Franjo Ivanovic recalled by Croatia for Nations League openers | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic has been recalled by Croatia for the start of the Nations League group stage, his first call-up since missing the 2026 World Cup.

According to Glorioso 1904, the Benfica forward, on loan at Lens until the end of the season with no option to buy, is in a 26-man squad to face Czechia on 26 September and world champions Spain on 29 September.

Ivanovic was omitted from Zlatko Dalic’s World Cup squad while still at Benfica. He returns under Bilic after winning the French Super Cup on his Lens debut against PSG and scoring against Auxerre in the Ligue 1 opener.

This is his first call since November 2025, leaving him on nine caps and two goals. Senior regulars Luka Modric of Milan, Dominik Livakovic of Barcelona, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City, and Ivan Perisic of PSV are also included.

This squad is Croatia’s first since their 2-1 defeat by Portugal in the World Cup round of 32.

Ivanovic joined Benfica from Union Saint-Gilloise on 31 July 2025. He scored on debut against Nice in France, a 2-0 win in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round on 6 August.

In 2025/26 he made 42 appearances for Benfica, 25 in the league, 11 in the Champions League including four qualifiers, four in the Taça de Portugal and two in the Taça da Liga, scoring eight and supplying two assists.

Source: Glorioso 1904

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