This is the best Croatian team ever

With its main stars still playing for trophies in their respective clubs, members of Croatian national team started the preparations for EURO 2016 and they had to feel good if they read the papers on Saturday morning.

"This is the best Croatian team in history," 34-year-old captain Darijo Srna said in the interview published in Croatian sports daily "Sportske novosti".

On Saturday, Srna was still with his team Shakhtar Donetsk fighting for the Ukrainian Cup but his message was strong.

"I don't want to underestimate other generations but if you look at the quality of this team, names of the clubs that these players are playing for and how important roles they have, I am convinced that no other Croatian manager had a better situation on paper.

"Of course, now we have to prove that on the field," said the oldest player of this generation who has already announced that the tournament in France will be his last with the national team.

From Srna to Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Ante Coric there is a 15 years age difference and, even though Srna says that his body still feels fresh and ready for the biggest challenges, he also feels that the time has come to make way for the new generation.

The EURO 2016 will be his sixth big tournament and he will add some caps to an already impressive number of 129 appearances in a beloved red and white checkered shirt.

Srna is not alone in his optimism. He is the voice of the dressing room that other will follow, like 31-year-old central defender Gordon Schildenfeld, who has a vast international experience playing for clubs in five different European countries and has been a member of Croatian team at last two big tournaments, 2012 EURO and 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

"We have a fantastic team. We have strong opposition in our group, three teams that want the same things but we have a quality to advance to knockout stage. That's something we should achieve," Schildenfeld said at the start of the 3-week training camp.

Unlike his captain, Schildenfeld doesn't have a guaranteed spot in the lineup and he will have to fight for it.

"I am used to it. This is not a new situtation. Nothing has ever come easy for me. I will give it all I have and hope that this will be enough. I just hope that we will all avoid injuries," Schildenfeld concluded.

Croatian team will spent first few days of the camp in Zagreb and from Monday they will relocate to Sv. Martin na Muri, small town and spa in the northern part of Croatia that borders with Slovenia and Hungary. On May 27 Croatia will play against Moldova in the first of two test matches. For the second part of the camp Croatian team will relocate to northern Croatian coastal province of Istria. This is where Darijo Srna, Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic and Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic will join the team.

On June 4 the Croatian team should be complete with Real Madrid duo of Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic joining teammates for the last test match against San Marino in Rijeka. Three days later Croatian footballers will head for their French base in Deauville.

Croatia will start its 2016 EURO campaign in Group D on June 12 against Turkey at Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris. On June 17 Croatia's finest will clash with Czech Republic in Saint Etienne and on June 21 will play against Spain in Bordeaux in the last match in the group phase. Hopefully, not the last match in these championships.

With 16 out of 24 teams reaching the knockout stage and the group of players that national head coach Ante Cacic has to choose from, that seems as a very achievable goal.