The FIFA World Cup always provides a stage for established contenders and ambitious challengers to test their credentials on football’s biggest platform. Among the teams seeking a deep run in the tournament are the Netherlands and Croatia, two nations with rich footballing traditions and impressive World Cup histories.

While the Dutch continue their pursuit of a first world title, Croatia aim to extend a remarkable era that has already delivered multiple podium finishes.

Their journeys, strengths, and challenges make them teams worth watching closely.

Netherlands

Netherlands found the back of the net 27 times and conceded just four in a group that had five teams in the UEFA World Cup qualifiers.

The land of tulips and windmills, but popularly known to the sports world by the nickname 'Oranje', finished with 20 points from six wins and two drawn matches against Poland, Finland, Malta and Lithuania.

With coach Ronald Koeman on the touchline, the Netherlands almost secured a place in the finals in the Americas when it drew 1-1 in the penultimate match against Poland in Warsaw.

The goal difference enjoyed by the Netherlands before its last group match gave it the confidence to rout Lithuania 4-0 and confirm its passage to the finals. It did not make the cut for Russia 2018, but qualified for Qatar 2022.

The Netherlands has been a contender many times, but has never been classified akin to the likes of Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain and England.

It may have raised the bar this time, but the road to the round of 32 has been made tough and uncertain, having been drawn in the same group as Japan, Sweden and Tunisia.

It defeated Uzbekistan and Norway 2-1 in friendlies, but drew with Ecuador and lost 0-1 to Algeria.

The Netherlands' head-to-head record is 3-2-1 (played-win-draw) against Japan, 25-11-6-8 (loss) against Sweden, and 3-1-2 against Tunisia.

A Netherlands diehard may be a little optimistic about the team's entry into the second stage, but the numbers between these countries would give hope to them too.

Koeman's team has played 50 World Cup finals matches, won 30, drawn 14 and lost 11.

A key feature of its World Cup finals record is that it has not lost a single match by more than one goal in regulation time of 90 minutes.

It lost 0-3 to Czechoslovakia in 1938 and 1-3 to Argentina in 1978, but both defeats came in extra time.

Another record it holds is that it has never been knocked out in the first or second round of the finals. It has been runner-up three times in 11 appearances at the finals.

A country that created the Total Football concept and produced stars like Johan Cruijff, Denis Bergkamp and Marco van Basten will look to Memphis Depay to lead the way in the ongoing World Cup finals.

Capped 108 times over a period of 12 years and having scored 55 goals, the highest ever by a Netherlands player, Depay has featured in nine World Cup finals matches in 2014 and 2022.

He has scored 26 goals in World Cup qualifiers and finals, and at the age of 31 has the capacity to pose a threat to rival defences. Depay was the most successful player in the qualifiers with eight goals and four assists.

The Netherlands has a reliable midfield, but apart from Depay, the coach and fans would expect Micky van de Ven to seize opportunities.

A left-footer, Van de Ven, who did not play much at Euro 2024, just 70 minutes in four matches, could be more active at the World Cup, especially with Xavi Simons sidelined for eight months by a damaged right knee (ACL rupture).

The efficiency and proficiency of the forward line featuring Depay, Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen, with good time on the pitch, will be crucial to their team's chances, with Koeman generally relying on a 4-3-3 formation.

The Netherlands reached the final in 2010 and finished third in 2014. It did not qualify for Russia 2018 and lost to Argentina in the quarter-finals in a penalty shootout.

Coach Koeman has been with the team for seven years over two stints. He's not one for Total Football, but rather a coach dictated by the demands of the situation.

Croatia

As an independent nation, Croatia played its first international against the USA in October 1990 and won the match 2-1.

The Croatian league started during the conflict with Serbia in 1992, and it played its first European Championship match in 1996, reaching the last eight.

Croatia won World Cup bronze in 1998, silver in Russia 2018 and bronze at Qatar 2022.

What the country, with a population of under four million, has achieved in three decades is remarkable.

However, the big question is whether it will be able to extend its podium finishes to another World Cup.

Or can the iconic Luka Modric, who at 40 is still seen by his legion of fans and long-serving coach Zlatko Dalic as capable of delivering the goods?

Many observers feel Croatia will find it tough this time to finish among the top three.

The coach, who has been around for nine years, and Modric have turned out to be a great combination for strategising.

However, experts say Croatia is an ageing team and will have to get past the likes of England, Panama and Ghana to enter the second stage.

The Croatia team's main players, apart from the magical Modric (194 matches and 29 goals), are Ivan Perisic (37, 150 matches and 39 goals), Andrej Kramaric (34, 112 matches and 35 goals), Mateo Kovacic (32, 111 matches) and Ante Budimir (34, 38 matches).

With an experienced line-up, Croatia won seven matches in a qualifying group that included the Czech Republic, Gibraltar, the Faroe Islands and Montenegro, scoring 26 goals.

But its preparatory matches against top-notch teams did not go well; it lost 1-3 to Brazil and 0-2 to Belgium, though it recorded wins against Colombia and Slovenia.

Coach Dalic started with formations as varied as 4-2-3-1 against Slovenia, 4-5-1 against Colombia, 4-3-3 against Brazil and 3-4-2-1 against Belgium. It reflects the pathway Croatia may take against stronger and weaker opponents.

Croatia's record against England is 11-3 (win), 2 (draw), 6 (loss), and it has not played against Panama or Ghana. So, it looks like a real challenge against England to start with.

Both the Netherlands and Croatia enter the World Cup with strong credentials, experienced coaches and proven performers capable of influencing matches at the highest level.

The Dutch will hope their attacking quality finally translates into a long-awaited world title, while Croatia seek to defy expectations once again through experience and tactical discipline.

Their paths to the knockout stages appear challenging, but neither side can be underestimated. As the tournament unfolds, both teams will be eager to add another memorable chapter to their World Cup histories.