Spain and Croatia begin their Euro 2024 campaigns on Saturday with a rematch of last year's nervy UEFA Nations League final as they kick off the action in Group B, which also includes European champions Italy and surprise package Albania.
With memories of a heartbreaking shootout defeat by Spain still fresh in their minds, captain Luka Modric's perennial overachievers seem ready to again challenge the pre-tournament odds in their quest to finally win a major trophy.
After reaching the 2018 World Cup final and making the semi-finals four years later, having fought back to eliminate five-times champions Brazil on penalties at Qatar 2022, the Nations League final loss to Spain was a tough pill to swallow.
Yet Croatia go into the tournament still relying on a midfield trio of Modric (39), Marcelo Brozovic (31) and Mateo Kovacic (30), who gave a taste of their competitive hunger on Saturday when they handed Portugal a 2-1 defeat in Lisbon.
It will be the fourth straight Euros in which their paths cross, with Jesus Navas' late goal in the 2012 group stage giving Spain a 1-0 victory and a place in the quarters, while they also won 5-3 after extra time in the last 16 at Euro 2020.
Croatia did, however, beat Spain 2-1 in the group stage at Euro 2016 to top the group ahead of them.
"We played them many times and we know what kind of football Spain like to play, they like possession and lulling the opposition to sleep," Croatia striker Ante Budimir told a press conference on Wednesday.
