Croatia national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Croatia

Nickname(s)	Vatreni (Blazers) Kockasti (Checkered Ones)
Association	Croatian Football Federation (HNS)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Zlatko Dalić
Captain	Luka Modrić
Most caps	Luka Modrić (184)
Top scorer	Davor Šuker (45)
FIFA code	CRO
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	4 (7 February 2019)
Highest	3 (July 1998)
Lowest	125 (March 1994)
Elo ranking
Current	10 6 (3 March 2019)
Highest	5 (July 1998, July 2018)
Lowest	26 (October 2002)
First international
Croatia 4–0 Switzerland  (Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 2 April 1940)
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
Appearances	6 (first in 1998)
Best result	Runners-up (2018)
European Championship
Appearances	7 (first in 1996)
Best result	Quarter-finals (1996, 2008)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	1 (first in 2023)
Best result	Runners-up (2023)
Medal record Men's football FIFA World Cup Silver 2018 Russia Team Bronze 1998 France Team Bronze 2022 Qatar Team UEFA Nations League Silver 2023 Netherlands Team

The Croatia national football team (Croatian: Hrvatska nogometna reprezentacija) represents Croatia in international football games. It is managed by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS). This group is part of UEFA in Europe and FIFA for worldwide matches. The team's colors, red and white, come from the Croatian checkerboard and the country's flag. People often call them the Vatreni (Blazers) or Kockasti (Checkered Ones).

Since 1994, the Vatreni have played in almost every big tournament. They finished second at the World Cup in 2018 and third in both 1998 and 2022. This means they have won three World Cup medals! Famous players like Davor Šuker and Luka Modrić have won special awards at these tournaments. The team has also reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA European Championship twice. In 2023, they came in second place in the UEFA Nations League.

When Croatia joined FIFA in 1994, they were ranked 125th. But after their amazing performance in the 1998 World Cup, they quickly moved up to third place. This was the fastest climb into the top 10 in FIFA history! Croatia is also one of the smallest countries to ever reach a World Cup final. They hold records for winning the most penalty shoot-outs in the World Cup. FIFA also named them "Best Mover of the Year" in 1994 and 1998, which means they improved their ranking the most.

History of Croatian Football

How the Team Started

For a long time, Croatia was not an independent country. So, their early football teams were not official national teams. In 1940, a team representing the Banovina of Croatia played its first official international match. They won 4–0 against Switzerland in Zagreb.

After World War II, Croatian footballers played for Yugoslavia. But in 1990, Croatia played its first game as a de facto (unofficial) national team against the United States. They wore their famous checkered jersey and won 2–1. Croatia officially joined FIFA in 1992 and UEFA in 1993.

The Blažević Era (1994–1999)

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

After Croatia became independent, they started at 125th in the FIFA World Rankings in 1994. Coach Miroslav Blažević led them to qualify for Euro 1996. They finished first in their qualifying group. At Euro 1996, they beat Turkey and Denmark, but lost to Portugal. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Germany.

Croatia then qualified for the 1998 World Cup. In the group stage, they beat Jamaica and Japan. They lost to Argentina but still moved on. In the quarter-finals, they surprised everyone by beating Germany 3–0! They made it to the semi-finals, where they played against the host country, France. Croatia scored first, but France came back to win 2–1. In the third-place match, Croatia beat the Netherlands 2–1, winning their first World Cup medal. Davor Šuker was the top scorer of the tournament with six goals. This team was called the "golden generation" because of their amazing success.

From 2000 to 2017: New Coaches and Challenges

After Blažević, several coaches led the team, including Mirko Jozić, Otto Barić, Zlatko Kranjčar, Slaven Bilić, Igor Štimac, Niko Kovač, and Ante Čačić. During this time, many new, younger players joined the team.

Croatia played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, but they were knocked out in the group stage. They also played in Euro 2004, Euro 2008, Euro 2012, and Euro 2016. At Euro 2008, they had a great group stage, winning all their games. But they lost to Turkey in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals.

Croatia vs. Brazil at 2014 World Cup

Croatia did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup. In the 2014 World Cup, they were in a tough group and did not make it to the knockout stage. At Euro 2016, they won their group, even beating Spain. But they lost to Portugal in the Round of 16. After this, Luka Modrić became the team captain.

The Dalić Era (Since 2017)

The 2017–18 squad posing with Vladimir Putin and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović after the 2018 World Cup Final lost against France

The team arrival in Zagreb after their 2018 World Cup campaign

In 2017, Zlatko Dalić became the new coach. He led the team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. This team was called Croatia's second "golden generation." They had an amazing group stage, winning all their games, including a big 3–0 win over Argentina.

