ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Croatia
Croatia always had decent teams with top quality players. Davor Šuker, Robert Prosinečki and Zvonimir Boban to name a few of the stars from the 98 team that came third in the World. Even today you know you wont get an easy game from playing them. They play beautiful football that is easy on the eye, and all in a good fun free spirit that is endearing.
These days Real Madrid star, Luka Modrić is the player every one looks out for, but if you scan through their squad you can see they have many players who ply their trade in the top leagues of Europe. Their midfield is particularly strong, with Modrić as mentioned, but also Ivan Rakitić of Barca, and Marcelo Brozović from Inter and with Mario Mandžukić still banging the goals in for club and country, they can beat anybody on their day.
In a tough group, it is perhaps good luck that they play Nigeria first. Nigeria can be slow to come out of the blocks, not scoring in their last three World Cup starts. Hit Nigeria at the start, can leave Croatia looking for three points against Iceland to qualify, something they are well capable of achieving. I think they might not get top of the group, so it is looking that they probably will play France in the second round. A game I also wouldn’t fancy them coming through. But if they do manage to beat Argentina and come top, their route is a little easier, they might get Denmark in the last 16, which is manageable which would set up a mouth watering tie with Germany in the last eight. That’s a game I’d love to see. Two efficient and complete teams head to head, one mistake and you are out. Croatia have a chance to go far in this World Cup, but they need to top the group. Touch and go at the moment, I cant call it for now!
So here they are back again, too long out of the picture, but have they any new stars to set the world alight? Their captain and talisman, Paolo Guerrero, the Flamengo striker, is finally allowed to play after his cocaine on off drug ban, and they badly need him. 87 caps with 34 goals stands out in an otherwise threadbare squad. 
Can they make it out of the group? Will be tough. Against France I dont give them much hope, but if they can get a result against the Danish then Id fancy them to beat the Australians. They dont lose many games under Argentinian manager, Ricardo Gareca, and the team have an unbelievable spirit. Most South American teams are skillful on the ball and very technical, so they wont be an easy touch. They definitely have an outside chance, especially now with their captain finally back. With a small bit of magic and a health dose of luck they could get into the last 16! 
Unlike some of the African teams, the majority of Morocco’s squad play in the top leagues of Europe. Medhi Benatia is at the centre of the backline, and from his time playing with Juventus you can be sure he has the art of defending down to a tee. Karim El Ahmadi, from Feynoord, another bulwark against opposition attackers as a strong defensive midfielder. Hakim Ziyech, the play maker, has had an excellent season with Ajax, prompting the notice of some of the EPL’s big teams, while Striker Khalid Boutaïb, who plays in the Turkish Superliga with Yeni Malatyaspor has had a relatively good season there with 12 goals this year, and is on hot on form. So they have some quality in their team no doubt about it. 
It also has to be mentioned that the team didn’t concede one goal in the qualifying, an amazing statistic, which must take the pressure of the forwards no end. Added to this fact is that they have played well in the pre World Cup friendlies and one would think that Morocco have a decent chance of making the last 16. But they dont, and the reason is simple. They are in a group with Spain and Portugal, with a defensive minded Iran making up the numbers. They really need to hit the ground running in their first game against Iran, a win and they have an outside chance, a loss and its an early exit I am afraid. I really cant see how they can beat Spain, but they might be able to contain Portugal and snatch a draw. It will be a tough ask for Morocco, they have a slim chance, but it would be a big surprise if they made it out of the group. Unlucky for them to get such a tough group. 
It is vitally important that Egypt have their star man playing. He has had such a good season and what a great way to top it all off with a chance to shine in the World Cup for his country. I do hope he is fit enough to play as its not likely he will get a good a chance for a long time and he really is a great player to watch, full of heart, great technical ability and an all round nice guy to boot. 
Héctor Cúper is in charge of the team and I am sure his vast knowledge of the game will help, and what a job he has done so far, bringing Egypt to their first World Cup since 1990 (not withstanding a good dose of help from Salah!)
