Brazil and Croatia will lock horns at the Education City Stadium on Friday in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Head to Head
Brazil have never lost in four previous meetings with Croatia in all competitions, although last met in 2018, when they played a friendly in England.
Matches played: 4
Brazil Won: 3
Draw: 1
FIFA World Cup:
2006: Brazil 1-0 Croatia
2014: Brazil 3-1 Croatia
Neymar is the top scorer for Brazil against Croatia scoring three goals while, Marcelo’s own goal in 2014 leaves Niko Kranjcar as the only Croatia player ever to have scored against Brazil.
Brazil
- Brazil is the most successful nation in the FIFA World Cup, being crowned winner five times: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
- Brazil is the only nation to have played in all World Cup editions.
- Brazil is the only nation to have won the World Cup in four different continents: once in Europe (1958 Sweden), once in South America (1962 Chile), twice in North America (1970 Mexico and 1994 United States), and once in Asia (2002 South Korea/Japan).
- Brazil are the only nation to qualify in the quarterfinals of all 8 editions of the WC since 1994.
- Brazil have qualified for FIFA WC Quarterfinal for record 16 times – 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
- Brazil’s 4 goals against South Korea is just the 2nd occasion to score 4 goals in the opening half of a FIFA WC match, last they did so against Mexico in 1954.
- Brazil’s appearance in World Cup Finals 22 – Played: 113 Matches; Won: 76; Draw: 18; Lost: 19; (Knockout matches which were decided on penalty shoot-out – included in draw) Updated till Round of 16 Match against South Korea.
- Neymar became the third Brazilian player to have registered goals at three or more World Cups. He joined Pele and Ronaldo for the feat. Pele has scored at four different editions while Ronaldo scored at three. Neymar, having scored at 2014 and 2018 editions, joined the list with his penalty against South Korea.
- Neymar also moved closer to equalling Pele’s record for most goals in a Brazil shirt. The former football icon has 77 goals and Neymar is just one short of the tally. He bettered Ronaldo’s tally of 62 goals.
- In World Cups, Neymar’s goal against South Korea was seventh goal in 12 appearances. The World Cup goals tally for Ronaldo and Pele stand at 15 and 12 goals, respectively.
Croatia
- Croatia have won three of their last 5 World Cup Knockout games on Penalty shootout – 2018 vs Denmark, 2018 vs Russia and 2022 vs Japan.
- This is the third time that Croatia have made to the Quarterfinals. On their debut in 1998 they finished Third, 2018 Runners-up and now in 2022.
- Croatia’s appearance in World Cup Finals 6 – Played: 27 Matches; Won: 12; Draw: 7; Lost: 8; (Knockout matches which were decided on penalty shoot-out – included in draw) Updated till Round of 16 Match against Japan.
- Ivan Perišić is the first Croatian player and fifth player in FIFA World Cup to score goals of last three World Cup. The rest four are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xherdan Shaqiri and Neymar.
- Ivan Perisic has now scored 33 goals for Croatia. He is now level with Mario Mandzukic as Croatia’s 2nd top goal scorer of all time. Davor Šuker remains the top scorer with 45 goals.
Picture Courtesy: FIFA Media
