In the early hours of June 18, Beijing time, the highly anticipated Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage between England and Croatia kicked off in Dallas, USA. England won 4-2. Branko Ivanković, the former head coach of the Chinese men's national football team, watched the entire match live from his home in Varaždin, Croatia. That evening, the veteran coach accepted a phone interview with a Beijing Youth Daily reporter, stating: "Of course, I expect Croatia to win the championship. They played very well in the first half. England is also one of the favorites to win the title."

By mid-June this year, Ivanković had been away from the Chinese team's coaching position for exactly one year. Although he received invitations from national teams and clubs during this period, his long tenure abroad made him homesick, so he declined the offers and returned to his hometown of Varaždin to reunite with his family.

During his time away from coaching, Ivanković remained deeply engaged with football, including Chinese football. When Shao Jiayi became the new head coach of the Chinese men's national football team late last year, Ivanković sent his sincere best wishes to his former assistant. He said: "Shao is an excellent person. He is always focused on his work, very good at learning and thinking. We had very pleasant cooperation with the Chinese team. I believe he can lead them well."

With the start of the FIFA World Cup in North America, the veteran coach's focus shifted to the global tournament. "Although I don't have plans to watch matches live at the venue for now, I will watch as many matches as possible. Many friends I know will be appearing in this World Cup, such as Zlatko (Croatia coach Dalić) and Luka (Croatia captain Modrić)," Ivanković said.

Due to the time difference between Europe and North America, Ivanković cannot watch all matches live, but as a Croatian, he would not miss his country's matches. Regarding the England-Croatia match, he commented: "Undoubtedly, England is one of the favorites to win the championship. But I hope Croatia can win the title; they played very well in the first half. Unfortunately, England's third goal ultimately decided the outcome. I am optimistic about Croatia's next match against Panama." Ivanković also praised his protégé Modrić multiple times. He acknowledged hearing that Modrić is likely to retire from the Croatian team after this World Cup, saying: "I've heard he will probably retire after the World Cup. But in the team, he remains an irreplaceable leading force."

Regarding the first round of the World Cup group stage, Ivanković commented: "France performed very well. The United States also showed strength. Other standout teams include Argentina and Morocco. As for which team is the strongest contender for the championship? It's still hard to say—the tournament has just begun." Ivanković also paid special attention to Asian teams, particularly Iran, which he once coached. Though he missed the Iran-New Zealand match due to the time difference, he rewatched the recording soon after.