Despite patchy Benfica form, Ivanovic gets World Cup call... one condition | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic has been included in Croatia’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, although not yet in the way he would certainly have wanted. The Benfica forward is among the standby players selected by coach Zlatko Dalic, thus keeping alive the hope of making the final list should there be any withdrawals before the start of the competition.

The 22-year-old striker is part of a group of seven standby players in Croatia’s official squad. In this way, Ivanovic could still be called up to fill a possible spot in the final 26-man squad that will represent the national team in the tournament, which will take place between 11 June and 19 July in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Another player with Benfica ties appears in Croatia’s official list - who is being forced to 'tighten the belt'. Petar Musa, currently playing for Dallas, secured a direct place among the final call-ups. Meanwhile, Dion Beljo, a forward linked with Benfica for next season, appears among the standby names just like Ivanovic.

Croatia will be in World Cup Group L, alongside England, Panama and Ghana. The Croatian national team’s first match is scheduled against England, in what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the opening phase of the competition.

This season, playing for Benfica, Franjo Ivanovic — valued at €18 million — has already made 41 official appearances: 25 in the Liga Portugal Betclic, 11 in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup and two in the League Cup. .

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.