines.

That combination suits a deep central role for Dalić, recycling possession and breaking up play before Croatia move forward. At 32 and with 111 caps, Kovačić brings the kind of composure that lets the side's more advanced midfielders push on.

Kovačić's place in a Croatia card is as a deep-lying midfielder who keeps the ball moving: 111 caps, ball retention and the counter-pressing that wins possession back quickly. The Croatia slot is a third-tier one, £17m within the game's £200m card budget. Group L is the early test.

As a midfielder rather than a finisher his card value is indirect; he ties the side together, and his return depends on Croatia's progress more than on goals or assists of his own.