As a member of Real Madrid's title-winning class of 1997, Davor Suker, the former Croatia forward, is better placed than most to discuss the Fabio Capello effect. He describes the England manager as a winner but believes that the rare sensation of defeat awaits in Zagreb tomorrow evening and that, in accepting the challenge to restore faith and confidence in an underachieving England team, his former coach may have taken on the biggest challenge of his distinguished career.

“Capello is just what England need to change their international image,” Suker, who also had one-season spells with Arsenal and West Ham United towards the end of his career, said. “I have a lot of friends in England and people do not like the image of their national team. This is the first point that Capello needs to change - to be proud of this shirt. I think he is the right guy to do this, but the players need to follow him.

“I know Capello. Wherever he works, he is always a winner. He is the top guy for this job and he is always very successful, but he needs time. I know in the English national team that you don't have time, that you always need to win and that if you don't win, it is a difficult time for everyone, not only the manager. I think they will be different under Capello, but this is a dangerous game for them.

“We are at home and the Croatia team always plays at 120 per cent. We might have some players injured, but when we change players, the team is still at 120 per cent, always. The spirit is always here and we are proud to play. When I played we were so proud to play for the national team and it is the same with this new young generation under Slaven Bilic. He has followed this.”

If Suker's inference is that the Croatia team are greater and England's less than the sum of their respective parts, it is a perception that is not uncommon in Zagreb. Luka Modric, the Tottenham Hotspur midfield player, sounded bullish yesterday when he discussed Croatia's prospects of a third consecutive victory over England.

“England will want revenge and be more prepared for us than before, but I believe we will win again, as we did in Zagreb and at Wembley,” Modric said. “We are full of confidence and we have faith in our ability. Before a wonderful audience, once again we will be ready for the match and another great triumph. Even though we are missing Eduardo [Da Silva] and Nico Kranjcar, we are better and stronger than last time we played England. We have more experience and we play better as a collective now.”