ZAGREB, Croatia -- Luka Modric and Mario Mandzukic were included in Croatias experienced 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup on Wednesday. Danny Ainge Jersey . The skilful Real Madrid midfielder, with 73 appearances for Croatia, and the prolific Bayern Munich striker, with 54 caps, are expected to form the spine of countrys team at the World Cup, where it will play host Brazil, Mexico and Cameroon in Group A. However, Mandzukic will have to sit out the World Cup opener against Brazil on June 12 in Sao Paulo because of his expulsion during Croatias playoff match against Iceland. Also included in the provisional squad are defender Darijo Srna and Brazilian-born striker Eduardo of Shakhtar Donetsk, midfielders Ivan Rakitic of Sevilla and Niko Kranjcar of Queens Park Rangers, and strikers Ivica Olic of Wolfsburg and Nikica Jelavic of Hull. In 1998, Croatia -- still recovering from a bloody civil war in the Balkans in the early 1990s -- finished third in its maiden World Cup. Since then, the team from a nation of 4.3 million people qualified for three out of four World Cups. Now, the Croats believe they can finish at least second in their group after the highly favoured hosts, and progress to the knockout stage. "Well try our best in Brazil, but the earth wont stop turning if we fail," Croatia coach Niko Kovac said Wednesday while announcing the squad which will be reduced to 23 players on May 31. "There will always be disappointed players, but thats how it goes," the German-born former Croatia midfielder said. "I was not in the team for the 1998 World Cup, but still managed to play at many big events after that." Defender Josip Simunic had to be omitted from the squad after he lost his appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday, ruling him out of the World Cup for leading fans in a pro-Nazi chant after the playoff win. "Simunic will unfortunately not be with us in Brazil," Kovac said. "We are friends and Im sad." ------ Squad: Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Rostov), Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Oliver Zelenika (Dinamo Zagreb) Defenders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Dejan Lovren (Southampton), Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Gordon Schildenfeld (Panathinaikos), Danijel Pranjic (Panathinaikos), Ivan Strinic (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kyiv), Sime Vrsaljko (Genoa), Igor Bubnjic (Udinese) Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Niko Kranjcar (Queens Park Rangers), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kyiv), Ivan Perisic (Wolfsburg), Mateo Kovacic (Inter Milan), Milan Badelj (Hamburg), Ivo Ilicevic (Hamburg), Marcelo Brozovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Mocinic (Rijeka), Mario Pasalic (Hajduk Split), Sammir (Getafe) Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich), Ivica Olic (Wolfsburg), Eduardo da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk), Nikica Jelavic (Hull), Ante Rebic (Fiorentina), Duje Cop (Dinamo Zagreb) Jaylen Brown Jersey . Teams one through twenty competing in Englands top flight are each fatally flawed. A wide-open, highly competitive and mistake-filled season has followed. Terry Rozier Jersey . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then. http://www.celticssale.com/kids-jayson-tatum-celtics-jersey/ . "Yeah, [I heard them]," he said. "They made me miss the free throw." A year ago, Lowrys post-game antics may not have been so well received but what was snide and snarky is now endearing quick wit.MESA, Ariz. -- Ted Lilly has been hired by the Chicago Cubs as a special assistant to Theo Epstein, the teams president of baseball operations. Lilly retired after last season with a 130-113 record and a 4.14 ERA. He pitched for Montreal (1999), the New York Yankees (2000-02), Oakland (2002-03), Torronto (2004-06), the Cubs (2007-10) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2010-13). Marcus Morris Jersey. Chicago said Tuesday he will spend time with the team during spring training, visit minor league clubs during the season, evaluate amateur players ahead of the June draft and scout professional players. 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