Team: CROATIA

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Croatia boss Slaven Bilic has become the first coach to name his squad for Euro 2008, with two youngsters, Manuel Pamić and Anas Sharbini, also selected as back-ups.

With the finals in Austria and Switzerland just over a month away, much of the attention surrounding the tournament at the moment is on which players will be selected by their respective countries.

Croatia’s Slaven Bilic has named a squad without any real surprises, although 22-year-old Monaco midfielder Nikola Pokrivač has earned his maiden call-up, while Salzburg’s Manuel Pamić and HNK Rijeka’s Anas Sharbini are chosen as standbys.

"We chose 23 players and we are also taking two youngsters," explained Bilic.

"Not because we want to give them a chance to fit in or to thank them, but because they are young, talented and playing in the positions we need."

Croatian Football Federation president Vlatko Marković also offered further confirmation that Bilic had signed a two-year extension to his contract that was due to run out at the end of Euro 2008.

"The final decision came after the [3-2 qualifying] victory [over England] at Wembley [last November], so the signing of the contract could have happened six or three months ago," said Marković.

"Instead, it happened today. We are very happy to have Slaven Bilić and his assistants."

Croatia have been drawn in Group B at this summer’s finals, along with co-hosts Austria, Germany and Poland.

"We have a goal to continue with our good work," Bilic added.

"We have a difficult task ahead, but if we get a little luck we can end up being proud."

Croatia squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (FC Spartak Moskva), Vedran Runje (RC Lens), Mario Galinović (Panathinaikos FC).

Defenders: Dario Šimić (AC Milan), Robert Kovač (BV Borussia Dortmund), Josip Šimunić (Hertha BSC Berlin), Vedran Ćorluka (Manchester City FC), Dario Knežević (AS Livorno Calcio), Hrvoje Vejić (FC Tom Tomsk).

Midfielders: Niko Kovač (FC Salzburg), Jerko Leko (AS Monaco FC), Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Niko Kranjčar (Portsmouth FC), Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Danijel Pranjić (SC Heerenveen), Ivan Rakitić (FC Schalke 04), Ognjen Vukojević (NK Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Pokrivač (AS Monaco FC).

Forwards: Mladen Petrić (BV Borussia Dortmund), Ivica Olić (Hamburger SV), Ivan Klasnić (Werder Bremen), Igor Budan (Parma FC), Nikola Kalinić (HNK Hajduk Split).

Standbys: Manuel Pamić (FC Salzburg), Anas Sharbini (HNK Rijeka).

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Croatia Name Squad For Euro 2008

[Oliver_Kahn]

Surprised to see Klasnic there, he has barely played this season..

[hanuma]

Clever manager and clever players, I think they'll win the group and if they get a lucky draw get past the first knockout round at least.

[The Rule]

Such a terrible shame that they'll be without Eduardo. With him in the squad i think they had an outside chance of winning the whole thing. Now, i say they'll make the last 8.

[King Kanu]

I've been adopted as a Croatia fan for this tournament due to Niko Kranjcar!

Come on Croatia

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Croatia
1 Stipe Pletikosa
2 Dario Šimić
3 Josip Šimunić
4 Robert Kovač
5 Vedran Ćorluka
6 Hrvoje Vejić
7 Ivan Rakitić
8 Ognjen Vukojević
9 Nikola Kalinić
10 Niko Kovač
11 Darijo Srna
12 Mario Galinović
13 Nikola Pokrivač
14 Luka Modrić
15 Dario Knežević
16 Jerko Leko
17 Ivan Klasnić
18 Ivica Olić
19 Niko Kranjčar
20 Igor Budan
21 Mladen Petrić
22 Danijel Pranjić
23 Vedran Runje
Coach: Slaven Bilić

euro2008.uefa.com - Final squads announced for EURO

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Bilić Pleased With Preparations

Croatia manager Slaven Bilić has said that he is very happy with his side's preparations ahead of Euro 2008.

