In the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Croatia did some fine-tuning as it prepares to face Japan in the knockout stage of the tournament.

The world's 12th ranked team advanced to the round of 16 after finishing second in Group F. It plays Japan on Monday for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals.

During practice in Doha on Saturday, 37-year-old midfielder Luka Modric and 20-year-old defender Josko Gvardiol were seen doing one-touch passes. Modric was the MVP of the previous World Cup in Russia when Croatia advanced to the final but lost to France.

Defender Josip Juranovic told reporters before the practice that ball possession no longer matters since Japan beat Spain even though Spain controlled the ball 80 percent of the time.

He said his team needs to be prepared for Japan's excellent teamwork and speed.

Defender Borna Sosa said Japan's strength lies in teamwork but he will also analyze individual players and try to find weaknesses in the opponent.