Croatia have performed wonders to punch above their weight for so long in international football and are determined to keep their reputation going against Japan in their last-16 match at the World Cup on Monday, coach Zlatko Dalic said.

Croatia reached the last 16 of the World Cup after a tension-filled 0-0 draw with Belgium on Thursday that ensured the last hurrah of the Belgian 'golden generation' ended in a dismal group-stage exit.

No wins in their opening two matches, including a 2-1 shock against Japan, have left Germany reeling at bottom of Group E, meaning they must win against Costa Rica and then rely on 2010 champions Spain to beat Japan in order to remain in contention for qualification.

Canada manager John Herdman said on Saturday his team was fired up for a test against 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia after the Canadians fell to Belgium 1-0 despite outplaying them.

Germany begin their path to World Cup redemption on Wednesday after the 2018 horror show in Russia, with Spain and Croatia also kicking off their campaigns in Qatar.

Croatia take on Morocco to begin their World Cup campaign as they hope to not only execute a repeat of an astonishing 2018 World Cup run but aspire to go a step further this time around.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic named his World Cup squad on Wednesday, with the 2018 runners up led by veteran captain Luka Modric.

If surprise 2018 runners-up Croatia take the World Cup by storm again in Qatar, in the thick of it this time will probably be Mateo Kovacic, one of the beating hearts of their midfield.

France beat Croatia 4-2 in the final of the World Cup in Moscow to win the world title for the second time.

Croatia, a small east European nation with a population of just 4 million, become the smallest and lowest ranked team ever to reach a World Cup final.

Croatia's cabinet ministers held a session dressed in the red and white checkered jerseys of the national soccer team to celebrate the country's victory in a World Cup semi-final.

World Cup glory beckons for Croatian stars such as Luka Modric after several traumatic experiences at major tournaments, says their former coach Slaven Bilic.

Croatia captain Luka Modric puts in a man of the match performance to lead his side to a penalty shootout victory over hosts Russia.

Judge says Real Madrid midfield star Luka Modric will appear as a witness next week at a multi-million-euro corruption trial involving former top Dinamo Zagreb officials.

A new penalty shootout system similar to the tennis tiebreak will be tested at the European under-17 championship, which began in Croatia on Wednesday, UEFA say.

Argentina lift their first Davis Cup title after Juan Martin Del Potro and Federico Delbonis win Sunday's reverse singles to complete the South American nation's spectacular comeback in a 3-2 victory over hosts Croatia in the final.

Croatia's midfield general Ivan Rakitic has pulled out of World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Finland because of a painful

Teenager Borna Coric complete an unlikely comeback for Croatia as the small Balkan nation beat the United States 3-2 in a Davis Cup quarter-final in Oregon.

Croatia and Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has cut short his summer holiday after his villa on a Croatian island was attacked, local media reports.

A close-range header from Portugal substitute Ricardo Quaresma secured a 1-0 win over Croatia after the game burst into life late in extra time on Saturday and set up a Euro 2016 quarter-final against Poland next week.