Croatia seeks to correct errors against Panama and reignite World Cup campaign

Croatia is determined to rectify the defensive lapses that led to their 4-2 defeat against England in their World Cup 2026 debut. Coach Zlatko Dalic stressed the necessity for a more robust showing in their upcoming Group L match against Panama.

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We have to be better than last time, repair and correct the errors we made, especially in defense.

"We have to be better than last time, repair and correct the errors we made, especially in defense," Dalic stated at a press conference. He admitted that Croatia conceded too easily against England, paying a high price for moments of lost concentration. "We gave the opponent a good gift in the last match. It cost us dearly; we put in a lot of energy and effort to score goals, and in the end, we lost," he added.

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We gave the opponent a good gift in the last match. It cost us dearly; we put in a lot of energy and effort to score goals, and in the end, we lost.

Dalic underscored the importance of a decisive performance against Panama, asserting, "We are favorites, and we have to behave as such. We know what this match means to us. We have to be strong." However, he cautioned against underestimating their opponent, noting that Panama was "even better" than Ghana in their opening match, despite a 1-0 loss. He highlighted their solid defense, intensity, and the speed of their attackers.

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We are favorites, and we have to behave as such. We know what this match means to us. We have to be strong.

Midfielder Mateo Kovacic echoed the coach's sentiments, reporting he feels "better every day" after a challenging period and anticipating a demanding game. "Panama builds from the back and will be very strong in attack. We will focus on ourselves to show our best version," he said. Croatia has a full squad available, and Dalic hopes the large Croatian community in Canada will act as their "twelfth man." He also reminded the team that their past successes in 2018 and 2022 are in the past, emphasizing that "tomorrow is a new match."

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Panama was even better than Ghana in their first match, and they did not deserve the defeat. They have a very good opponent. They play with a 5-4-1, are very responsible, fall back behind the ball, and when they recover, they have three very fast players up front. We have to stop them.