Croatia national football team

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Croatia
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Vatreni (Blazers)
Kockasti (Checkered Ones)
AssociationCroatian Football Federation (HNS)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachZlatko Dalić
CaptainLuka Modrić
Most capsLuka Modrić (172)
Top scorerDavor Šuker (45)
FIFA codeCRO
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 10 Steady (15 February 2024)[1]
Highest2 (July 2018)
Lowest125 (March 1994)
First international
 Croatia 4–0 Switzerland 
(Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 2 April 1940)
as FIFA member
 Slovakia 1–1 Croatia 
(Bratislava, Slovakia; 8 September 1941)
as modern Croatia
 Croatia 2–1 United States 
(Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 17 October 1990)
as FIFA member
 Australia 1–0 Croatia 
(Melbourne, Australia; 5 July 1992)
Biggest win
 Croatia 10–0 San Marino 
(Rijeka, Croatia; 4 June 2016)
Biggest defeat
 Spain 6–0 Croatia 
(Elche, Spain; 11 September 2018)
World Cup
Appearances6 (first in 1998)
Best resultRunners-up (2018)
European Championship
Appearances7 (first in 1996)
Best resultQuarter-finals (1996, 2008)
Nations League Finals
Appearances1 (first in 2023)
Best resultRunners-up (2023)
Websitewww.hns-cff.hr Edit this at Wikidata

The Croatia national football team (Croatian: Hrvatska nogometna reprezentacija) represents Croatia in international football matches. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), the governing body for football in Croatia. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colours reference two national symbols: the Croatian checkerboard and the country's tricolour. They are colloquially referred to as the Vatreni (Blazers) and Kockasti (Checkered Ones).

Since 1994, the Vatreni have qualified for every major tournament with the exception of Euro 2000 and the 2010 World Cup. At the FIFA World Cup, Croatia has finished second once (2018) and third on two occasions (1998, 2022), securing three World Cup medals. Davor Šuker won the Golden Shoe and the Silver Ball in 1998, while Luka Modrić won the Golden Ball in 2018 and the Bronze Ball in 2022. The team has reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA European Championship twice (1996, 2008) and finished second in the UEFA Nations League in 2023. In June 2023, Croatia recorded its highest-ever Elo Ratings of 2,012 points.

Upon its admission into FIFA in 1994 ranked 125th, they ascended to third place with their debut 1998 World Cup campaign. This marked the fastest, most volatile ascension in FIFA ranking history, making them the youngest team to ever occupy the Top 10 of the World Ranking. It is the second-smallest country by population (after Uruguay) and land mass (after the Netherlands) to reach a World Cup final. At the World Cup, Croatia hold records for most penalty shoot-out played (4) and won (4) and most penalties saved in a shoot-out (3), among other team records. They were named FIFA Best Mover of the Year twice (1994, 1998), equalling joint records with France and Colombia.

History

Official formation

The early history of Croatian football was delineated by a variety of unofficial sides as Croatia was

UEFA European Championship until 1990.[13][14]

Croatia had made its unofficial international debut during modern times against the

winning 2–1, where they introduced the modern checkered jersey.[15][16] Caretaker manager Dražan Jerković, led the de facto national side before their formal re-admission into FIFA on 3 July 1992,[17] winning two more friendly games against Romania in December 1990 and Slovenia in June 1991.[18][19] Stanko Poklepović took over management of the team and led them on an exhibition tour against Australia, before he was succeeded by Vlatko Marković in April 1993.[20] Croatia gained admission into UEFA in June 1993, three months after qualification for the 1994 World Cup started, missing their window to enter the competition.[21] After winning a match against Ukraine in June 1993, Marković was succeeded by Miroslav Blažević in March 1994.[22]

Blažević period (1994–1999)

Croatia's third-place certificate and bronze medal for the 1998 World Cup

After its

reigning champions Denmark 3–0,[28] later losing to Portugal by the same scoreline.[29] The team advanced to the knockout stage and were beaten in the quarter-finals 1–2 by Germany.[30] Croatia's qualifying campaign from 1998 to 1999 for Euro 2000 was unsuccessful as they finished third in their group behind FR Yugoslavia and the Republic of Ireland.[31] Both fixtures against FR Yugoslavia ended in draws which prevented Croatia from qualifying by one point.[32]

Croatia began their

Golden Shoe for scoring the most goals in the World Cup: six goals in seven games.[36] The Croatians' performance during the late-1990s propelled them to rank third place in the FIFA World Ranking in January 1999.[24][13] The team of the 1990s was dubbed the "golden generation"[a] for their contributions to Croatia's ascension in international football.[37][38]

Jozić, Barić and Kranjčar period (2000–2006)

Fans during Euro 2004 in Portugal

Croatia started their qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup with draws against Belgium and Scotland prompting Blažević's resignation as head coach in October 2000.[39] His successor, Mirko Jozić, pushed the team through the rest of qualifiers undefeated. In the group stage, Croatia narrowly lost to Mexico before beating Italy 2–1 and sustaining a 1–0 loss to Ecuador.[40][41] The team was eliminated by one point,[42] leading to the resignation of Jozić and succession of Otto Barić in July 2002, their first manager born outside of Southeastern Europe.[43][44] During Barić's tenure, most of the remaining players from the "golden generation" squad were gradually replaced by younger players over the course of qualifying for Euro 2004. Croatia qualified in a playoff victory against Slovenia, winning 2–1 on aggregate after Dado Pršo's decisive late goal in the second leg.[45] The team was eliminated at the group stage after drawing 0–0 with Switzerland and 2–2 with France, and losing 2–4 to England.[46][47] Barić departed after his two-year contract expired in June 2004.[48]

Prior to launching the team's

Australian accent.[56]

Bilić period (2006–2012)