It was when Italian born Alessandro Zecchinato lived and worked in Dublin, Ireland that he got a love of the craft beer movement and seeing the potential of the market decided to try and bring some craft beer innovation to Croatia. But why Croatia? Well, he also met Veronika Becker in Ireland, fell in love and married her! Veronika was born in the former Yugoslavia, can speak Croatian, and so had experience of the region. With Claudio, a close friend, they all studied the industry inside and out and received a lot of useful information from Irish and Italian breweries, both big and small, and so in March 2015 they founded Bura Brew d.o.o. 
A golden ale that is unfiltered and bottle-conditioned. With a nice looking logo on the bottle, looks like an Inca design not sure of its relevance to Croatia. 
On the taste, it hits you from the start, the hops. Manageable hops, a light bitterness, not too strong making the beer not bad to sip on and slowly enjoy.
A new and exciting artisan brewery in the historical heart of Lisbon, Portugal producing beers that are both innovative and different to the mainstream. Try the Gallas Beer!
Inaugurated in 2018 by brewer Gustavo Gallas, the beer that bears his name is the result of his love for brewing high quality beer for many years. Here beer is made according to the old traditions, with dedication, passion and totally handcrafted processes all with the best locally sourced ingredients from the beautiful and sun land that is Portugal. 
Christ on a bike, this beer is just full of carbonation, a lot of it! This all results in a huge frothy white head that takes a little while to settle. After all that we get a pale yellow looking beer that looks ok. Later the colour goes a bit hazy and cloudy. 
Once again a nice logo and bottle, certainly catches the eye for sure, as this time we are treated to a bikini clad lady on a beach, images of relaxing on a beach with a nice cold cool beer at hand.
The aroma was intense, a really lovely smell, very fruity and really strong on the nose. Got citrus hops. It had the “wow factor”, was really nice and exotic. It smelled like a grapefruit.
It wasn’t that long ago that beer, all beer, was banned in the tiny North Atlantic island. Due to religious reasons, alcohol was not allowed, for fear of its corrupting influence. This was changed in 1933 in a nationwide referendum where 57.7% of the voters approved of lifting the ban. But before we congratulate common sense, beer was only to be allowed if it had an alcohol content not more than 2.25%. Of course this just led to a thriving black market in stronger strength beers smuggled into the country and also beers sold by home brewers that were laced with strong spirits. Finally in May 1988, the government passed legislation legalizing beer above 2.25% ABV. The lifting of restrictions on beer is celebrated as Beer Day on March the 1’st, a day that all beer lovers on the island hold dear. Since then beer, wine and spirits are sold widely and consumed as in any other country. 
Located just 60 miles south of the Arctic circle in the fishing port of Akureyri is the brewery Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company). Tapping into pure fresh water that comes directly from prehistoric glaciers flowing down from the majestic Hlíðarfjall Mountain and ancient lava fields, Einstök are able to produce top quality craft brews.
On taste, fuck me, found the initial taste very hard hitting and very hoppy. It this really a regular pale ale? Tastes more like an IPA, fuck me. I think they called it an Arctic Pale Ale to differentiate between the two. Its their own creation, a Viking version of a pale ale!
Coming all the way from the lovely city of St. Petersburg, Knightberg is a family owned brewery that is taking Russia’s second city by storm. The brewery has been one of the main influencers in the burgeoning craft beer scene in the former imperial capital.
With the fall of communism, many western beer influences flooded the city, from Irish and Belgian type bars, from shops selling generic popular brands such as Carlsberg and Heineken to eventually the “craft beer” scene today that is similar to what we have in the rest of the continent, with beer bloggers, huge and well attended beer festivals and small breweries popping up all over the place. Yes the craft beer scene is truly alive and well in Russia. 
