Who are the Croatia players England should look out for?

Who are the Croatia players England should look out for?ByNoel SlineyBBC Sport senior journalistPublished18 minutes agoThe durable core of Croatia's side continues to defy the ageing process.Their third place at the 2022 World Cup followed on from being runners-up four years earlier. Six players remain from the 2018 tournament, in which they beat England in the semi-finals, with the majority of the regular midfielders and forwards now well into their 30s.Ranked 11th in the world, Croatia will once more provide a stern test for England in Wednesday's Group L opener.BBC Sport takes a look at five key players England need to watch out for.Luka VuskovicImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Teenager Luka Vuskovic excelled on loan at Hamburg in 2025-26Club: Tottenham Hotspur Age: 19 Position: Defender Caps: 5 Goals: 1The 6ft 4in teenager greatly enhanced his reputation on loan in Germany in 2025-26 as promoted Hamburg finished 13th.Vuskovic was shortlisted for both the Bundesliga player of the season and rookie of the season awards, as voted for by fans, clubs and selected media.He could be the main beneficiary if Croatia play with a three-man defence - his four starts for his country prior to the World Cup all came in the middle of a back three and he scored in the March friendly win over Colombia. Head coach Zlatko Dalic said in April that Vuskovic "will be one of the pillars of our national team for the next 10 years".Fifa World Cup 2026: What you need to know about CroatiaPublished5 JuneGet football news sent straight to your phonePublished8 JuneJosko GvardiolImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Josko Gvardiol has missed four months of the season through injuryClub: Manchester City Age: 24 Position: Defender Caps: 48 Goals: 4Gvardiol only returned on 13 May after a four-month absence caused by a fractured shinbone in his right leg during a Premier League draw against Chelsea.He started all 14 of Croatia's games across the past three maj...