Chelsea FC loanee Mario Pasalic of Hadjuk Split was named to the 30 man Croatia World Cup Squad after having a fine domestic season. He joins some of European football’s biggest stars such as Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic, and Ivan Rakitic in the squad. The youngster shined in his first full season with the senior squad and scored 11 goals in the league. He helped Hadjuk Split finish third in the league and qualify for the Europa League’s qualification playoffs. At 19, Pasalic is the youngest member of the squad by over a year and the experience, whether he makes the trip to Brazil or not, could be invaluable for his development.
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Pasalic agreed to a move to Chelsea in January but was immediately loaned back to his boyhood club. He has yet to make his senior international debut so it is unlikely that he makes the final 23 man squad but this is a great indicator of his potential. He will likely be loaned out again next year but perhaps to a more aggressive loan destination in England if he can secure a permit but most likely to Vitesse Arnhem if not.
The 30-Man Croatia World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Rostov), Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Oliver Zelenika (Dinamo Zagreb).
Defenders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Dejan Lovren (Southampton), Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Gordon Schildenfeld (Panathinaikos), Danijel Pranjic (Panathinaikos), Ivan Strinic (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev), Sime Vrsaljko (Genoa), Igor Bubnjic (Udinese).
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Niko Kranjcar (Queens Park Rangers), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev), Ivan Perisic (Wolfsburg), Mateo Kovacic (Inter Milan), Milan Badelj (Hamburg), Ivo Ilicevic (Hamburg), Marcelo Brozovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Mocinic (Rijeka), Mario Pasalic (Hajduk Split), Sammir (Getafe).
Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich), Ivica Olic (Wolfsburg), Eduardo (Shakhtar Donetsk), Nikica Jelavic (Hull City), Ante Rebic (Fiorentina), Duje Cop (Dinamo Zagreb).
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