Knightberg – knight and Berg – a knightly hill, is a place of competitions, holidays and feasts. Symbolizing festivities, fun, joy and delight all the result of having some great tasting beer in the company of good friends. Starting out in 2007, Premium Pivovarny Peterburga (Knightberg), brewed beer according to their own recipes at a brewery in Kondopoga, on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The first IPA Krasnaya Mashina (Red Machine) was brewed in 2012 in collaboration with the home brewer Zhenya Tolstov also by Knightberg. Today the brewery brews all the main varieties one would expect from a major supplier, from your usual and standard IPA’s the edgy Stouts, Knightberg has something for everyone and caters for all taste buds.
Coming in a very cool looking logo, as are all the Knightberg beers it has to be said. It features a snazzy looking bird, I guess a seagull, perched on top of a lighthouse, battling against the cold sea breeze of the Baltic airs.
So onto the taste. Got a nice mouthful, of tasty dark chocolate, a very deep and creamy tasting chocolate. Also tasted the roasted malts and the caramel.
Just to note that this was 4.8% but I note in some reviews I have seen online they have it as a 4.5 to 4.7%.
The aroma is nice and malty, get the smell of the the fruits and the hops, a typical pale ale aroma, not too strong.
Weird enough logo, has a giant in the background, hops look like gun shells, must be strong so.
Caramel found, on the initial taste at least.
Another Knightberg beer, and another shit hot cool logo. This time of a robot with the heart of a hop. Very clever and for me it conjures up the idea of Ted Hughes’ The Iron Man, who had to survive by eating metal. Replace hops with metal, I know I couldn’t survive with good beer (and football!)
Get a lot of malt on the taste, very sweet at the early stages, very tingly on the tongue. A nice start. 
This time the logo has a pic of a broken down London bus, used as a squat, a nod to English stouts of yesteryear perhaps?
I have never had an oatmeal stout before and can see the difference easily enough to a regular stout. It is much lighter and not as filling, but very drinkable. Lovely mouthfuls, goes down very nice. This to me is a tiny bit like a Schwarzbier, albeit not as watery and with more flavours.
This time we get a logo of a chilled woman all in pink, sitting on a Vespa bike, another cool looking logo from Knightberg. Pink of course representing all the cherries in this fruit beer.
On the nose…..oh my word, very nice smells of the cherry, quite prominent on the aroma, also can get the sugars and spices. Kind of like a cherry bubble gum on the nose, really nice and pleasant. 
Coming in a nice big green bottle with a cork to pop. Great, looks like a lot of drinking will be done so!
Head maintains, some good lacing. 
Head maintains well. A good looking stout, no complaints so far.
Colour is yellow with a small white head. Head does go flat after a while and it isn’t the most appealing of beers from its appearance. 
Smell is very fruity. Plums and berries. Nice. 
What are they like this time round? Well they have Sadio Mané who has had an excellent season with Liverpool, and Everton powerhouse Idrissa Gueye in defence. They are also quite lucky in that their group is one of the easiest. Poland, Japan and Colombia are all beatable on the day, and if they play as a cohesive team I’d expect them to come out of the group. The question after that is can they beat either England or Belgium in the second round? As much as I would like to see them progress I just cant see it. Their form so far this year in friendlies is shocking, not winning any games, and drawing with the not so mighty Luxembourg, Uzbekistan and Bosnia. But hell they have shocked us before so there is no reason why they could not do it again. Lets see!
Well time changes, as for this years World Cup, they got their own slice of lady luck when they beat Costa Rica 2-1 with a goal two minutes from time to move them into automatic qualifying, and the fact that the USA somehow lost to Trinidad and Tobago a score that no one foresaw and resulted in the USA not going to Russia. I guess the long wait was worth it, two minutes from time to qualify for the biggest stage. 
One face that does look familiar is the manager Hernán Darío Gómez, the wily Colombia has previous in the World Cup, having taking Colombia and Ecuador to the world stage on two separate occasions. One would hope that Gómez has a learnt a few tricks up his sleeve if he wants Panama to progress, but well done on getting them there in the first place.