Croatia among most successful World Cup debutants in history, amazed the world in 1998

Croatia's remarkable achievement of winning bronze at the 1998 FIFA World Cup solidifies its status as one of the most successful debutants in the tournament's history.

This year's World Cup, expanded to include 48 teams, will see four nations making their first appearance: Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cape Verde, and Curaçao. This expansion provides a significant opportunity for smaller footballing nations to showcase their talent on the world stage.

Historically, the World Cup has seen several impressive debut performances. Italy famously won the tournament in their first appearance in 1934. Other debutants who achieved notable success include Czechoslovakia and Germany, who finished second and third respectively in 1934. Austria also secured fourth place in their debut.

After a long gap, Portugal achieved a significant result in 1966, finishing third and led by the tournament's top scorer, Eusébio. Notably, Portugal eliminated another debutant, North Korea, in a thrilling quarter-final match. Senegal made a surprising impact in 2002, defeating defending champions France in the opening match and reaching the quarter-finals. Ukraine also reached the quarter-finals as a debutant in 2006.

Croatia's 1998 campaign, under coach Miroslav Blažević, captivated the world as they secured third place in their very first World Cup appearance. Davor Šuker, Croatia's star striker, emerged as the tournament's top scorer with six goals, further highlighting the team's exceptional debut.