TheCroatia national football team (Croatian:Hrvatska nogometna reprezentacija) representsCroatia in men's internationalfootball matches. It is governed by theCroatian Football Federation (HNS), the governing body forfootball in Croatia. It is a member ofUEFA in Europe andFIFA in global competition. The team's colours reference two national symbols: theCroatian checkerboard and thecountry's tricolour. They are colloquially known as theVatreni (Blazers) and theKockasti (Checkered Ones).
Upon its admission into FIFA in 1994, ranked 125th, they ascended to third place with their debut1998 World Cup campaign, making them the youngest team to reach a top 10 place in theWorld Ranking.
Croatia began theirqualification campaign for the1998 World Cup with an aggregate victory against Ukraine in the two-leggedplayoff. In thegroup stage, Croatia beat bothJamaica andJapan, later losing toArgentina to advance with them to theknockout stage. A 1–0 victory over Romania moved the Croatians to thequarter-finals against Germany.[33] Croatia beat the Germans 3–0 with goals fromRobert Jarni, Goran Vlaović andDavor Šuker, all afterChristian Wörns had been sent off.[34] They advanced to their firstsemi-final against hostsFrance.[35] After a goalless first-half, Croatia led afterAljoša Asanović pushed pastZinedine Zidane to cross a ball downfield to Šuker who scored after a one-on-one with goalkeeperFabien Barthez.[36] France's defenderLilian Thuram equalized quickly after, and scored another goal later in the game to beat Croatia 2–1.[37] In thethird place match, Croatia prevailed against theNetherlands 2–1 to secure bronze and claim their first World Cup medal.[21] Šuker won theGolden Shoe for scoring the most goals in the World Cup: six goals in seven games.[38] The Croatians' performance during the late-1990s propelled them to rank third place in theFIFA 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.[39][40]
Croatia started theirqualifying campaign for the2002 World Cup with draws againstBelgium andScotland prompting Blažević's resignation as head coach in October 2000.[41] His successor,Mirko Jozić, pushed the team through the rest of qualifiers undefeated. In thegroup stage, Croatia narrowly lost toMexico before beatingItaly 2–1 and sustaining a 1–0 loss toEcuador.[42][43] The team was eliminated by one point,[44] leading to the resignation of Jozić and succession ofOtto Barić in July 2002, their first manager born outside ofSoutheast Europe.[45] During Barić's tenure, most of the remaining players from the "golden generation" squad were gradually replaced by younger players over the course ofqualifying forEuro 2004.[46] Croatia qualified in aplayoff victory against Slovenia, winning 2–1 on aggregate afterDado Pršo's decisive late goal in the second leg.[47] The team was eliminated at thegroup stage after drawing 0–0 with Switzerland and 2–2 with France, and losing 2–4 toEngland.[48][49] Barić departed after his two-year contract expired in June 2004.[50] Prior to launching the team'squalification for the2006 World Cup,Zlatko Kranjčar succeed in July 2004..[51] Croatia qualified undefeated, finishing top of the group ahead ofSweden andBulgaria.[52][53] In thegroup stage, Croatia lost their opening match againstBrazil and drew 0–0 with Japan afterDarijo Srna missed a first-halfpenalty.[54][55] A 2–2 draw with Australia in which three players were sent off confirmed Croatia's elimination.[56]
In July 2006, Kranjčar was replaced bySlaven Bilić, who introduced newer, younger players into the squad and concludedqualifying undefeated.[57][58] His first match resulted in a 2–0 victory againstreigning world champions Italy during an international friendly.[59][60] Croatia lost once toMacedonia and defeated England twice, resulting in their failure to qualify for the first time since1984.[61][62]Eduardo da Silva, the team's top goalscorer during qualifying, suffered an injury while playing for his club,Arsenal, leading to a reshuffle in thefinals squad with less experienced players.[63][64] Croatia finished their play inGroup B undefeated, with a 1–0 win over co-hostsAustria, a 2–1 victory against Germany, and a 1–0 win overPoland.[65] The team achieved the maximum group stage points possible (nine) for the first time intheir Euros history.[66][67][68]Niko Kovač andDario Šimić served as captains during the group and knockout stages, respectively.[69][70] Croatia pushed Turkey to apenalty shoot-out in thequarter-finals, in which the Turkish side prevailed in an upset whereLuka Modrić,Mladen Petrić, andIvan Rakitić all missed their penalties.[71][72] Croatia setmultiple Euro records: fewest goals conceded (2), fewest games lost (0),[b] and earliest goal scored.[73][74][75]
Bilić renewed his contract in April 2008,[76] before thequalifying campaign for the2010 World Cup. Croatia won 3–0 againstKazakhstan, before enduring a 4–1 loss to England atStadion Maksimir, their first home loss in 14 years.[77][78][79] The team drew 0–0 with Ukraine and beatAndorra twice, drawing again with Ukraine and beatingBelarus twice. In the final stretch of the qualifiers, England delivered Croatia's then-heaviest loss, a 5–1 scoreline, atWembley Stadium.[80] The team had several 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 toco-host Euro 2012 withHungary which would have resulted in automatic qualification for both countries; UEFA ultimately selectedPoland andUkraine.[82] The Croatians began theirqualifying campaign forEuro 2012 with a 3–0 win overLatvia, a goalless draw withGreece, and a 2–1 win againstIsrael. In thequalifying playoff against Turkey, the team won 3–0 on aggregate.[83] They weregrouped with the Republic of Ireland, Italy anddefending championsSpain, opening with a 3–1 victory over the Irish.[84] Croatia drew with Italy 1–1 in a match marred bydisruptive fans and controversial refereeing from English officialHoward Webb.[85] Spain knocked out the side in a 0–1 loss, which, along with 1–1 rematch with Italy, had Croatia eliminated.[85] Bilić retired beforeEuro 2012, with the Croatians continuously ranked among the top ten teams in the world during his tenure – 2007 to 2012.[86][87][88]
Succeeding Bilić, former playerIgor Štimac was appointed manager. At the same time, 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 overIceland in thequalifying playoffs for the2014 World Cup with both goals coming in the home leg inZagreb.[92] In thegroup stage, Croatia opened their campaign with a 3–1 loss to hosts Brazil. The match garnered media attention forcontroversial refereeing fromYuichi Nishimura which was scrutinized for a number of decisions.[93][94] In their second match, Croatia won 4–0 againstCameroon then lost 3–1 to Mexico, finishing third in the group and missing theknockout stage.[95][96][97]
During thequalifying campaign ofEuro 2016, Croatia drew withAzerbaijan and lost toNorway,[98] leading to Kovač's replacement withAnte Čačić.[99][100] The team broke their record for most goals scored in a match with a friendly 10–0 win overSan Marino in June 2016.[101] They topped thegroup stage of that year's Euros, advancing withdefending 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 theCzech Republic.[105] In the latter match, Croatia led with goals fromIvan Perišić and Ivan Rakitić, while opposing Czech strikerMilan Škoda and a last-minute penalty fromTomáš 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 defeated Spain 2–1, confirming the Spaniards' first defeat at a Euro finals match since2004.[108][109] The Croatians were tipped as one of the tournament favourites[110][111] as they entered theknockout stage with Portugal.[112] The Portuguese prevailed 1–0 withRicardo Quaresma's winning goal in the 117th minute after Perišić hit the post with a header in the previous attack.[113][114] Following the campaign, Darijo Srna announced his retirement and the succession of Modrić as team captain in August 2016.[115][116]
The team arrival inZagreb after their 2018 World Cup campaign
Croatiaqualified for the2018 World Cup undefeated for their first five matches.[117] Two defeats to Iceland and Turkey, as well as a draw againstFinland, led to a public outcry that ousted manager Čačić.[118] He was replaced byZlatko Dalić, who formally qualified the team with a 2–0 win against Ukraine,[119] and a 4–1 win with Greece, on aggregate, during aplayoff round in the first leg in Zagreb.[120][121] The 2017–18 squad was known as Croatia's second "golden generation",[122][123] referencing their 1998 counterparts, during the side'sWorld Cup campaign that year.[124][125][126] They toppedtheir group with a 2–0 victory overNigeria,[127][128] a 3–0 win over Argentina,[129][130][131] and a 2–1 win against Iceland – their best-ever group stage performance.[132][133]
During theknockout stage, they beat Denmark in a penalty shoot-out for the first time[134][135] after goalkeeperDanijel Subašić saved three penalties, equalling the record for most penalties saved in a shoot-out.[136] In thequarter-finals, Croatia drew 2–2 with hostsRussia, becoming the first team since 1990 to win two consecutive penalty shoot-outs.[137][138][139] Playing England in thesemi-finals, Croatia equalized to force their third consecutive extra time, matching the tournament record.[140][141]Mario Mandžukić and Perišić scored as Croatia won 2–1 making them the second-smallest country by population (afterUruguay) and land area (after theNetherlands) to reach aWorld Cup final.[142][143] In thefinal they lost to France 4–2, finishing in second place and securing the silver medal.[144] The match was controversial[c] for its refereeing.[146][147] The team was welcomed by an estimated half a million people[d] at their homecoming in Zagreb.[150]
The team entered theNations League's inaugural2018–19 edition inLeague A, along with England and Spain in January 2018.[151][152] Croatia lost 6–0 away to Spain in their first game, the side's record loss in a match.[153] Croatia drew 0–0 home with England,[154] played behind closed doors due to UEFA sanctions.[155] In a rematch with the Spanish, Croatia won 3–2 with a goal in stoppage time, followed by a 2–1 away defeat to England.[156] Croatia were set to be relegated toLeague B until a tournament rule change retained them inLeague A, grouping them with Portugal, France and Sweden in the2020–21 tournament.[157][158][159] Croatia lost to France and Portugal, but a victory against Sweden was sufficient to avoid relegation.[160][161][162]
The team toppedtheir group for the qualifying campaign ofEuro 2020,[163][164][165] with a loss to Hungary, and draws against Azerbaijan andWales.[166][167] The 2020 finals weredelayed to the summer of 2021 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[168] Overall, winning only two out of eight games in 2020, Croatia achieved their worst-ever aggregate win-rate.[169][170] Croatia finished second intheir Euros group,[171] with a 1–0 loss to England, a 1–1 draw with the Czech Republic and a 3–1 win over Scotland. They advanced to theround of 16, where they lost to Spain 5–3 after extra time.[172] The loss to Spain led to heightened criticism against Dalić and the team by the Croatian public,[173][174] a faction of whom called for resignations.[175][176] Dalić refreshed the team roster by introducing younger debutants for the remainder ofWorld Cup qualifying in 2021.[177][178]
Croatia qualified for the2022 World Cup with seven wins, two draws and one loss.[179][180][181][182] The team advanced fromgroup stage after a 0–0 draw withMorocco, a 4–1 win againstCanada, and finished ahead of Belgium by a single point after drawing 0–0.[183][184] They won against Japan in a penalty shootout in theround of 16 whereDominik Livaković saved three of four Japanese penalties, equalling a record held byRicardo and Danijel Subašić.[185][186] Croatia similarly beat Brazil during thequarter-finals in an upset victory on penalties, having come from behind to draw 1–1 in the final minutes of extra time.[187][188] In thesemi-final match, Croatia sustained their heaviest World Cup defeat, 3–0 against Argentina.[189] They prevailed 2–1 over Morocco in thethird place playoff, securing their second bronze medal.[190]
The team toppedtheir group in the2023 Nations League, knocking outreigning champions France by winning 1–0 on a penalty – their first-ever win against the French.[191][192] Croatia beat the Netherlands 4–2 in the semi-finals, advancing to their firstNations League final, againstSpain.[193][194] After drawing the Spanish 0–0 in extra time, the team lost the penalty shootout 4–5, finishing the tournament in second place.[195] Croatia finished second inqualifying forEuro 2024, being drawn into a "group of death" with Spain, Italy, andAlbania.[196][197] After a 3–0 loss to Spain, they drew 2–2 with Albania and 1–1 with Italy.[198] The Italians eliminated Croatia from advancing to the knockout stage, on points, with a 98th minute stoppage-time goal from strikerMattia Zaccagni.[199]
Croatia's modern-day team jersey was created in 1990 byMiroslav Šutej, who also designed the currentcoat of arms of Croatia, which also features in theCroatian national flag. The red-and-white motif is based on theCroatian checkerboard (šahovnica).[200][201][202] The typical kit color-way features red-and-white checkered shirts, white shorts and blue socks to match theCroatian tricolor (Trobojnica).[200] There have been variants 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]
The away kits used by the team have for a period been all-blue, incorporating the red-and-white checkers as a trim. Croatia has used darker colored away kits such as the dark navy-and-black checkered design that featured prominently in the 2018 World Cup. TheVatreni have often been required to use their darker away kits even when playing at home because their opponents have red-and-white color schemes that clash with the chequers of Croatia.[203][204]
The team has developed an extensive fan base since the 1990s.[205] Following their debut run at the1998 World Cup, there was a rise in domestic and global attention for the side. Political scientistAlex J. Bellamy observed in 2003 that the national team became a symbol of statehood in Croatia aftertheir independence through thecultural export of football.[206] The government's influence on team affairs eased substantially after the death of PresidentFranjo Tuđman in 1999. All matches are followed and televised throughout the country, particularly during major tournaments.[207] In November 2022, theMinistry of Science and Education issued guidance to let school children watch matches during the school day as long coursework is made up later.[208] Following the2018 World Cup, the Croatian Cabinet attended ministerial meetings in team jerseys,[209] and during the2022 World Cup, Prime MinisterAndrej Plenković delivered a hurried speech "[lasting] only 37 seconds" at theEuro-Mediterranean Summit to catch the quarter-finals.[210]
The Croatian Football Federation endorses an official fan club for the team, known asUvijek Vjerni ("Always Faithful").[211] A part of the team's support consists of fans ofDinamo Zagreb andHajduk Split, the two largest clubs in Croatia's top domestic football league, theHrvatska nogometna liga (HNL).[212] Both sets of fans—Bad Blue Boys fromZagreb andTorcida fromSplit—have been associated withhooliganism due to theirultra-style support.[213][214] Regional support for the team also comes fromCroats of Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly from fans of domestic clubsZrinjski Mostar andŠiroki Brijeg.[215] Thediaspora of Croatians across the United States, Canada,Australia, and South America contribute to the majority of the side's international support.[216][217] It is customary among supporters to include an inscription of their city of origin onto the Croatian flag. 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").[218] In addition to chants, the team regularly have songs dedicated to them, such asSlaven Bilić's "Vatreno ludilo" (Fiery Madness) which topped Croatian music charts duringEuro 2008.[219][220]
The disruptive behaviour of supporters during matches, particularly those exhibitingultra-style fandom, has complicated national team affairs.Hooliganism, rioting, vandalism, littering, violence, use ofpyrotechnics and discriminatory political expression have led to sanctions both domestically and internationally. The team has been emblematic ofCroatian nationalism since the early-1990sindependence of Croatia.[8][221] The football federation, government, and players have made material efforts to prevent unwanted incidents to avoid damage to the perception of the team and Croatian people.[222] This has included banning their own fans from certain games.[223] The behaviour of fans has led to penalties and fines for the national team imposed by FIFA and UEFA.[224][225] The Croatian Football Federation has been assessed significant disciplinary fines and penalties since the early 2000s.[226][227][228] In addition to monetary fines, the team has faced tournament point deductions and have had their supporters banned.[229][230] There have also been multiple acts of protest against the national team, in response to allegations of corruption.[231]
To advance the team's charitable efforts, managerSlaven Bilić established theVatreno Srce (Fiery Heart) Foundation in 2010.[232] The primary cause of the foundation is helping children.[233] As of 2012, the foundation made fifty donations of 1,200,000HRK to various children's organizations.[234] In December 2012, the foundation made 500,000 HRK on an auction ofNiko Kranjčar's shirt andLionel Messi's shirt that was signed by allFC Barcelona players. The auction was organised in theEsplanade Zagreb Hotel and attended by President of CroatiaIvo Josipović.[234] In November 2018, the players gathered inThe Westin Hotel in Zagreb to answer fans' phonecalls, the proceeds of which were donated to the Vatreno Srce Foundation. In 2018, the foundation financed Children's Hospital Zagreb andKorak u Život (A Step Into Life), a charity that helps young children raised in orphanages transition into higher education.[232][235] In November 2019, more than 500,000HRK was collected in another call event that were then directed to Children's Hospital Kantrida.[236] In March 2020, the players collectively donated 4.2 millionHRK to combat theCOVID-19 pandemic and for repair of damage caused by the2020 Zagreb earthquake.[237] Members of national team visit and help children with special needs and their education institutions.[238]
The national team has played in thirteen stadiums around the country. The majority of Croatia's home matches take place atStadion Maksimir inZagreb, the country'slargest football stadium, which is also the home-ground of local football clubDinamo Zagreb.[239] 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 byMayor of ZagrebMilan Bandić in 2008 due to construction costs.[239][240][241] Home matches are occasionally played at other, smaller venues around the country.Stadion Poljud inSplit has hosted some qualifying fixtures since 1995. Between 1995 and 2011, Croatia never won a competitive match at Poljud, which the local media dubbedPoljudsko prokletsvo ("the Poljud curse").[242] Qualifying fixtures have also been played atStadion Kantrida inRijeka along withStadion Gradski Vrt in Osijek andStadion Varteks inVaraždin.[243]
SurpassingRobert Jarni's previous record of 81 appearances,[248][249]Dario Šimić was the first player to reach 100 appearances, doing so before his retirement in 2008.[250] Darijo Srna, Josip Šimunić and Stipe Pletikosa collectively reached their 100th cap in February 2013.[251] Srna was the most capped player from 2016 to 2021, with 134 appearances.[252] He was surpassed by Luka Modrić in 2021.[253]
The youngest player to play for Croatia isAlen Halilović (aged 16 years, 11 months and 23 days),[254] while the oldest is Luka Modrić (40 years, 2 months and 8 days).[255]
The following is a chart of yearly averages of Croatia'sFIFA World Ranking.[259] Upon admission to FIFA in 1994, Croatia entered the World Ranking at 125th.[259] Their debut World Cup campaign, during1998, propelled Croatia to third place after the tournament, marking the fastest ascension in FIFA ranking history.[260] It hit a then-recordElo rating of 2,006 points in July 1998 and maintained third place until February 1999.[261][262] The national team recorded its highest Elo rating in June 2023 with 2,012 points.[263] With an average Elo rating of 1,877 points, Croatia maintains the sixth-highestaverage rating in the world.[264] They are one of three teams—along withColombia andFrance—to be namedFIFA Best Mover of the Year more than once, winning the award in 1994 and 1998.[265][266]
^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 theLaws of the Game.
^The mass gathering amounted to over 10% of the nation's population.[148] With 550,000 Croatians present, the event constituted the second-largest gathering in modern Croatia.[149]
^Additional matches are scheduled to be played inArgentina,Paraguay, andUruguay in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of thefirst World Cup, however they are not considered to be official hosts of the tournament.[257]
^Includes the records against the no longer activeFR Yugoslavia national team, whose successor is considered by UEFA and FIFA to be Serbia national team.
^Esamie, Thomas."Games of the XVI. Olympiad". Rec. Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation.Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved8 August 2008.
^"Croatia contemplate Turkey task".European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA.com). 4 January 2008. Retrieved31 December 2012.
^"Šuker stars as Danes downed".European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA.com). 16 June 1996. Archived fromthe original on 22 April 2008. Retrieved10 August 2008.
^"Germany overcome ten-man Croatia".European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA.com). 23 June 1996. Archived fromthe original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved10 August 2008.
^abIslamović, Elvir (1 April 2008)."Suker: a man with the Midas touch".European Championship archive. Union of European Football Association (UEFA.com). Archived fromthe original on 23 May 2008. Retrieved22 July 2008.
^"FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA.com). 20 May 1998. Archived fromthe original on 8 April 2012. Retrieved10 December 2008.
^"Pletikosa inspired by Croatia's past".European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA.com). 9 June 2008. Retrieved31 December 2012.
^Islamović, Elvir (5 May 2008)."Bilić names squad for EURO assault".European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA.com). Archived fromthe original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved31 August 2008.
^Haylett, Trevor (16 June 2008)."Klasnić completes Croatian clean sweep".European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA.com). Archived fromthe original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved21 July 2008.
^Callaghan, Joe (30 June 2018)."Modrić magic at heart of Croatian soccer's golden generation".Toronto Star. Retrieved5 July 2018.The golden generation – with Modrić, Rakitiž and striker Mario Mandžukić as its pillars – have more often watched such efforts go up in flames.
^"Bilić has Croatia rocking". Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA.com). 18 April 2008. Archived fromthe original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved15 July 2008.
^Marcus, Jeffrey (19 June 2008)."Rock on Slaven Bilic".The New York Times. Retrieved14 August 2008.
^"Šimić ends playing career".uefa.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 August 2010. Archived fromthe original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved11 August 2010.
^"Croatia eyeing top ten". Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA.com). 3 March 2007. Archived fromthe original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved26 August 2008.
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