Croatia changes its guard against Panama: Dalić brings back four in defense in a match that can steer the entire group
The Croatian national football team enters the second round of Group L at the 2026 World Cup against Panama with a clear tactical shift and with far less room for error than before the opener. After a 4:2 defeat to England in the first appearance, head coach Zlatko Dalić is returning the team to a system with four in defense, seeking a more stable structure, more responsibility in the back line, and a more concrete entry into the final third. According to FIFA's official match center, Panama and Croatia play on June 23, 2026, at Toronto Stadium in Toronto, at 7 p.m. local time, that is, on June 24 at 1 a.m. according to the Central European time zone. It is a match that comes for both national teams after defeats in the first round, which is why the result will strongly affect their prospects for the continuation of the competition. Croatia enters the match as the favorite by reputation and individual quality, but the context of the group and the impression from the first round do not allow a casual approach.
Group L after the first round has a clear order and an additional dose of pressure for the teams that remained without points. FIFA announced that England defeated Croatia 4:2 in the first round, while Ghana beat Panama 1:0 in Toronto with a goal by Caleb Yirenkyi in the fifth minute of stoppage time. This means that England and Ghana entered the second round with three points each, while Panama and Croatia are seeking their first positive result at the tournament. For Croatia, not only victory is important, but also the way in which it will control the match, because after conceding four goals against England, the question of balance between possession, pressing, and defensive security was opened. Dalić's team is therefore not seeking only points against Panama, but also the restoration of the competitive rhythm that marked its best tournament performances in recent years.
Return to four in the back line
The most important change compared with the match against England should be the return to a formation with four defenders. According to information published by Croatian sports media, Dalić, after the defeat in the first round, confirmed a shift toward a 4-2-3-1 system, that is, toward an arrangement that should give Croatia clearer lines in defense and more natural solutions in attack. In such an arrangement, Josip Stanišić should cover the right flank, Joško Gvardiol the left side of the defense, and Josip Šutalo remains the most likely member of the center-back pairing. The biggest question concerns the second center-back alongside Šutalo, with Duje Ćaleta-Car, Marin Pongračić, and Martin Erlić being mentioned in different previews. Sportske novosti states that Ćaleta-Car is well rated because of earlier coordination with Šutalo, but that the final decision depends on the assessment of responsibility, concentration, and the opponent's profile.
Such a move has clear logic after a match in which England punished almost every major Croatian lapse in concentration. FIFA, in its report from the England and Croatia duel, highlighted that the goals by Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford in the second half decided the match, after the first half had been open and level in terms of the score. Through Martin Baturina and Petar Musa, Croatia showed that it can create serious situations and respond to a high-level opponent, but the overall structure of the team too often broke after losing the ball and during changes of rhythm. The return to four in defense is therefore not only a question of the number of center-backs, but also an attempt to better protect the half-spaces, reduce the exposure of the flanks, and enable the midfield to manage the second ball more aggressively. If Croatia manages to establish control earlier against Panama, that arrangement should bring more security in possession and fewer panicked reactions in transition.
Budimir as the first striker, Kramarić in a familiar role
A different profile is expected in attack than against England. According to previews from the match preparations, Ante Budimir should start as the central striker, while Andrej Kramarić should remain an option in his familiar role on the right side of the offensive line or as a player who moves from that area closer to the striker. Budimir gives Croatia a stronger anchor in the penalty area, the possibility of playing through crosses, and presence in duels against a compact defense. Kramarić, meanwhile, brings experience, a feel for space between the lines, and the ability to find the final pass or shot against a deep-set opponent without a long setup. The relationship between those two profiles will be especially important if Panama decides to defend densely, with small distances between the defensive and midfield lines.
In the match preview, according to the Croatian Football Federation's publication, Dalić particularly emphasized that Panama stands compactly in defense, that it has mobile players, and that it can break quickly into counterattack. Such a description of the opponent explains why Croatia is seeking more width, patience, and concreteness in the final third. If Budimir is the first choice at number nine, Croatia will probably more often try to create an overload through the flanks, especially through Perišić's side and through the right wing, which must pin Panama's full-back. Kramarić's role in such a plan can be twofold: he can open the corridor for Stanišić, but also move into the middle so that Croatia gets another player around Baturina and Modrić. The greatest risk of such an arrangement will be balance after losing the ball, because Panama seeks space for direct attacks precisely in those moments.
The midfield between control and freshness
The midfield remains the central point of Croatia's game, but also the zone in which Dalić must weigh experience, rhythm, and physical readiness. Luka Modrić is still the player through whom Croatia most naturally calms possession, switches the side of play, and directs the tempo. Mateo Kovačić, ahead of the match, according to the HNS, said that he feels better and better after a demanding season and that he is ready to be available to the team, but the question of his minutes remains important because of the need for Croatia to maintain intensity throughout the entire match. Petar Sučić and Martin Baturina brought positive impulses against England, especially in the phase when Croatia was managing to find space between the lines. That is why the squad previews raise the dilemma of whether Dalić will pair Modrić and Kovačić from the start or whether he will entrust part of the responsibility to younger players who offer more verticality.
Baturina's goal against England and Musa's goal at the end of the first half showed that Croatia has players who can be dangerous even without a long period of dominance. Still, against Panama the match could have a different shape, with more Croatian possession and a smaller number of open meters behind the opponent's defense. In such a scenario, off-ball movement, quick switches of play, and timely filling of the penalty area become more important, and the possession statistics themselves less so. Kovačić can help with carrying the ball out and resisting pressure, while Petar Sučić and Baturina offer verticality, runs from the second line, and a greater attacking impulse. Dalić's decision in midfield will therefore reveal whether Croatia wants to play from the first minute with maximum control or with somewhat more risk going forward.
