Ivana Knoll backs Croatia to stun England in opener

Croatia’s most famous fan, Ivana Knoll, has predicted her country will beat England in their World Cup opener in Texas tonight, insisting people are underestimating a small nation that’s been to major finales. Her comments are echoed by national team journalis

The streets around Dallas are already buzzing, but Croatia’s confidence feels like it’s walking with purpose—especially with Ivana Knoll at the center of it.

Knoll. the Croatian model who became an internet sensation for her stands outfits at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. is set to watch her team face England at 9pm tonight. She arrives with a huge social following—2.9 million Instagram followers—and a message that sounds less like hope and more like a warning: Croatia will beat England.

She told the BBC’s Football Heaven show: “I think, first of all, we will beat you guys. People are underestimating us because we are a small nation. Croatia is never in the predictions, and we have killed the last couple of World Cups. So I don’t see that.”

Knoll’s argument isn’t just about talent. It’s about belief—about how Croatia respond when they feel ignored. “But I understand, when we are a small market and that’s how things go, but I’m sure that we will surprise again.”

Her warning sharpens when she talks about the doubts being aired about the team’s age. “The biggest concern now is with people talking about that our players are old. blah-blah.” She points to the way nations can look stuck when individuals don’t connect. then insists Croatia’s togetherness is the difference. “But you have examples with individual nations who had such a good team with players from the biggest clubs in the world and they. as a national team. couldn’t do anything because they didn’t connect.”.

“So I think the connection is the most important. It’s no matter if some players are older, younger, the best, whichever clubs they are [at]. But if. as a group. they play together. then miracles happen. and I believe that we are always such a good team and I think that’s why we achieve such big results.”.

She also believes the tournament can keep rolling for Croatia. “I think, for sure, we will get to the quarter-finals.”

That sense of defiance has been backed in print by Drazen Antolic. a leading national team journalist. who branded England “arrogant” in a cutting column for the newspaper Jutarnji list. Antolic wrote: “There is no bigger match for Croatians than England. if we don’t count the finals of the biggest competitions. and even when they brag and underestimate themselves. in which they are world champions. the motivation jumps to the sky and the desire to win is greater than against anyone.”.

He added that England’s mindset matters to how Croatia feel about the match. “History repeats itself. the Three Lions today do not perceive Croatia as a team that was second and third in the world. while making them cry in the semi-finals. but as a team from the B rank of the League to a nation whose golden reach is to reach the World Cup.”.

Antolic suggested that England’s comments—and those from their journalists and former players saying they should not fear a team led by a forty-year-old—could act as extra fuel. “The comments of their journalists and former players that they should not be afraid of a team led by a forty-year-old must be a turbocharger for [manager Zlatko] Dalic’s chosen ones because everything else would say that they are not up to the jersey they wear.”.

He also linked the present mood to what Croatia felt in Russia. “They respected and appreciated us more in Russia, and even then our people felt their arrogance.”

His column carried one more blunt message: Croatia shouldn’t be treated like a sharpened outsider. “Croatia is not and must not be a ‘sharpened’ outsider, but a member of the football aristocracy. Beating the English would be great, but not crucial.”

Across the debate, England’s name still feels bigger on paper—but Croatia have strong reasons to believe in their own script. They were runners-up in 2018 after beating England in the semi-finals, then came third in 2022.

England may arrive with swagger, but Croatia will point to the players they believe can change the story under pressure. Luka Modric—aged 40—is at his fifth World Cup. He has been playing with a mask after suffering a fractured cheekbone from a clash of heads while playing against Juventus in April.

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol is also in the squad. He is back playing after suffering a broken shin in January. The group’s experience and quality stretches further with Mateo Kovacic, PSV’s Ivan Perisic, and Bayern Munich’s Josip Stanisic.

And even among English voices predicting the match. the attention isn’t only on Croatia’s resilience—it’s on how the game could swing. Another newspaper. Vecernji list. quoted Shearer—speaking as a Betfair ambassador—predicting a tight England win: “I predict that we will beat Croatia 2-1. with Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon scoring the goals.”.

On a night that begins with a clash at 9pm in Texas. the difference between prediction and expectation is exactly what Croatia are trying to overturn. Knoll’s message is clear. Antolic’s language is sharper. and the atmosphere in Dallas carries a simple idea into the stadium: if England think they can coast. Croatia intend to make them pay.

MISRYOUM Sports News World Cup England vs Croatia Ivana Knoll Luka Modric Josko Gvardiol Zlatko Dalic Drazen Antolic