They fell just short in Russia four years ago and the Croatia World Cup 2022 odds hint that going one better in Qatar might be beyond them.
Luka Modric continues to pull the strings but the midfield maestro has lost the likes of Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Rakitic as international team-mates since Croatia were beaten by France in the last World Cup final.
Manager Zlatko Dalic gave his squad a shot in the arm by bringing in some fresh faces after an unconvincing start to the qualifying campaign for Qatar and they responded well and finished top of the section unbeaten, holding their nerve to see off Russia in the final match and leapfrog them into first place.
They have reached six of the seven World Cups they have been eligible to qualify for, only missing out in 2010.
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid), Ivica Ivusic (Osijek)
Defenders: Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Josip Juranovic (Celtic), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josip Sutalo (Dinamo Zagreb)
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Kristijan Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Luka Sucic (RB Salzburg)
Forwards: Ivan Perisic (Tottenham), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Livaja (Hajduk Split), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna)