Croatia is one of the most consistent teams in modern World Cup soccer. After reaching the World Cup final in 2018 and finishing third in 2022, Zlatko Dalić is once again aiming for the top. The opening match against England in Dallas will be a true test—and the key to Croatia’s advancement.

Coach Zlatko Dalić has named three goalkeepers to the Vatreni squad: Dominik Livaković, Dominik Kotarski, and Ivor Pandur. Croatia will face England, Panama, and Ghana in Group L and, following its run to the final in 2018 and the semifinals in 2022, is among the most experienced tournament nations in Europe. The trio of goalkeepers share two identical first names and an identical club background at the Dinamo Academy, yet their career paths are fundamentally different.

Livaković is 31 years old, hails from Zadar, and has been the backbone of Croatia’s goalkeeping since 2018. His finest hour came at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: In the round of 16 against Japan, he saved three out of four attempts in the penalty shootout, leading Croatia to the quarterfinals and becoming an international sensation overnight. Croatia was eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina and went on to win the bronze medal against Morocco.

After years with Dinamo Zagreb, his career path took him to Fenerbahçe, where he established himself as the starting goalkeeper in the Turkish Süper Lig. In September 2024, he moved on loan to Girona in La Liga to cover for Marc-André ter Stegen’s absence. When ter Stegen returned, Livaković lost his starting spot. He has been back on loan at Dinamo Zagreb since late January 2026; his contract with Fenerbahçe expires at the end of June 2026. With over 56 international caps, he is Dalić’s first and only choice. The World Cup begins immediately after the announcement of his loan deal.

Kotarski is 26 years old, hails from Zabok in the Krapina-Zagorje County, and has had a remarkably well-structured career path through top-tier European soccer. Raised in the Dinamo Zagreb academy, he moved to Ajax in 2017, came through Jong Ajax, and made regular appearances in the Eredivisie. After four years with PAOK in Thessaloniki, where he established himself as a star in the Greek Super League, he transferred to FC Copenhagen in July 2025 for €5 million, signed a five-year contract, and immediately secured a starting spot. This season, he played in Champions League group stage matches against Napoli, Villarreal, and Barcelona, proving himself competitive at the international level. With only three international appearances to his name, he is still a newcomer on the international stage, but he has the potential to be a key goalkeeper for the future. Dalić sees him as a clear second choice.

Pandur is 25 years old, was born in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and plays for the Croatian national team. He played for every level of the Croatian youth national teams before embarking on an unusual club career: from the Internazionale academy to Grasshopper Zurich, Lucerne, St. Gallen, and Sheffield United, all the way to Hull City, where he has established himself as the starting goalkeeper in the Championship since the 2024–25 season. Pandur candidly described his World Cup nomination in a BBC interview: He wakes up every day with this World Cup on his mind and knows that results and performance are what matter. The fact that he made the squad is the result of precisely this attitude.