Bilić's side, who ended England's chances of progression in the qualifiers, left their training camp in the Slovenian resort of Čatež on Friday to travel to Budapest, where they will face Hungary in a warm-up clash before heading to their Austrian tournament base.

"We did a good job with the preparations, the boys are great," said Bilić to UEFA's official website.

"We didn't have many problems, all players are ready and the list of 23 players remained the same as in the beginning. We are 99 per cent focused on our first [Group B] match against Austria. We are also looking at Germany and Poland, but Austria is definitely our priority."

The match against Hungary will be Croatia's final friendly, having already overcome Moldova in a 1-0 victory. Bilić has revealed that he will field a near full-strength line-up for the clash, citing the fact that he wants his players to treat the match like a competitive fixture given its proximity to the finals.

"It's our last test; we have to be in top form, like we are already playing at EURO," he added.

"The team who run out on the pitch against Hungary will probably also play against Austria [on 8 June]. There are no secrets, everyone knows what our team looks like."

Captain Niko Kovač headed the only goal against Moldova and is clearly in a confident mood ahead of the tournament. However, the FC Salzburg midfielder did urge his team-mates not to lose focus on an Austria squad that has endured a series of indifferent friendly results since their last competitive international, which was played way back in October 2005.

"I have a good feeling about this EURO," said the 36-year-old.

"The preparations were excellent and against Hungary in the friendly match, we will show what we can do.

"We also must not underestimate Austria and we have to respect them, although I believe we can only defeat ourselves in that match. If we don't take them seriously we can lose."

Croatia are second favourites to progress from Group B, behind Germany, who are the overall narrow favourites to win the tournament as a whole in Austria and Switzerland.

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Bilić Pleased With Preparations

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Srna Wants To Pull Off A Croatian Shock

Croatia midfielder Dario Srna believes that his side's conduct during qualifying was a sign of things to come...

Looking back on the 3-2 win over England at Wembley, Srna deemed such a result "no simple coincidence," stating instead that the Croats are destined for success in Austria and Switzerland.

"Everything is in order," he boomed.

"We are ready, fit, motivated. We aim to give a good account of ourselves in Austria and prove that our victory against England wasn't unusual."

Coach Slaven Bilic chimed in, "Our team is strong. We qualified from one of the strongest groups, we were the only team to have beaten Israel on their own patch for five years, and the only one to beat England twice.

"We're here not because we were simply invited, but because we earned the right."

Croatia meet the presumed whipping boys of Austria in their opening game, but despite being odds-on favourites for the clash, the coach is taking nothing for granted.

"It would have been better to play Austria later, but then again playing Germany and Poland in the first game wouldn't be ideal either," he mused.

"It might have been easier to play San Marino, with all due respect to a team that didn't qualify!"

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Srna Wants To Pull Off A Croatian Shock

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Modric Misses Training

Croatia’s penalty hero Luka Modric sat out training today, as he struggled with a suspected Achilles tendon injury in his right leg.

Slaven Bilic’s side opened the doors to their training session in Austria this morning, and witnessed a deluge of 2,000 fans to watch their team being put through their paces.

However, the Croatia supporters were denied a glimpse of midfield prompter Luka Modric, who reportedly missed out on the session as a precaution.

Croatia face Germany on Thursday in a top of the group clash and will be hoping that Modric recovers to take his place in the line up.

The Tottenham bound schemer is an integral part of Bilic’s attacking plans and would be sorely missed should he miss out on Thursday.

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Modric Misses Training

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Klasnic Hoping To Start Against Germany

Croatia's Ivan Klasnic hopes to be the first ever player to take part in a European Championship after a kidney transplant against Germany on Thursday...

Klasnic, 28, has undergone a remarkable recovery, having initially had a transplant and rejecting the organ and having to have yet another transplant.

German born, the Werder Bremen returned to action and has now received the call-up he never thought was possible: "I'm here to play and I'm 100 percent ready. I didn't come here to be a fan, I came here to play.

