Although Croatia Soccer Team is not among the favourites of the FIFA Cup this season, the reason for the team to celebrate is that it is amongst the elite football playing teams. Croatia is playing in Group F along with Brazil, Australia and Japan.

Croatia Soccer Team reached their third successive FIFA World Cup finals for the third time. Coach Zlatco Kranjcar helped the Croatian team qualify in style. They finished top in the European qualifying Group 8. The Croatian team had seven wins in ten matches in their kitty. The most remarkable victory was over Sweden.

Croatia lost a two-goal lead in the home-draw with Bulgaria. Then Croatia had four consecutive victories in its kitty between March and June 2005. But soon they had to face a 1-1 draw in Malta.

After Croatia gained independence in 1991 from former Yugoslavia, it joined FIFA the following year. After Croatia was admitted to international competitions organized by UEFA and FIFA, Croatia have qualified for five out of six major tournaments. Croatia Map

Croatia enjoys a good qualifying record. The Croats have never been beaten in a competitive game at home.

Croatia was in Group 8, a competitive one. The Croatia Soccer Team emerged as the best in that group amongst Sweden, Hungary, Bulgaria, Iceland and Malta. Croatia had two 1-0 wins over Sweden in its kitty. The best Croatian side is said to be the one of the nineties, when Davor Suker, Zyonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki and Robert Jani were the key players. With them the team earned a third place at the 1998 World Cup. This season the players to watch out are midfielder Luka Modric and frontman Dado Prso.

In the France World Cup, Croatia reached the semi-finals, which included a 3-0 quarterfinal victory over Germany. But the side lost to France in the semi-finals. The team was named FIFA's "Best Mover of the Year" in 1994 and 1998.

Croatia will be facing Brazil in Berlin and they'll have to put a brave fight.