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Croatia confirm World Cup squad; Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic feature

Croatia confirmed their 23-man squad for the World Cup, with Real Madrid's Luka Modric and Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic among their key players.

Fellow Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic, Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic and Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren also feature for Zlatko Dalic's side.

Club Brugge defender Matej Mitrovic was the only member of the preliminary squad to be cut for the tournament.

Croatia's first group stage game comes against Nigeria on Nigeria on June 16, before facing Argentina on June 21 and Iceland on June 26.

Goalkeepers: Lovre Kalinic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Livakovic (Gent), Danijel Subasic (Monaco)

Defenders: Duje Caleta-Car (Red Bull Salzburg); Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Josip Pivaric (Dynamo Kyiv), Ivan Strinic (AC Milan), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Sime Vrsajlko (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders: Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona)

Forwards: Nikola Kalinic (Milan), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Ivan Perisic (Inter), Marko Pjaca (Juventus), Ante Rebic (Eintracht Frankfurt)