Croatia vs. Brazil at the 2006 World Cup

In July 2006, prior to

reigning world champions Italy during an international friendly.[59][60] Croatia lost once to Macedonia and beat England twice, who as a result failed to qualify for the first time since 1984.[61][62] Eduardo da Silva, the team's top goalscorer during qualifying, sustained an injury while playing for his club, Arsenal, leading to a shake-up in the finals squad with less experienced players.[63][64] Croatia finished group stage undefeated with a 1–0 win over co-hosts Austria, 2–1 win over Germany, and 1–0 win over Poland.[65] The team collected the maximum group stage points possible (9) for the first time in their Euros history.[66][67][68] Niko Kovač and Dario Šimić held captaincy during the group and knockout stages, respectively.[69][70] Croatia pushed Turkey to a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals in which the Turkish side prevailed in an upset win[71] where Luka Modrić, Mladen Petrić and Ivan Rakitić all missed their penalties.[72] Croatia set multiple Euro records: fewest goals conceded (2), fewest games lost (0),[c] and earliest goal scored.[73][74][75]

Bilić renewed his contract in April 2008,[76] before the qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup. Croatia won 3–0 against Kazakhstan, before taking a 4–1 loss to England at Stadion Maksimir, their first home loss in 14 years.[77][78][79] The team drew 0–0 with Ukraine and beat Andorra twice, drawing again with Ukraine and beating Belarus twice. In the final stretch of the qualifiers, England delivered Croatia's then-heaviest loss, a 5–1 scoreline, at Wembley Stadium.[80] The team had a number of players' injuries during qualifying and were ultimately eliminated, on points, as Ukraine defeated both England and Andorra to advance in the group.[81]

Croatia was a candidate to

Spain, opening with a 3–1 victory over the Irish.[84] Croatia drew the match with Italy 1–1 in an Adriatic Derby that was marred by disruptive fans and controversial refereeing from English official Howard Webb.[85] The side was knocked out by Spain in a 0–1 loss, which, along with 1–1 rematch with Italy, had Croatia eliminated.[85] Bilić announced his resignation plans before Euro 2012 and, upon his departure, Jutarnji list credited him with a "strong revival" of the national side during his six-years.[86][87] During Bilić's tenure, from 2007 to 2012, the Croatians continuously ranked among the top ten teams in the world on the FIFA Ranking.[88]

Štimac, Kovač and Čačić period (2012–2017)

Croatia vs. Portugal at Euro 2016
Croatia vs. Brazil at 2014 World Cup

Succeeding Bilić, former player Igor Štimac was appointed manager while Davor Šuker assumed the presidency of the Croatian Football Federation in 2012 after the death of Vlatko Marković.[89][90] A year in, Štimac was replaced by former captain Niko Kovač.[91] Kovač led the team to a 2–0 aggregate victory over Iceland in the qualifying playoffs for the 2014 World Cup with both goals coming in the home leg in Zagreb.[92] In the group stage, Croatia opened their campaign with a 3–1 loss to Brazil. The match garnered media attention for controversial refereeing from Yuichi Nishimura which was scrutinized for a number of decisions.[93][94] In their second match, Croatia won 4–0 against Cameroon then lost 3–1 to Mexico, finishing third in the group and not advancing to the knockout stage.[95][96][97]

During the

defending champions Spain.[102][103] Croatia prevailed over Turkey 1–0 with a long-range volley goal from Luka Modrić,[104] before drawing 2–2 draw against the Czech Republic.[105] In the latter match, Croatia took the lead with goals from Ivan Perišić and Ivan Rakitić, while opposing Czech striker Milan Škoda and a last-minute penalty from Tomáš Necid drew the match.[106] There was severe crowd trouble[106] and on-field flares in the game's last minutes with a steward injured by a stray firework.[107] Croatia then overtook Spain 2–1, confirming the Spaniards' first defeat at a Euro finals match since 2004.[108][109] The Croatians were tipped as one of the tournament favourites[110][111] as they entered the knockout stage with Portugal.[112] The Portuguese prevailed 1–0 with Ricardo Quaresma's winning goal in the 117th minute after Perišić hit the post with a header in the previous attack.[113] It was an "abysmal...turgid affair" between the two sides, according to BBC Sport.[114] Following the campaign, Darijo Srna announced his retirement and the succession of Modrić as team captain in August 2016.[115][116]

Dalić period (since 2017)

Squad at 2018 World Cup
Coach:
2018 World Cup Final lost against France

Croatia

World Cup campaign.[124][125][126] They topped their group, with a 2–0 victory over Nigeria,[127][128] 3–0 win over Argentina,[129][130][131] and a 2–1 win with Iceland – their best-ever group stage performance.[132][133]

During the

Golden Ball.[148] The team was welcomed by an estimated half a million people[e] at their homecoming in Zagreb.[151] In August Croatia was ranked 4th in FIFA rankings and held that position until 4th of April 2019.[152]

The first game Croatia played after the World Cup was a 1–1 draw against Portugal in a friendly match.[153] It is the first time that Croatia managed to draw (and even score) against Portugal.

The team entered the Nations League's inaugural 2018–19 edition in League A, along with England and Spain in January 2018.[154][155] Croatia lost 6–0 away to Spain in their first game, the side's record loss in a match.[156] Croatia drew 0–0 home with England,[157] played behind closed doors due to UEFA sanctions.[158] The team then overtook Spain 3–2 with a goal in stoppage time, followed by a 2–1 away defeat to England.[159] Croatia were set to be relegated to League B until a tournament rule change retained them in League A, grouping them with Portugal, France and Sweden in the 2020–21 tournament.[160][161][162] Croatia lost to France and Portugal, but a single victory against Sweden was sufficient to avoid relegation to League B.[163][164][165]

The team topped

round of 16, where they lost to Spain 5–3 after extra time.[175] The loss to Spain led to heightened criticism against Dalić and the team by the Croatian public,[176][177] a faction of whom called for resignations.[178][179] Dalić refreshed the team roster by introducing younger debutants for the remainder of World Cup qualifying in 2021.[180][181]

Croatia qualified for the 2022 World Cup with one loss, two draws and seven wins.[182][183][184][185] The team advanced from group stage after a 0–0 draw with Morocco, a 4–1 win with Canada, and finished ahead of Belgium by a single point after drawing 0–0.[186][187] They won against Japan in a penalty shootout in the round of 16 where Dominik Livaković saved three of four Japanese penalties, equalling a record held by Ricardo and Danijel Subašić.[188][189] Croatia similarly beat Brazil during the quarter-finals in an upset victory on penalties, having come from behind to draw 1–1 in the final minutes of extra time.[190][191] In the semi-final match, Croatia sustained their heaviest World Cup defeat, 3–0 against Argentina.[192] They prevailed 2–1 over Morocco in the third place playoff, securing their second bronze medal.[193]

The team topped

Spain.[196][197] After drawing the Spanish 0–0 in extra time, the team lost the penalty shootout 4–5, finishing the tournament in second place.[198]

Croatia finished second in Euro 2024 qualifying, advancing in a "group of death" draw with Italy, Spain, and Albania, due to commence summer 2024.[199][200]

Image

Kits

The team's image references the national colors of Croatia. Pictured: Šime Vrsaljko, 2018.

Croatia's modern-day team jersey was created in 1990 by Miroslav Šutej who also designed the nation's flag, coat of arms and first currency. The red-and-white motif is based on the Croatian checkerboard (šahovnica).[201][202][203] The typical kit color-way features red-and-white checkered shirts, white shorts and blue socks to match the Croatian tricolor (Trobojnica).[201] There have been variations made by the kit manufacturers since the original release; the jersey design has remained consistent throughout the years and has served as a blueprint for other Croatian national sports teams and entities.[16]

Away kits used by the team have for a period been all-blue, incorporating the red-and-white checkers as a trim. Croatia has moved to using darker away kits such as the dark navy-and-black checkered design that featured prominently in the 2018 World Cup campaign. The Vatreni have been required to use their darker away kits even when playing at home because their opponents have red-and-white jerseys that clash with the checkers of Croatia.

Kit supplier Period
Germany Uhlsport 1990–1991
Italy Lotto 1992–1994
Italy Kappa 1994
Italy Lotto 1994–2000
United States Nike 2000–present

Supporters

Croatia supporters at Euro 2012, featuring the national checkerboard

The team has developed an extensive fan base since its unofficial formation in 1990.[204] Following their debut run at the 1998 World Cup, there was a rise in domestic and global attention for the side. Political scientist Alex J. Bellamy observed in 2003 that the national team became a symbol of statehood in Croatia after their independence through the cultural export of Croatian football.[205] The government's influence on team affairs eased substantially after the death of President Franjo Tuđman in 1999. All matches are followed and televised throughout the country, particularly during major tournaments.[206] In November 2022, the Ministry of Science and Education issued guidance to let school children watch matches during the school day as long coursework is made up later.[207] Following the 2018 World Cup, the Croatian Cabinet attended ministerial meetings in team jerseys,[208] and during the 2022 World Cup, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković delivered a hurried speech "[lasting] only 37 seconds" at the Euro-Mediterranean Summit to catch the quarter-finals.[209]

A part of the team's support consists of fans of Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split, the two largest clubs in Croatia's top domestic football league, the Hrvatska nogometna liga (HNL).[210] Both sets of fans—Bad Blue Boys from Zagreb and Torcida from Split—have been associated with hooliganism due to their ultra-style support,[211][212] though violence between them does not occur at international matches. Other ultras groups are Armada Rijeka, Kohorta Osijek, Ultras Vinkovci, Tornado Zadar, Funcuti Šibenik and Demoni Pula. Support for the team also comes from Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly from fans of Zrinjski Mostar and Široki Brijeg.[213] There are also Croatian communities in Australia, North America and South America that follow the team.[214][215] The team's fanbase is known for their use of pyrotechnics, fireworks, and flares at matches and while celebrating. During the qualifiers of Euro 2016, Croatian fans disrupted matches against Italy and the Czech Republic by throwing flares from the stadium onto the field.[216][217]

Among supporters, it is customary to include an inscription of their city of origin onto the Croatian flag to indicate where they are from. Fans also coordinate their vocal support and orchestrate chants during matches. One section may shout "U boj, u boj" ("To battle, to battle") with another responding "Za narod svoj" ("For our people"). When the team wins, supporters might chant "Bježite ljudi, bježite iz grada" ("Run away people, run away from the city") which is a song praising the presence of Croatian fans.[218] The Croatian Football Federation endorses an official fan club for the team, known as Uvijek Vjerni ("Always Faithful").[219] In addition to chants, the team receives support from various local musicians, who release songs dedicated to them. Former manager Slaven Bilić and his rock band released a single, "Vatreno ludilo" (Fiery Madness), which reached the top position on Croatian music charts during Euro 2008.[220][221]

Smoke from supporters' pyrotechnics in Ban Jelačić Square, 2018

Fans' behaviour, hooliganism, and

antiziganist slurs at Romanian referee István Kovács in 2023.[230] The team has been fined for similar incidents and received additional sanctions such as having to play matches without fans, including the October 2018 Nations League game against England.[231][232] There have also been multiple acts of protest against the national team, in response to allegations of corruption within the Croatian Football Federation, and other fan disturbances.[233]

Charity

To advance the team's charitable efforts manager

Stadiums

Since their

first match in 1990, the national team has played at thirteen stadiums around the country. The majority of Croatia's home matches take place at Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb, the country's largest football stadium, which is also the home-ground of local football club Dinamo Zagreb.[241] It was one of two venues for Euro 1976, hosted by Yugoslavia, alongside Red Star Stadium in Belgrade. The Croatian Football Federation previously agreed on extensive plans with the government to renovate the stadium and increase its forty-thousand seating capacity, the proposal was eventually rejected by Mayor of Zagreb Milan Bandić in 2008 due to construction costs.[241][242][243]

Some home matches are occasionally played at other, smaller venues around the country. Stadion Poljud in Split has hosted some qualifying fixtures since 1995, the first being a 1–1 draw with Italy. In the period between 1995 and 2011, Croatia never won a competitive match at Poljud, which the local media dubbed Poljudsko prokletsvo ("the Poljud curse").[244] Qualifying fixtures have also been played at Stadion Kantrida in Rijeka along with Stadion Gradski Vrt in Osijek and Stadion Varteks in Varaždin.[245]

Stadium City / town Pld W D L Win % Last match hosted Map of the host cities
Stadion Maksimir  Zagreb 68 47 15 6 069.1 2022
Stadion Poljud Split-Dalmatia County Split 18 4 9 5 022.2 2023
Stadion Gradski vrt Osijek-Baranja County Osijek 14 10 3 1 071.4 2022
Stadion Kantrida Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Rijeka 11 10 1 0 090.9 2011
Stadion Rujevica 8 6 2 0 075.0 2023
Stadion Varteks Varaždin County Varaždin 8 5 2 1 062.5 2019
Stadion A. Drosina Istria County Pula 5 4 0 1 080.0 2019
Stadion Koprivnica Koprivnica-Križevci County Koprivnica 1 1 0 0 100.0 2016
Stadion Cibalia Vukovar-Syrmia County Vinkovci 1 1 0 0 100.0 2009
Stadion Kranjčevićeva  Zagreb 1 1 0 0 100.0 1996
Stadion Šubićevac Šibenik-Knin County Šibenik 1 0 1 0 000.0 2003
Stadion Radnik Zagreb County Velika Gorica 1 0 1 0 000.0 2021
Opus Arena Osijek-Baranja County Osijek 1 0 0 1 000.0 2023
Total 138 89 34 15 64.5% 2023

Last updated: Croatia vs. Turkey, 12 October 2023
Statistics include only official matches recognized by HNS[246]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2023

25 March UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Croatia  1–1  Wales Split, Croatia
20:45 CET
  • Kramarić 28'
Report
Stadium: Stadion Poljud
Attendance: 33,474
Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal)
Assistant referees: Bruno Jesus (Portugal)
Assistant referees: Luciano Maia (Portugal)
Fourth official: Vitor Ferreira (Portugal)
28 March
TRT
)
Report
Stadium:
Bursa Metropolitan Stadium
Attendance: 37,750
Referee: Andreas Ekberg (Sweden)
Assistant referees: Fredrik Klyver (Sweden)
Assistant referees: Niklas Nyberg (Sweden)
Fourth official: Granit Maqedonci (Sweden
)
14 June 2022–23 UEFA Nations League SF Netherlands  2–4 (a.e.t.)  Croatia Rotterdam, Netherlands
20:45 CEST
Report
Stadium: De Kuip
Attendance: 39,359
Referee: István Kovács (Romania)
Assistant referees: Vasile Florin Marinescu (Romania)
Assistant referees: Ovidiu Artene (Romania)
Fourth official: Halil Umut Meler (Turkey)
Man of the Match: Luka Modrić (Croatia)
18 June 2022–23 UEFA Nations League F Croatia  0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–5 p)
 Spain Rotterdam, Netherlands
20:45 CEST Report Stadium: De Kuip
Attendance: 41,110
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Assistant referees: Stefan Lupp (Germany)
Assistant referees: Marco Achmüller (Germany)
Fourth official: Ivan Kružliak (Slovakia)
Man of the Match: Marcelo Brozović (Croatia)
Penalties
8 September UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Croatia  5–0  Latvia Rijeka, Croatia
20:45 CEST
Report Stadium: Stadion Rujevica
Attendance: 8,152
Referee: Philip Farrugia (Malta)
Assistant referees: Alan Camilleri (Malta)
Assistant referees: Luke Portelli (Malta)
Fourth official: Trustin Farrugia Cann (Malta)
11 September UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Armenia  0–1  Croatia Yerevan, Armenia
18:00 CEST
(20:00 AMT)
Report Stadium: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium
Attendance: 14,233
Referee: Clément Turpin (France)
Assistant referees: Nicolas Danos (France)
Assistant referees: Cyril Mugnier (France)
Fourth official: Ruddy Buquet (France)
12 October UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Croatia  0–1  Turkey Osijek, Croatia
20:45 CEST Report
Stadium:
Opus Arena
Attendance: 12,812
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England)
Assistant referees: Gary Beswick (England)
Assistant referees: Adam Nunn (England)
Fourth official: Michael Salisbury (England
)
15 October UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Wales  2–1  Croatia Cardiff, Wales
20:45 CEST
(19:45 BST)
Report Stadium: Cardiff City Stadium
Attendance: 31,240
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)
Assistant referees: Filippo Meli (Italy)
Assistant referees: Stefano Alassio (Italy)
Fourth official: Matteo Marcenaro (Italy)
18 November UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Latvia  0–2  Croatia Riga, Latvia
18:00 CET
(19:00 EET)
Report Stadium: Skonto Stadium
Attendance: 6,747
Referee: Urs Schnyder (Switzerland)
Assistant referees: Marco Zürcher (Switzerland)
Assistant referees: Benjamin Zürcher (Switzerland)
Fourth official: Sven Wolfensberger (Switzerland)
21 November UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Croatia  1–0  Armenia Zagreb, Croatia
20:45 CET
Report Stadium: Stadion Maksimir
Attendance: 20,398
Referee: Ivan Kružliak (Slovakia)
Assistant referees: Branislav Hanckov (Slovakia)
Assistant referees: Jan Pozor (Slovakia)
Fourth official: Martin Dohal (Slovakia)

2024

23 March
2024 ACUD Cup
Tunisia  v  Croatia Cairo, Egypt
21:00 Stadium: 30 June Stadium
25–26 March
2024 ACUD Cup
Croatia  v  Egypt /  New Zealand Cairo, Egypt
Stadium: Cairo International Stadium
8 June Friendly Portugal  v  Croatia Oeiras, Portugal
Stadium: Estádio Nacional
5 September 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A Portugal  v  Croatia Portugal
20:45 CEST
(19:45 WET)
Report
15 November 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A Scotland  v  Croatia Glasgow, Scotland
20:45 CET
(19:45 GMT)
Report Stadium: Hampden Park

Coaching staff

Manager Zlatko Dalić, 2018
Position Name[247]
Head coach Croatia Zlatko Dalić
Assistant coaches Croatia Ivica Olić
Croatia Vedran Ćorluka
Croatia Mario Mandžukić
Goalkeeping coaches Croatia Marjan Mrmić
Croatia Danijel Subašić
Fitness coach Croatia Luka Milanović
Croatia Marin Dadić
Analyst Croatia Dražen Ladić
Video analyst Scotland Marc Rochon
Scouts Croatia Nikola Jerkan
Croatia Ognjen Vukojević
Physiotherapists Croatia Nenad Krošnjar
Kosovo Nderim Redžaj
Croatia Goran Beloglavec
Croatia Miroslav Jamnić
Croatia Neven Golubar
Doctors Croatia Saša Janković
Croatia Eduard Rod
Croatia Tomislav Vlahović
Technical director Croatia Stipe Pletikosa
Team manager Croatia Iva Olivari
Security officer Croatia Miroslav Marković
Media officer Croatia Tomislav Pacak
Chef Croatia Tomica Đukić
Kit men Croatia Mladen Pilčić
Croatia Goran Vincek
Croatia Dennis Lukančić

Coaching history

The following table provides a summary of the complete record of each Croatia manager's results in the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.

Manager Period Pld W D L Win %
Kingdom of Yugoslavia Jozo Jakopić 1940–1941 4 2 1 1 050.00
Independent State of Croatia Rudolf Hitrec 1941 1 0 0 1 000.00
Independent State of Croatia Bogdan Cuvaj 1941–1943 13 6 3 4 046.15
Independent State of Croatia Bernard Hügl 1943–1945 1 1 0 0 100.00
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Bogdan Cuvaj 1956 1 1 0 0 100.00
Total 20 10 4 6 50%


Manager Period Pld W D L Win % Tournament
Croatia Dražan Jerković 1990–1991 3 3 0 0 100.00
Croatia Stanko Poklepović 1992 4 1 1 2 025.00
Croatia Vlatko Marković 1993–1994 1 1 0 0 100.00
Croatia Miroslav Blažević 1994–2000 72 33 24 15 045.83 1996 European Championship – Quarter-finals
1998 World Cup – Third place
2000 European Championship – Failed to qualify
Croatia Tomislav Ivić (c)[f] 1994 1 1 0 0 100.00
Croatia Mirko Jozić 2000–2002 18 9 6 3 050.00 2002 World Cup – Group stage
Croatia Otto Barić 2002–2004 24 11 8 5 045.83 2004 European Championship – Group stage
Croatia Zlatko Kranjčar 2004–2006 25 11 8 6 044.00 2006 World Cup – Group stage
Croatia Slaven Bilić 2006–2012 65 42 15 8 064.62 2008 European Championship – Quarter-finals
2010 World Cup – Failed to qualify
2012 European Championship – Group stage
Croatia Igor Štimac 2012–2013 15 8 2 5 053.33
Croatia Niko Kovač 2013–2015 19 10 5 4 052.63 2014 World Cup – Group stage
Croatia Ante Čačić 2015–2017 25 15 6 4 060.00 2016 European Championship – Round of 16
Croatia Zlatko Dalić 2017–present 80 40 20 20 050.00 2018 World Cup – Runners-up
2020 European Championship – Round of 16
2022 World Cup – Third place
2024 European Championship – Qualified
Total 352 185 95 72 52.56% 13 out of 15

Last updated: Croatia vs. Armenia, 21 November 2023. Source: Croatian Football Federation

Players

Current squad

The following is the squad for the ACUD Cup.[248]

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Dominik Livaković (1995-01-09) 9 January 1995 (age 29) 51 0 Turkey Fenerbahçe
1GK Ivica Ivušić (1995-02-01) 1 February 1995 (age 29) 5 0 Cyprus Pafos
1GK Dominik Kotarski (2000-02-10) 10 February 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Greece PAOK
1GK Nediljko Labrović (1999-10-10) 10 October 1999 (age 24) 0 0 Croatia Rijeka

2DF Domagoj Vida (vice-captain) (1989-04-29) 29 April 1989 (age 34) 103 4 Greece AEK Athens
2DF Josip Juranović (1995-08-16) 16 August 1995 (age 28) 34 0 Germany Union Berlin
2DF Joško Gvardiol (2002-01-23) 23 January 2002 (age 22) 27 2 England Manchester City
2DF Duje Ćaleta-Car (1996-09-17) 17 September 1996 (age 27) 23 1 France Lyon
2DF Borna Sosa (1998-01-21) 21 January 1998 (age 26) 18 1 Netherlands Ajax
2DF Josip Stanišić (2000-04-02) 2 April 2000 (age 23) 16 0 Germany Bayer Leverkusen
2DF Martin Erlić (1998-01-24) 24 January 1998 (age 26) 7 0 Italy Sassuolo
2DF Marin Pongračić (1997-09-11) 11 September 1997 (age 26) 5 0 Italy Lecce

3MF Luka Modrić (captain) (1985-09-09) 9 September 1985 (age 38) 172 24 Spain Real Madrid
3MF Mateo Kovačić (1994-05-06) 6 May 1994 (age 29) 97 5 England Manchester City
3MF Marcelo Brozović (1992-11-16) 16 November 1992 (age 31) 93 7 Saudi Arabia Al Nassr
3MF Mario Pašalić (1995-02-09) 9 February 1995 (age 29) 60 10 Italy Atalanta
3MF Nikola Vlašić (1997-10-04) 4 October 1997 (age 26) 53 7 Italy Torino
3MF Lovro Majer (1998-01-17) 17 January 1998 (age 26) 27 5 Germany VfL Wolfsburg
3MF Luka Ivanušec (1998-11-26) 26 November 1998 (age 25) 18 2 Netherlands Feyenoord

4FW Ivan Perišić (1989-02-02) 2 February 1989 (age 35) 129 33 Croatia Hajduk Split
4FW Andrej Kramarić (1991-06-19) 19 June 1991 (age 32) 89 27 Germany 1899 Hoffenheim
4FW Bruno Petković (1994-09-16) 16 September 1994 (age 29) 34 10 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
4FW Marko Pjaca (1995-05-06) 6 May 1995 (age 28) 24 1 Croatia Rijeka
4FW Ante Budimir (1991-07-22) 22 July 1991 (age 32) 19 2 Spain Osasuna
4FW Marco Pašalić (2000-09-14) 14 September 2000 (age 23) 2 0 Croatia Rijeka

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to the squad in the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Ivo Grbić (1996-01-18) 18 January 1996 (age 28) 2 0 England Sheffield United 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals PRE

DF Josip Šutalo INJ (2000-02-28) 28 February 2000 (age 24) 13 0 Netherlands Ajax ACUD Cup
DF Borna Barišić (1992-11-10) 10 November 1992 (age 31) 35 1 Scotland Rangers ACUD Cup PRE
DF Dario Melnjak INJ (1992-10-31) 31 October 1992 (age 31) 8 0 Croatia Hajduk Split v.  Latvia, 18 November 2023 PRE
DF Jakov Medić (1998-09-07) 7 September 1998 (age 25) 0 0 Netherlands Ajax v.  Latvia, 8 September 2023 PRE
DF Filip Uremović (1997-02-11) 11 February 1997 (age 27) 6 0 Croatia Hajduk Split 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals PRE

MF Martin Baturina INJ (2003-02-16) 16 February 2003 (age 21) 2 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb ACUD Cup
MF Luka Sučić INJ (2002-09-08) 8 September 2002 (age 21) 5 0 Austria Red Bull Salzburg ACUD Cup PRE
MF Nikola Moro (1998-03-12) 12 March 1998 (age 26) 1 0 Italy Bologna ACUD Cup PRE
MF Niko Sigur U21 (2003-09-09) 9 September 2003 (age 20) 0 0 Croatia Hajduk Split ACUD Cup PRE
MF Kristijan Jakić (1997-05-14) 14 May 1997 (age 26) 5 0 Germany FC Augsburg v.  Wales, 25 March 2023 PRE

FW Dion Drena Beljo (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 22) 2 0 Germany FC Augsburg v.  Armenia, 21 November 2023
FW Josip Brekalo (1998-06-23) 23 June 1998 (age 25) 35 4 Croatia Hajduk Split v.  Latvia, 18 November 2023 PRE
FW Petar Musa (1998-03-04) 4 March 1998 (age 26) 6 0 United States FC Dallas v.  Latvia, 18 November 2023 PRE
FW Franjo Ivanović (2003-10-01) 1 October 2003 (age 20) 0 0 Croatia Rijeka v.  Latvia, 18 November 2023 PRE
FW Marko Livaja RET (1993-08-26) 26 August 1993 (age 30) 21 4 Croatia Hajduk Split v.  Turkey, 12 October 2023 WD
FW Matija Frigan U21 (2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Belgium Westerlo v.  Turkey, 12 October 2023 PRE
FW Mislav Oršić INJ (1992-12-29) 29 December 1992 (age 31) 27 2 Turkey Trabzonspor 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals PRE
FW Dario Špikić (1999-03-22) 22 March 1999 (age 24) 0 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb v.  Wales, 25 March 2023 PRE

  • INJ = Injured or ill.
  • WD = Withdrew.
  • SUS = Suspended from participating.
  • RET = Retired after latest call-up.
  • U21 = Joined the Croatia U21 team instead.
  • PRE = Preliminary squad.

Individual records

As of 21 November 2023.[250]
Statistics below are sourced from the Croatian Football Federation, players in bold are still active with Croatia.

Most capped players

Luka Modrić is Croatia's most capped player.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Luka Modrić 172 24 2006–present
2 Darijo Srna 134 22 2002–2016
3 Ivan Perišić 129 33 2011–present
4 Stipe Pletikosa 114 0 1999–2014
5 Ivan Rakitić 106 15 2007–2019
6 Josip Šimunić 105 3 2001–2013
7 Ivica Olić 104 20 2002–2015
8 Vedran Ćorluka 103 4 2006–2018
Domagoj Vida 103 4 2010–present
10 Dario Šimić 100 3 1996–2008

Surpassing Robert Jarni's previous record of 81 appearances,[251][252] Dario Šimić was the first player to reach 100 appearances, doing so before his retirement in 2008.[253] Darijo Srna, Josip Šimunić and Stipe Pletikosa collectively reached their 100th cap in February 2013.[254] Srna was the most capped player from 2016 to 2021, with 134 appearances.[255] He was surpassed by Luka Modrić in 2021.[256]

The youngest player to play for Croatia is Alen Halilović (aged 16 years, 11 months and 23 days),[257] while the oldest is Luka Modrić (38 years, 2 months and 12 days).[258]

Top goalscorers

Davor Šuker is Croatia's top goalscorer.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Davor Šuker 45 69 0.65 1991–2002
2 Mario Mandžukić 33 89 0.37 2007–2018
Ivan Perišić 129 0.26 2011–present
4 Eduardo da Silva 29 64 0.45 2004–2014
5 Andrej Kramarić 27 89 0.3 2014–present
6 Luka Modrić 24 172 0.14 2006–present
7 Darijo Srna 22 134 0.16 2002–2016
8 Ivica Olić 20 104 0.19 2002–2015
9 Niko Kranjčar 16 81 0.2 2004–2013
10 Nikola Kalinić 15 42 0.36 2008–2018
Goran Vlaović 51 0.29 1992–2002
Ivan Rakitić 106 0.14 2007–2019

Davor Šuker is Croatia's highest goalscorer with a record 45 international goals from 1991 to 2002.[32]

The team's youngest goalscorer is Luka Ivanušec (aged 18 years, 1 month and 19 days).[259]

Most clean sheets

Stipe Pletikosa is Croatia's record holder in most clean sheets.
Rank Player Clean sheets Caps Ratio Career
1 Stipe Pletikosa 54 114 0.47 1999–2014
2 Dražen Ladić 26 59 0.44 1990–2000
3 Danijel Subašić 24 44 0.55 2009–2018
4 Dominik Livaković 17 51 0.33 2017–present
5 Tomislav Butina 15 28 0.54 2001–2006
6 Vedran Runje 9 22 0.41 2006–2011
7 Tonči Gabrić 5 9 0.56 1990–1997
Marjan Mrmić 13 0.38 1995–1999
9 Lovre Kalinić 4 19 0.21 2014–present
10 Ivan Vargić 3 3 1 2014–2016
Joey Didulica 4 0.75 2004–2006
Ivica Ivušić 5 0.6 2021–present

Competitive record

  Champions  
  Runners-up  
  Third place  
  Fourth place  
  Tournament played fully or partially on home soil  

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pos Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Part of  Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Italy 1934
French Third Republic 1938
Fourth Brazilian Republic 1950 Part of  Yugoslavia
Switzerland 1954
Sweden 1958
Chile 1962
England 1966
Mexico 1970
West Germany 1974
Argentina 1978
Spain 1982
Mexico 1986
Italy 1990
United States 1994 Did not enter
France 1998 Third place 3rd 7 5 0 2 11 5 Squad 2ndOFF 10 5 4 1 20 13
South Korea Japan 2002 Group stage 23rd 3 1 0 2 2 3 Squad 1st 8 5 3 0 15 2
Germany 2006 Group stage 22nd 3 0 2 1 2 3 Squad 1st 10 7 3 0 21 5
South Africa 2010 Did not qualify 3rd 10 6 2 2 19 13
Brazil 2014 Group stage 19th 3 1 0 2 6 6 Squad 2ndOFF 12 6 3 3 14 9
Russia 2018 Runners-up 2nd 7 4 2 1 14 9 Squad 2ndOFF 12 7 3 2 19 5
Qatar 2022 Third place 3rd 7 2 4 1 8 7 Squad 1st 10 7 2 1 21 4
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030[g]
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Runners-up 6/8 30 13 8 9 43 33 6/7 72 43 20 9 129 51

Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 17 December 2022 after the match against  Morocco.

Matches
First match  Croatia 3–1 Jamaica 
(Lens, France; 14 June 1998)
Biggest win  Croatia 4–0 Cameroon 
(Manaus, Brazil; 18 June 2014)
Biggest defeat  Argentina 3–0 Croatia 
(Lusail, Qatar; 13 December 2022)

UEFA European Championship

UEFA European Championship record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pos Pld W D L GF GA
1960
Part of  Yugoslavia
1964
Italy 1968
Belgium 1972
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1976
Italy 1980
France 1984
West Germany 1988
Sweden 1992
England 1996 Quarter-finals 7th 4 2 0 2 5 5 Squad 1st 10 7 2 1 22 5
Belgium Netherlands 2000 Did not qualify 3rd 8 4 3 1 13 9
Portugal 2004 Group stage 13th 3 0 2 1 4 6 Squad 2ndOFF 10 6 2 2 14 5
Austria Switzerland 2008 Quarter-finals 5th 4 3 1 0 5 2 Squad 1st 12 9 2 1 28 8
Poland Ukraine 2012 Group stage 10th 3 1 1 1 4 3 Squad 2ndOFF 12 8 2 2 21 7
France 2016 Round of 16 9th 4 2 1 1 5 4 Squad 2nd 10 6 3 1 20 5
Europe 2020 Round of 16 13th 4 1 1 2 7 8 Squad 1st 8 5 2 1 17 7
Germany 2024 Qualified 2nd 8 5 1 2 13 4
United Kingdom Republic of Ireland 2028 To be determined To be determined
Italy Turkey 2032
Total Quarter-finals 7/17 22 9 6 7 30 28 7/8 78 50 17 11 148 50

Draws include knockout matches decided on

penalty kicks; correct as of 21 November 2023 after the match against  Armenia
.

Matches
First match  Croatia 1–0 Turkey 
(Nottingham, England; 11 June 1996)
Biggest win  Croatia 3–0 Denmark 
(Sheffield, England; 16 June 1996)
Biggest defeat  Portugal 3–0 Croatia 
(Nottingham, England; 19 June 1996)

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League Finals record
Season LG GP Pos Pld W D L GF GA P/R RK Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad
2018–19 A 4 3rd 4 1 1 2 4 10 Same position 9th Portugal 2019 Did not qualify
2020–21 A 3 3rd 6 1 0 5 9 16 Same position 12th Italy 2021
2022–23 A 1 1st 6 4 1 1 8 6 Same position 2nd Netherlands 2023 Runners-up 2 1 1 0 4 2 Squad
2024–25 A 1 To be determined 2025 To be determined
Total 16 6 2 8 21 32 2nd Total 1/3 2 1 1 0 4 2

Draws include knockout matches decided on

penalty kicks; correct as of 18 June 2023 after the match against  Spain
.

Matches
First match  Spain 6–0 Croatia 
(Elche, Spain; 11 September 2018)
Biggest win  Austria 1–3 Croatia 
(Vienna, Austria; 25 September 2022)
 Netherlands 2–4 Croatia 
(Rotterdam, Netherlands; 14 June 2023)
Biggest defeat  Spain 6–0 Croatia 
(Elche, Spain; 11 September 2018)

Other

Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
Morocco 1996 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament Champions 1st 2 0 2 0 3 3
Japan 1997 Kirin Cup Soccer Runners-up 2nd 2 0 1 1 4 5
South Korea 1999 Korea Cup Champions 1st 3 1 2 0 5 4
Hong Kong 2006 Lunar New Year Cup Third place 3rd 2 1 0 1 4 2
China 2017 China Cup Fourth place 4th 2 0 2 0 2 2
2024 ACUD Cup
TBD TBD 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 2 Title 6/6 11 2 7 2 18 16

Draws include knockout matches decided on

penalty kicks; correct as of 14 January 2017 after the match against  China
.

Head-to-head record

Key
  More wins than losses
  As many wins as losses
  Fewer wins than losses

Correct as of 21 November 2023, after the match against  Armenia.

