Top 5 surprise teams at the World Cup

Croatia (1998)

Croatia didn’t exactly travel to France 98 unfancied, as the quality in their ranks was evident, yet they were not expected to achieve the level of success they managed in finishing third in the competition – and very nearly making it all the way to the final.

Having won independence as a nation in 1991, this was the team’s first World Cup and they were eager to make a positive impression.

They set about doing so from the very beginning. Victories over Jamaica and Japan booked their place in the knockout rounds with a match to spare, but that only hinted at the success that was to follow.

It was a measure of the ability in the team that Davor Suker, their star man, won the Ballon d’Or in 1998 ahead of World Cup hero Zinedine Zidane, and his exploits for the Croatians that summer went a long way towards earning him that individual award.

The Real Madrid striker’s penalty knocked out Croatia in the last 16, and he was on target again as Germany were brushed aside 3-0 in the quarters.

Things were looking good when he struck once more against France to give his side the lead against 10 men in the semi-finals, yet many perceived justice to have been done as the hosts fought back from the unjust dismissal of Laurent Blanc to claim a 2-1 success.

Nevertheless, Croatia still had the resources to go and claim third place from a very powerful Netherlands side, with that man Suker once again the scorer.