Niko Kovač's men moved up to 14th position at the latest FIFA rankings and will be among the seeded teams for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw, to be held 25 July at St. Petersburg.
Croatia joins Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, England, Wales and Spain as the elite of European football.
"With great satisfaction we will go to St. Petersburg to attend the draw, proud to have Croatian among the most successful European nations. This is the affirmation of Niko Kovač's quality work, our Vatreni's effort and the value of our national team. The seeding doesn't guarantee another success, but Croatia's goal is always to reach the major tournament. Croatia is a true force of European football", rejoiced Croatian Football Federation president Davor Šuker.
Croatia head coach Niko Kovač was also very pleased with the news.
"I am extremely happy, as any Croatian fan would be. The road to Russia will not be easy, but this is a nice introduction to the draw. It is a major success for a small country to be among the best nine teams, and I congratulate my staff, the HNS, and especially my players, for placing Croatia among the elite".