Pre-independence
Opponent Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
 Bulgaria 1 1 0 0 6 0 +6 100.00
 Germany 3 0 0 3 2 12 −10 000.00
 Hungary 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1 000.00
 Indonesia 1 1 0 0 5 2 +3 100.00
 Italy 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 000.00
 Romania 1 0 1 0 2 2 +0 000.00
 Slovakia 7 6 1 0 25 9 +16 085.71
  Switzerland 3 2 0 1 5 1 +4 066.67
Total: 8 teams played 20 10 4 6 47 33 +14 050.00
Post-independence[246]
Opponent Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
 Andorra 6 6 0 0 24 0 +24 100.00
 Argentina 6 2 1 3 7 8 −1 033.33
 Armenia 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2 066.67
 Australia 6 2 2 2 11 6 +5 033.33
 Austria 7 6 0 1 12 6 +6 085.71
 Azerbaijan 4 2 2 0 9 2 +7 050.00
 Belarus 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 100.00
 Belgium 9 3 3 3 9 6 +3 033.33
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 4 0 0 14 6 +8 100.00
 Brazil 5 0 2 3 3 8 −5 000.00
 Bulgaria 8 5 2 1 12 6 +6 062.50
 Cameroon 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 100.00
 Canada 1 1 0 0 4 1 +3 100.00
 Chile 1 0 1 0 1 1 +0 000.00
 China 1 0 1 0 1 1 +0 000.00
 Cyprus 3 3 0 0 6 0 +6 100.00
 Czech Republic 4 1 3 0 8 6 +2 025.00
 Denmark 8 4 2 2 11 8 +3 050.00
 Ecuador 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 000.00
 Egypt 1 0 1 0 2 2 +0 000.00
 England 11 3 2 6 13 22 −9 027.27
 Estonia 9 6 2 1 16 5 +11 066.67
 Finland 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 050.00
 France 10 1 3 6 10 20 −10 010.00
 Georgia 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 066.67
 Germany 5 2 1 2 8 6 +2 040.00
 Gibraltar 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 100.00
 Greece 8 2 4 2 10 9 +1 025.00
 Hong Kong 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 100.00
 Hungary 9 4 4 1 17 7 +10 044.44
 Iceland 7 5 1 1 13 3 +10 071.43
 Iran 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 050.00
 Israel 9 8 1 0 22 8 +14 088.89
 Italy 8 3 5 0 10 6 +4 037.50
 Jamaica 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 100.00
 Japan 4 1 2 1 5 5 +0 025.00
 Jordan 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 100.00
 Kazakhstan 2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 100.00
 Kosovo 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 100.00
 Latvia 6 6 0 0 17 1 +16 100.00
 Liechtenstein 2 2 0 0 8 2 +6 100.00
 Lithuania 2 1 1 0 2 0 +2 050.00
 Macedonia[h] 8 5 2 1 12 9 +3 062.50
 Mali 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 100.00
 Malta 10 9 1 0 29 5 +24 090.00
 Mexico 6 4 0 2 9 6 +3 066.67
 Moldova 2 2 0 0 2 0 +2 100.00
 Morocco 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 033.33
 Netherlands 3 2 0 1 6 6 +0 066.67
 Nigeria 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 100.00
 Northern Ireland 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3 100.00
 Norway 5 3 1 1 10 6 +4 060.00
 Peru 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2 000.00
 Poland 5 3 1 1 7 3 +4 060.00
 Portugal 7 0 1 6 4 15 −11 000.00
 Qatar 1 1 0 0 3 2 +1 100.00
 Republic of Ireland 7 2 3 2 8 8 +0 028.57
 Romania 3 3 0 0 4 1 +3 100.00
 Russia 6 2 4 0 6 3 +3 033.33
 San Marino 3 3 0 0 18 0 +18 100.00
 Saudi Arabia 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 100.00
 Scotland 6 1 3 2 5 6 −1 016.67
 Senegal 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 100.00
 Serbia[i] 4 1 3 0 5 3 +2 025.00
 Slovakia 10 5 3 2 18 11 +7 050.00
 Slovenia 12 7 4 1 20 10 +10 058.33
 South Korea 7 3 2 2 11 7 +4 042.86
 Spain 10 3 2 5 12 20 −8 030.00
 Sweden 6 4 0 2 8 7 +1 066.67
  Switzerland 4 1 2 1 6 7 −1 025.00
 Tunisia 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 000.00
 Turkey 12 4 6 2 15 10 +5 033.33
 Ukraine 9 5 3 1 15 5 +10 055.56
 Wales 8 4 3 1 12 7 +5 050.00
Total: 74 teams played 350 183 95 72 591 339 +252 052.29
Croatia total: 74 teams played 370 193 99 78 638 372 +266 052.16

FIFA ranking history

The following is a chart of yearly averages of Croatia's

FIFA Best Mover of the Year more than once, winning the award in 1994 and 1998.[267][268]

Honours

Major

Minor

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A portion of this squad (Jarni, Štimac, Boban, Prosinečki and Šuker) previously won the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship with the Yugoslavia under-20 team.[35]
  2. ^ The rules of Association football state that on receiving a second yellow card in a single match a player must be given a red card and be removed for the rest of the match per the Laws of the Game.
  3. ^ Under the rules of Association football and the official European Championship tournament regulations, a loss inflicted via a penalty shootout does not count as a defeat but rather a tie which needed a final process to determine the team which advances per the Laws of the Game.
  4. ^ A free kick was awarded to France for a possible dive by Antoine Griezmann as well as penalty later in the game awarded by the video assistant referee (VAR) for a handball by Ivan Perišić.[145]
  5. ^ The mass gathering amounted to over 10% of the nation's population.[149] With 550,000 Croatians present, the event constituted the second-largest gathering in modern Croatia.[150]
  6. ^ In September 1994, national team manager Miroslav Blažević, who was also coaching Croatia Zagreb at the time, was dismissed in a 1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup match against Auxerre. Blažević was suspended by UEFA for one game and Ivić was appointed as his replacement for the qualifying match against Italy in November 1994 for UEFA Euro 1996.
  7. ^ Additional matches are scheduled to be played in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, however they are not considered to be official hosts of the tournament. [260]
  8. ^ The team changed the name to North Macedonia national team in 2019, following the Prespa Agreement. However, Croatia have yet to play a game against them under the new name.
  9. FR Yugoslavia national team
    , whose successor is considered by UEFA and FIFA to be Serbia national team.

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Further reading

External links