Four quarter-finalists have been confirmed with another four spots up for grabs at the FIFA World Cup.
The first of two Round of 16 encounters on Monday sees Japan take on Croatia. These nations have met three times before, with two of those coming at the World Cup. At each of the 1998 and 2006 events the teams shared a group but now, for the first time, they meet towards the business end of the tournament.
At the final World Cup of last century, Croatia edged Japan by one goal to nil in Group H, and eight years later the two sides contested a 0-0 draw in Group F. The only player who was involved 16 years ago and is still in contention to feature later today is Croatia captain Luka Modrić.
(Photo: @FIFAWorldCup on Twitter)
Aged 20 at the time, the midfielder was a second-half substitute in what was just his sixth appearance for the national team and his first outing at the World Cup. Now, having amassed 158 caps, Modrić is presumably nearing the final chapter of his esteemed international career.
The 37-year-old was on the pitch for all but four minutes of Croatia’s three group matches and he is the first man to play at both the FIFA World Cup and European Championships in three different decades.
Modrić was crucial in steering his nation to the final in Russia 2018 but, having aged four years, their reliance on the skipper ought to wane a notch.
3 – Luka Modric is the first player to play in both the European Championship and #FIFAWorldCup in three different decades. Emblematic. pic.twitter.com/28Co8gkKxh
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 23, 2022
For the first time, Japan have qualified for the Round of 16 at back-to-back World Cup events. Overall it is the fourth time they have advanced from the groups.
Their first appearance in the knockouts came 20 years ago, when they co-hosted the tournament with South Korea, in what was the first World Cup on the Asian continent.
For the Croatians, it is also the first time they have reached the last-16 at successive World Cups. Before 2018, Croatia had last progressed from the groups in 1998.
The third clash at the World Cup between these nations will be of far greater significance and consequence than both of their previous two.
In retrospect, not many expected Japan to be in this particular Round of 16 tie which pits the winners of Group E with the runners-up from Group F. Although there was a fair possibility one of Germany or Spain would exit from the groups, it was widely expected that either of them would claim top spot in Group E.
Lo and behold, Japan came from behind to beat the 2010 and 2014 winners, both by two goals to one. Despite a smash-and-grab defeat to Costa Rica, who conceded 11 goals versus Germany and Spain, those hard-earned victories over the two European nations meant the Blue Samurai occupied the summit of an extremely tough group.
Croatia, meanwhile, were rather mundane in the group phase. The Balkans ended 2nd behind Morocco following two goalless draws surrounding a 4-1 win over Canada. Croatia failed to take advantage of Belgium’s implosion quite like the Moroccans did.
The 2018 runners-up haven’t been at their best this World Cup and sources within Japanese football firmly believe the Blue Samurai can and will reach the quarter-finals at Qatar 2022.
The bookies have Japan at 3.90 to win and reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, while Croatia are 2.00 to take victory in regular time. Odds of 3.40 for the contest to end in a draw and be decided beyond 90 minutes. (Bet365)
