Croatia heads into a decisive 2026 World Cup Group L clash against Ghana knowing victory is the only guaranteed route into the knockout stage, but one major surprise has dominated the pre-match discussion. Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has been left out of the starting lineup, leaving supporters wondering why one of Croatia’s most important players will begin on the bench.
With Ghana requiring only a positive result to strengthen its hopes of advancing, both national teams enter Philadelphia Stadium under enormous pressure. Croatia has little room for error after recovering from its opening defeat, making every selection decision even more significant.
Croatia enters the final group-stage fixture after collecting three points from two matches, bouncing back from a heavy defeat to England with a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama. Ante Budimir’s winning goal kept Zlatko Dalic’s side alive, but the European nation still needs another strong performance to avoid relying on results elsewhere.
Ghana, meanwhile, has impressed throughout the tournament with disciplined defending and intelligent game management. The Black Stars defeated Panama before producing a resilient goalless draw against England, leaving Carlos Queiroz’s squad in an excellent position ahead of the final group fixture.
Josko Gvardiol #4 of Croatia looks on
Why Josko Gvardiol is starting on the bench
Putting an end to the pre-match speculation, the team finally cleared up the mystery behind Gvardiol’s absence right as the countdown to kickoff began. According to a report from Sportske Novosti, coach Zlatko Dalic decided to leave the Manchester City defender out of the starting lineup because he has not fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered earlier this year and is still working his way back to peak competitive condition.
Rather than risking one of Croatia’s defensive leaders from the opening whistle, the coaching staff chose to carefully manage his workload with the knockout rounds still a possibility. Ivan Perisic has therefore shifted into the left-back role, while Nikola Vlasic comes into the attacking lineup to add creativity against what Croatia expects will be a compact Ghana defense.
Josko Gvardiol #4 of Croatia reacts
The stakes could not be higher
Dalic’s decision demonstrates the difficult balance national team managers often face during major tournaments. Although Gvardiol remains one of Croatia’s most valuable defenders, protecting a player who is still regaining full match sharpness may prove more valuable over the course of the competition than asking him to start every fixture.
Should the Checkered Ones secure the required result, having a fresher Gvardiol available later in the tournament could become a major advantage. For now, however, the manager will trust Ivan Perisic’s versatility and Ante Budimir’s recent form as it chases a place in the Round of 32.
In fact, every minute of this contest carries enormous importance for both national teams. Croatia needs maximum points to remove any uncertainty surrounding qualification, while Ghana knows another composed performance could secure a long-awaited return to the World Cup knockout rounds.
