By Zobia Zulfqar 
Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic has paid glowing tribute to Ghana football legend Asamoah Gyan ahead of his side’s crucial FIFA World Cup Group L encounter against the Black Stars, describing the former striker as one of the finest forwards he has ever coached.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists face a must-win situation as they prepare to take on Ghana in their final group-stage match. Croatia need a positive result to keep their hopes of reaching the Round of 32 alive, while Ghana have already secured qualification after impressive performances against Panama and England.
Speaking before the decisive fixture, Dalic reflected on the successful period he spent working with Gyan during their time together at UAE club Al Ain.
According to the Croatian manager, Gyan’s professionalism, strength and goalscoring ability made him one of the standout players of his coaching career.
“Our cooperation was excellent for two years at Al Ain. He is a robust striker, excellent in the air and in the attacking phase,” Dalic said.
The Croatian coach believes Gyan’s achievements throughout his career demonstrate the quality that Ghana has consistently produced on the international stage.
“If we judge by him, then Ghana is an excellent national team. He scored goals consistently and made a big difference. We have a tough task ahead of us,” he added.
Asamoah Gyan remains one of Africa’s greatest footballers and continues to hold the record as the continent’s all-time leading scorer at the FIFA World Cup with six goals.
The former Black Stars captain enjoyed an outstanding international career, representing Ghana at three FIFA World Cups and helping the country reach the quarterfinals of the 2010 tournament in South Africa. He also remains Ghana’s all-time leading goalscorer and is widely regarded as one of the nation’s greatest football icons.
His performances on football’s biggest stage earned him worldwide recognition and cemented his place among Africa’s greatest-ever strikers.
Dalic’s comments come as Croatia prepare for one of their most important matches of the tournament.
After opening their World Cup campaign with a defeat to England, Croatia bounced back by defeating Panama to keep their qualification hopes alive. They currently sit third in Group L with three points from two matches.
Ghana, meanwhile, have enjoyed an impressive campaign. The Black Stars defeated Panama before earning a disciplined 0-0 draw against England, securing four points and guaranteeing their place in the knockout stage.
Although Ghana have already qualified, Croatia know they still face a difficult challenge against one of Africa’s strongest teams.
The Black Stars have earned praise throughout the tournament for their organized defending, physical presence and tactical discipline under head coach Carlos Queiroz.
England manager Thomas Tuchel recently described Ghana as one of the toughest defensive teams he had faced after the two sides played out a goalless draw.
Croatia will therefore be aiming to produce their best performance of the tournament if they hope to overcome the Black Stars and extend their World Cup journey.
For Ghana, the match provides another opportunity to build momentum heading into the Round of 32 while continuing their impressive run in the competition.
With both teams carrying different objectives into the encounter, fans can expect another highly competitive contest as Croatia fight for survival and Ghana look to finish the group stage strongly.