Panama is not just an opponent waiting for a mistake
Panama was left without a point in the first round at the hardest moment, after Ghana decided the match with a goal in the 90+5th minute. FIFA stated in its report that Yirenkyi's late goal broke Panamanian resistance in Toronto, and that result left Thomas Christiansen's team in the same points situation as Croatia. Although Panama does not have Croatia's tournament history or the same level of international success, in recent years it has become an organized, competitive, and physically demanding national team. The British Guardian, in its guide to the Panama national team, states that Christiansen has led the team since 2020 and that it relies on discipline, defensive solidity, and quick transitions forward. Such an opponent profile is especially unpleasant for a team that must win, because every impatient attack can open space for a counterattack.
Dalić, according to the HNS, warned that Panama has quick players, that it defends in a compact shape, and that its forwards can create problems if they are allowed too much space. Mateo Kovačić also emphasized that Panama knows how to build an attack and that the match will not be simple, which is an important message after the impression that the duel can be viewed only through the difference in reputation. The Panamanian national team has additional motivation because it is still seeking its first point at World Cups, and the defeat to Ghana was painful precisely because it had been very close to a draw. If Croatia opens its structure too early and begins attacking without cover, Panama could get the match it wants: many duels, set pieces, running, and moments in which the crowd in Toronto becomes involved in the rhythm of the match. For Croatia, patience will therefore be just as important as aggression.
Psychological pressure after England
The defeat to England was not catastrophic in terms of attacking content, but it opened serious questions about defensive reliability. Croatia showed character and the ability to come back in the first half, but the continuation of the match exposed weaknesses that are difficult to hide at a major competition. Afterward, according to the HNS, Dalić said that the team must improve what was not good, above all defense, concentration, and responsibility. In the Panama preview, he added that Croatia must set itself up as the favorite, but also be determined and brave, which clearly shows that the team is being asked not only for caution, but also for an active reaction. Such balance often decides second-round matches: a team that worries too much about making a mistake loses attacking sharpness, while one that chases the result too much can open the door to the opponent itself.
In recent tournaments, the Croatian national team has built the reputation of a team that rarely gives up and often reacts best in high-pressure situations. Still, past successes do not bring points in the current group, which Kovačić summarized ahead of the match with the message that one cannot live on old glory. That sentence describes well the state before Panama: experience is an important resource, but only if it is turned into a calm, precise, and energetically strong performance. Croatia must not allow the defeat to England to make it nervous, but it must also not underestimate the weight of the match against an opponent that has nothing to lose. The biggest challenge will be to impose rhythm early without forcing the final pass and without opening the middle of the pitch.
What victory brings Croatia
Considering the format of the 2026 World Cup, in which, after the expansion of the competition, a round of 32 is also played, the fight for advancement does not depend only on first and second place in the group, but also on the ranking of the third-placed national teams. Still, Croatia cannot count on calculations if it does not win points against Panama. Victory would bring the team back into play before the final round against Ghana, while at the same time improving the atmosphere after the difficult opening against England. A draw would leave Croatia in a very unpleasant position, dependent on other results and under the imperative of victory in the closing part of the group. A defeat, depending on the outcome of the England and Ghana match, could seriously jeopardize or almost close the path toward the knockout phase.
That is why Dalić's decision to bring back four in defense also has broader competitive sense. Croatia must be attacking enough to confirm the role of favorite, but also stable enough not to repeat the scenario in which the opponent gets easy situations after Croatian mistakes. Budimir as the central striker, Kramarić as a creative solution from the right side, Baturina between the lines, and Modrić as the tempo regulator give Croatia enough tools to break through a compact block. The second center-back alongside Šutalo, however, remains an important decision because precisely that zone will be crucial in defending against direct balls and Panamanian transitions. In a match in which Croatia is expected to take the initiative, defensive details could carry the same weight as the finishing shot.
Expected direction of the match
If the announced plan is confirmed, Croatia will try to play against Panama with clearer roles than against England. The full-backs should provide width, the center-back pair must remain ready for duels in large spaces, and the midfield must prevent Panama from immediately attacking the back line after winning the ball. In attack, patience will be required, especially if Panama enters the match with a deep block and a clear intention to slow the rhythm. Budimir in such an arrangement can be a target for crosses and cutbacks, while Kramarić, Baturina, and Perišić will have to change positions at the right time in order to break Panamanian compactness. Croatia will also have to avoid too many unreasonable shots, because every lost ball without cover could turn the match into a running duel.
Panama, on the other hand, will probably not give up trying to pull Croatia out of balance. Christiansen's team can wait for set pieces, wide duels, and situations in which the Croatian midfield moves too high. That is exactly why the first goal can significantly change the entire match: an early Croatian lead would open more space and reduce nervousness, while a long match without a goal would increase pressure on the favorite. Dalić's message about responsibility, courage, and concreteness therefore does not apply only to the starting eleven, but to the entire match plan. Croatia must prove against Panama that the defeat to England is not the beginning of a crisis, but a warning that was understood in time.
Sources:
- Croatian Football Federation – Dalić's preview of the match against Panama and assessment of the opponent (link)
- Croatian Football Federation – statements by Mateo Kovačić ahead of the match with Panama (link)
- FIFA – official match center Panama - Croatia, data on the time and location of the match (link)
- FIFA – report on the England - Croatia 4:2 match in Group L (link)
- FIFA – report on the Ghana - Panama 1:0 match in Group L (link)
- Sportske novosti – preview of the possible Croatian lineup and tactical dilemmas ahead of Panama (link)
- tportal – report on Croatia's possible return to a 4-2-3-1 formation (link)
- The Guardian – profile of the Panama national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup (link)