Congratulations to the “Vatreni”: Croatia secures its seventh World Cup

 The Croatian national football team has secured its 14th appearance in the finals of major tournaments. In addition to the seven previous final tournaments in European championships, the "Vatreni" also secured their seventh World Cup this Friday. Congratulations!

The team led by coach Zlatko Dalić defeated the Faroe Islands at Rijeka's Rujevica with a score of 3:1 in a match of Group L, thus formally confirming their place in the final tournament of the World Cup next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The "Vatreni" have only missed two out of a possible 16 major competitions in their history.

Croatia secured the first place directly leading to the World Cup even before their last appearance in the group stage. In seven matches, they won 19 out of a possible 21 points. The Czech Republic secured the second place with 13 points and will participate in the additional qualifiers. In the second match of this group played on Friday, Montenegro defeated Gibraltar away with a score of 2:1. The final matches are scheduled for Monday, November 17, and will mostly be of an exhibition nature - Croatia will visit Montenegro while the Czech Republic will host Gibraltar.

In the duel at Rujevica, the guests took the lead. In the 16th minute, right-back Rene Shaki Joensen intercepted the ball in the middle of the field, passed it to Geza David Turi, who pulled it to the edge of the penalty area and shot sharply. The ball hit Luka Vušković on the way, changing direction to deceive the goalkeeper and ended up in the net.

The "Vatreni" quickly got back into the game, with the energetic Ivan Perišić making a left-sided cross in the 23rd minute, the guests briefly cleared the ball, which was then picked up by Joško Gvardiol, who dribbled past a defender and scored into the opposite bottom corner from the same left side for the equalizer.

The Farani threatened six minutes later, Hanus Sørensen initiated a counterattack from the left, but Dominik Livaković made a skillful reflex save with his foot in a "one-on-one" situation.

In the 57th minute, the returnee to the national team, Petar Musa, turned the game around with his first goal in the "Fiery" jersey. Josip Stanišić crossed from the right, Musa received the ball at the "near post" and scored into the closer corner.

The story was completed in the 70th minute when the omnipresent and skillful Perišić sprinted through the opponent's defense at full speed, crossed in front of the goal, and Nikola Vlašić leaped with his right foot into the opposite "small net" at the "far post".

They were close to a fourth goal, Andrej Kramarić hit the crossbar with a left-footed shot from the right two minutes before the end. Mislav Oršić rushed in, tried to lob the goalkeeper with his head, but the ball hit the top part of the crossbar.

Rijeka, November 14, 2025.

Qualifications for the World Cup, Group L

Croatia - Faroe Islands 3:1

Rujevica Stadium

Croatia: Livaković - Stanić, Vušković, Gvardiol - Marco Pašalić (62nd Fruk), Modrić (62nd Vlašić), Mario Pašalić (46th Šutalo), Perišić; P. Sučić, Kramarić - Musa (74th Matanović)

Manager: Zlatko Dalić

Faroe Islands: Lamhauge – Joensen, Faerø, G. Vatnhamar, A. Edmundsson, Davidsen (85. Klettskard) – Frederiksberg (77. Justinussen), Andreasen, Turi (68. Bjartalid), Sørensen (77. M. Agnarsson) – Olsen (68. Knudsen)

Manager: Eydun Klakstein

Referee: Äliyar Ağayev (Azerbaijan), Attendance: 7,846

Scorers: 0:1 Turi (16.), 1:1 Gvardiol (23.), 2:1 Musa (57.), 3:1 Vlašić (70.)