Brazil and Croatia are set to clash in a high-voltage encounter at the Camping World Stadium in Florida tomorrow, Wednesday, at 06:00 Bangladesh Standard Time. The two sides last met during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a full 1,208 days ago, and much has changed since that 1–1 draw at the Education City Stadium.
None of the scorers from that match are present this time. Since October 2023, Neymar has remained outside the national squad and is currently testing his fitness following a knee injury. Meanwhile, Croatia bid farewell to Bruno Petković at the end of 2024; he now plays for Turkish Süper Lig side Kocaelispor.
Brazil will take the field in a markedly different guise. Post-World Cup, the Seleção’s dugout has seen turnover, with Carlo Ancelotti now at the helm — Brazil’s fourth coach since Qatar 2022. Only Marquinhos, Danilo, Casemiro, and Vinícius Júnior from the starting eleven in Doha remain in the current squad.
Several players who featured on the bench — Bremer, Ederson, Fabinho, and Gabriel Martinelli — are retained, though injuries have deprived the squad of key figures such as Alisson, Alex Sandro, Éder Militão, Raphinha, and Bruno Guimarães.
Croatia, by contrast, has remained relatively stable under Zlatko Dalić, with almost all players from the Qatar tournament still present. Although key names like Gi̇vardiol and Kovačić are absent, 13 former World Cup players remain. Goalkeeper Livaković, who famously denied Brazil in the penalty shootout, continues to perform impressively for AC Milan at the age of 40. Veteran Croatian players such as Vlašić, Perišić, Pašalić, Sučić, Stanisić, Sutalo, Maher, Kramarić, Budimir, Jakić, and Ćorić provide further continuity.
Croatia’s Euro 2024 campaign was disappointing after losing to Argentina in the Qatar semifinals, with an early exit in the group stage. However, they topped their World Cup qualifying group unbeaten in eight matches. In the UEFA Nations League, Croatia fell to France in a quarter-final penalty shootout.
In their most recent fixture, Croatia defeated Colombia 2–1 and will face Brazil with experienced leaders Modrić and Stanisić. Brazil, ranked fifth in the FIFA World Rankings, will seek revenge for their World Cup exit and test their youthful talents.
| Team | Last Meeting (Score) | Key Players Returning | Key Absentees | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2022 WC (1–1) | Marquinhos, Danilo, Casemiro, Vinícius Jr, Bremer, Ederson, Fabinho, Gabriel Martinelli | Neymar, Alisson, Alex Sandro, Éder Militão, Raphinha, Bruno Guimarães | Carlo Ancelotti |
| Croatia | 2022 WC (1–1) | Livaković, Modrić, Stanisić, Vlašić, Perišić, Kramarić, Budimir, Jakić, Ćorić | Gi̇vardiol, Kovačić | Zlatko Dalić |
Historically, Brazil has dominated these encounters: six matches against Croatia have produced three wins for Brazil, one loss, and two draws. While Croatia boasts stability and experience, Brazil enters as the youthful challenger, eager to assert themselves once again.
