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Dejan Lovren not only wants to emulate the Croatia side that came third in 1998 World Cup, but thinks his current generation could go even further in Russia.

The Liverpool defender was one of the players initially rested by head coach Zlatko Daric in their final group game against Iceland on Tuesday, which they won 2-1 to earn a place in the knockout rounds.

But Lovren came off the bench to play his part and give away a penalty as Croatia qualified for the second round, where they will face Denmark.

Croatia's previous best World Cup performance came in 1998, when the team featuring Davor Suker, Robert Prosinecki and Zvonimir Boban finished third in France.

And Lovren, while remaining deferential to the members of that squad, thinks this current squad can do more.

"We can beat it, definitely, but we need luck," Lovren said postmatch. "We have a good opponent in the next round, it will be difficult -- you saw the game today against France. There are no easy games here.

"We are favourites [against Denmark], definitely, but when you look at them -- they passed a tough group, although it was not as difficult as ours. It will be difficult. We have played against similar teams to them -- Sweden, Norway. These Scandinavians teams, they all have similar styles so we know how to play against them."

Croatia had a 100 percent record in Group D, even more remarkable when you consider that their path to the World Cup was not exactly smooth. Coach Ante Cacic was sacked days before their final qualifier after a rocky campaign, with Zlatko Dalic brought in as a late replacement.

Dejan Lovren AFP PHOTO / JOE KLAMAR

So how has this team changed in the last couple of years?

"Not maybe in two years, maybe in just the last couple of games when the manager came in," Lovren said. "The manager has his own ideas and when he brings something new in and if he tells you he believes in you, then you will start to believe in yourself and with that comes the atmosphere -- it's amazing to be honest."

That 1998 team featured two of the great central defenders in Croatian history, in Slaven Bilic and Igor Stimac. And Lovren not only wants to emulate them, but surpass them too.

"I had the luck for them to be my coaches, both of them, so I am learning from the best," Lovren said, before adding, tongue half in cheek.

"I want to beat them, of course. I want people to remember my name in the future, not theirs."

Both of those players had a reputation for being, well, a little bit crazy.

"Yeah but you need to be crazy in our country," Lovren said. "Nobody is normal. I'm not normal."

Source: espn.co.uk

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