Croatia forward Ivan Perisic has praised Ghana’s organisation ahead of the teams’ decisive Group L meeting at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying his side must be prepared for any tactical approach if they are to keep their hopes of progressing alive.
Croatia go into the match knowing they require a positive result after beginning their campaign with a defeat to England before recovering with a victory over Panama.
Speaking before the fixture, the experienced winger said Croatia’s coaching staff had spent time analysing Ghana’s performances in their opening two group matches against Panama and England in preparation for the contest.
“We watched their two matches as much as we could, and we have one more analysis. They are a good, compact team that played in a low block in these two matches,” Perisic said.
The veteran attacker believes Ghana could alter their approach for the final group fixture and insisted Croatia must be ready to deal with any changes.
“They have qualified from the group, so they might change something. We must be ready for anything. We have to prepare and be much better than in the first two matches.”
Perišić’s comments underline the importance Croatia are placing on the encounter, with the side seeking a performance that will preserve their chances of reaching the knockout stage.
After suffering defeat to England in their opening match, Croatia responded by beating Panama to remain in contention heading into their final Group L fixture. However, they know another strong display will be required against an unbeaten Ghana side.
Ghana have enjoyed a solid start to their World Cup campaign. They opened with a 1-0 victory over Panama before holding England to a goalless draw, results that have left them without defeat heading into the meeting with Croatia.
Those performances have also drawn the attention of Croatia’s coaching staff, who have studied how Ghana approached both matches.
Perisic highlighted Ghana’s defensive discipline, describing them as a compact team that employed a low defensive block in each of their opening fixtures. However, he cautioned that Croatia could face a different tactical challenge this time because Ghana may choose to adjust their strategy.
The forward stressed that Croatia cannot rely solely on what they have observed in earlier matches and instead must be prepared for every possibility when the teams meet.
With Croatia needing a favourable outcome to keep their World Cup campaign alive, the Group L encounter carries significant importance for the European side.
Ghana, meanwhile, arrive with confidence after avoiding defeat in their first two matches, while Croatia hope lessons from their mixed start to the tournament, combined with detailed preparation, will help them produce the performance required to continue their journey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