"I never thought I would be at the Euro. My first concerns were my health and return to playing football. Playing at the Euro is just a bonus."

While praising Klasnic, Croatia coach Slaven Bilic would not give an answer one way or another on whether he would play against the country of his birth in two days' time.

"It is great to have such a good striker in the team," said Bilic. "He is one of our five forwards in the squad, and we are counting on him at the championships."

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Klasnic Hoping To Start Against Germany

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Petrić Ready For Germany Pressure

Mladen Petrić is relishing the pressure being heaped on his shoulders ahead of Thursday's game with Germany, insisting that the Croats can shock the opposition as they did at World Cup 1998 in France...

Mladen Petrić toiled against Austria during hotly-tipped Croatia's opening game, but will draw confidence from his Wembley qualifying winner in November ahead of Thursday's tasty meeting with Germany.

The 27-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward struggled with a back injury late in the season and looked sluggish against the co-hosts, but hopes to rediscover form in the winner-takes-all clash with the Germans.

On his winner in the 3-2 victory over England, he told the official Euro 2008 website: "That was one of the most important games for us, because we proved to ourselves that a small country like Croatia can beat a big team like England, with all their good players.

"That was a huge self-confidence injection for us, and for me personally that goal meant a lot. If not the most important, it was the most popular goal I've ever scored."

Quality and Experience

Arsenal man Eduardo da Silva's injury piles more pressure on Petrić, who insists he relishes the challenge.

"I like it when people are expecting a lot from me," he insisted. "That's positive for me. I don't think of it as pressure because it proves to me that I'm a good player and that I've already reached a high level.

"I feel good, I'm really self-confident and I hope I can show this."

Not only that, he wants to bag early Croat qualification against Germany in Klagenfurt, adding: "The Germans are always favourites – and not only in the group.

"It could be possible that our last game against Poland will decide who's going to the quarter-finals, but I hope we can secure our passage before that. We're confident in ourselves, we know we're strong enough, and we have the quality to beat any team."

Croatia shocked Germany 3-0 in Lyon in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the squad that day were boss Slaven Bilić and coaches Aljoša Asanović, Robert Prosinečki and Marijan Mrmić.

Petrić admits that their experience is key, saying: "Of course they are an inspiration. Their experience is so precious and their results are great. We can learn a lot from them and we would love to be as successful as they were in 1998."

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Croatia - Petrić Ready For Germany Pressure

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We've Shown What We Can Do - Simunic

Croatia's Josip Simunic was full of confidence following his side's 2-1 win over EURO 2008's pre-tournament favourites Germany...

Slaven Bilic's men had a timely return to form following their fairly fortunate 1-0 win over co-hosts Austria on the opening day and there was little doubt who was the better side yesterday evening at the Wöthersee Stadion.

"We didn't have the best of games against Austria and we wanted to show that we can play a lot better," Šimunić explained to EURO2008.com. "We played an outstanding game and every player on the field gave his heart. We deserved to win.

"In every duel, our players showed we wanted the ball and we showed initiative going forward. We defended very well and every player did his job all over the park."

The stopper was also glad that he and his fellow centre-back Robert Kovac have defied their critics. "I've actually got a headache. Myself and Robert have a good partnership.

"We actually had a lot of people criticising us before the tournament, but I think that in the last two games we, and the rest of the team, have shown what we can do.

"We had a big blow before the tournament, losing Eduardo da Silva, and people were writing us off, but we're still showing we can come up with good results.

"I think this will mean a lot [to the fans]. A few of my friends have sent me messages saying Zagreb is on fire.

"They're celebrating and they have every reason to do so. Our fans are outstanding."

He added that the squad themselves, while enjoying the experience, are not getting too carried away. "It's a nice feeling but we still haven't achieved anything.

"Our goal before the tournament was to reach the quarter-finals and we're playing one game at a time. But we're enjoying it – we're having fun."

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - We've Shown What We Can Do - Simunic