Former Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur defender Vedran Corluka has stressed that Croatia are tired of underachieving at the World Cup and want to emulate the class of 1998.

The Balkan nation has made group stage exits in their last three appearances at the tournament, winning just two of their nine matches.

Croatia's best showing at a World Cup was 20 years ago in France, reaching the semi-finals and going on to clinch third place at the tournament.

"We are tired of being billed as a talented generation which keeps flattering to deceive," Lokomotiv Moscow captain Corluka told the Croatian Football Association's official website.

"We let ourselves and our fans down in every World Cup since the 1998 tournament, especially the last one.

"We have to focus on our strengths and use the good atmosphere in the dressing room as a platform."

Croatia open their Group D campaign against Nigeria, followed by games against Argentina and Iceland.