Croatian national soccer team manager, Zlatko Dalic, announced on Monday the final list of 23 players that will represent the nation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia.

In a news conference held in the coastal town of Opatija, Dalic presented his list, announcing that he decided to drop the 24-year-old defender Matej Mitrovic. Currently playing at the Belgian side Club Brugge, he had suffered an injury which made him sidelined since April.

Dalic told reporters that his lack of playing time was the key factor in his decision to pick Salzburg’s Duje Caleta-Car instead.

“I gave it a lot of thought, and since day one I have been saying that one defender will have to be dropped from the squad. This is my choice and I stand behind it,” Dalic said.

June 4 was the deadline set by FIFA for national teams to hand in their final squad lists, with any later changes due to possible injuries only allowed within 24 hours of the team’s opening game at the tournament, which Croatia will play against Nigeria on June 16.

Following a 2-0 defeat in a friendly match against Brazil played in Liverpool on Sunday, the Croatian team returned to prepare for the World Cup to Rijeka. On June 8 they are scheduled to play their last preparation match, versus Senegal, in the eastern Croatian city of Osijek.

After Nigeria, Croatia will also play Argentina and Iceland in the group stage. This will be Croatia’s fifth appearance in the World Cup, having progressed to the knockout stages only on their debut in 1998, when the team sensationally won third place.

Follow N1 via mobile apps for Android | iPhone/iPad | Windows| and social media on Twitter | Facebook.