Kovacic praises Spain and feels confident before the Croatia‑Red clash

Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who plays for Manchester City and is a former player of Chelsea and Real Madrid, appeared at the Ramón Sánchez‑Pizjuán stadium to assess the upcoming match between Croatia and La Roja this Tuesday, highlighting the quality of the Spanish team.

Assessment of the Spanish opponent

Kovacic stated that “Spain today is the best team in the world. They have won the World Cup, play superb football and expect a difficult match.” He added that the Spanish midfield is “the best in the world”, highlighting Rodri for his ability.

Croatian confidence and Luka Modrić's presence

Captain Luka Modrić, according to Kovacic, “means a lot on and off the pitch.” The Croatian assured that his national team “wants to win” and that “we will not play recklessly, but we will try to play our game.”

Expectations and comments on the Ballon d'Or

Kovacic avoided predicting the Ballon d'Or, saying he prefers to talk about teams and that “it is difficult to make a prediction.” He also mentioned that he enjoys watching La Roja with players such as Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta, and that “it is not an impossible mission” to beat Spain.

Regarding tactics, Kovacic noted that both teams “like possession and to attack.” He added that Croatia has had “good matches and not so good ones against them” and hopes the next one will be “one of the good ones.”

The player also praised the Croatian manager, describing the compliment received as “wonderful.” Regarding his club, Kovacic said that “Enzo is fantastic, he has shown it and has very good ideas and a relationship with the players,” without going into details about Manchester City.

Finally, Kovacic reiterated his desire to “show our character” and to “take away their most powerful weapon, which is the ball.” With the confidence shown, the Croatian national team prepares for a duel that promises to be intense and technical.