In the knockout stage, they won two exciting games in penalty shoot-outs against Denmark and Russia. They then beat England 2–1 in extra time to reach their first-ever World Cup final! In the final, they played France and lost 4–2, but they won a silver medal, which was a huge achievement for Croatia. Many people welcomed them home in Zagreb.

Croatia has also played in the UEFA Nations League. In 2023, they reached the final but lost to Spain in a penalty shoot-out, finishing second. They also qualified for Euro 2020 (played in 2021) and Euro 2024.

At the 2022 World Cup, Croatia again showed how strong they are. They made it through the group stage and won two more penalty shoot-outs against Japan and Brazil. They lost to Argentina in the semi-finals but won the third-place match against Morocco, earning another bronze medal!

Team Image

Jerseys and Colors

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

Croatia's famous red-and-white checkered jersey was designed in 1990. It is based on the Croatian checkerboard pattern, which is a national symbol. The usual home kit has red-and-white checkered shirts, white shorts, and blue socks. These colors match the Croatian flag.

The away kits are often dark blue or even dark navy and black checkered. Sometimes, the team has to wear their darker away kits even at home. This happens when the other team's colors clash with Croatia's red and white checkers.

Kit supplier	Period
Uhlsport	1990–1991
Lotto	1992–1994
Kappa	1994
Lotto	1994–2000
Nike	2000–present

Supporters and Fans

Croatia supporters at Euro 2012, featuring the national checkerboard

The Croatian national football team has many fans, both in Croatia and around the world. After their success in the 1998 World Cup, more people started paying attention to the team. The team became a symbol of Croatia's independence.

When there are big tournaments, many people watch the games together. The Croatian Football Federation has an official fan club called Uvijek Vjerni, which means "Always Faithful." Fans often sing special songs and chants to support the team. For example, one group might shout "U boj, u boj" ("To battle, to battle"), and another group replies "Za narod svoj" ("For our people").

Sometimes, a few fans cause problems during games, like using fireworks. The Croatian Football Federation works hard to prevent these issues to keep the team's image positive.

Helping Others: Charity Work

The team also does a lot of good work off the field. In 2010, former manager Slaven Bilić started the Vatreno Srce (Fiery Heart) Foundation. This foundation mainly helps children.

The foundation has given money to many children's organizations. For example, they raised money by auctioning off signed jerseys from famous players. In 2018, the foundation helped Children's Hospital Zagreb and a charity called Korak u Život (A Step Into Life), which helps young people from orphanages go to college. The players also visit children with special needs and their schools. During the COVID-19 pandemic and after an earthquake in Zagreb, the players donated a lot of money to help.

Stadiums Where They Play

The Croatian national team plays its home games in different stadiums across the country. The main stadium is Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb. It is the largest football stadium in Croatia and is also home to the club Dinamo Zagreb.

Sometimes, games are played in other stadiums. Stadion Poljud in Split is another important stadium. Other stadiums include Stadion Kantrida in Rijeka, Stadion Gradski Vrt in Osijek, and Stadion Varteks in Varaždin.

Stadium	City / town	Pld	W	D	L	Win %	Last match hosted
Stadion Maksimir	Zagreb	&&&&&&&&&&&&&069.&&&&&069	&&&&&&&&&&&&&048.&&&&&048	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&069.60000069.6	2024
Stadion Poljud	Split	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.20000022.2	2023
Stadion Gradski vrt	Osijek	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&071.40000071.4	2022
Stadion Kantrida	Rijeka	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&090.90000090.9	2011
Stadion Rujevica		&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&077.80000077.8	2024
Stadion Varteks	Varaždin	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.50000062.5	2019
Stadion A. Drosina	Pula	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&080.&&&&&080.0	2019
Opus Arena	Osijek	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&001	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.0	2024
Stadion Koprivnica	Koprivnica	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.00	2016
Stadion Cibalia	Vinkovci	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.00	2009
Stadion Kranjčevićeva	Zagreb	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.00	1996
Stadion Šubićevac	Šibenik	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.0	2003
Stadion Radnik	Velika Gorica	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.0	2021
Total		142	92	34	15	64.8%	2024

Last updated: Croatia vs. Scotland, 12 October 2024
Statistics include only official matches recognized by Croatian Football Federation (HNS)

Team Management

Manager Zlatko Dalić, 2018

The team has a head coach, assistant coaches, and other staff who help the players. The current head coach is Zlatko Dalić.

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

Coaches Through the Years

Many coaches have led the Croatian team. Here's a look at their records in major competitions:

Manager	Period	Pld	W	D	L	Win %	Major competitions
Post-independence
Blažević, MiroslavMiroslav Blažević	1994–2000	&&&&&&&&&&&&&072.&&&&&072	&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.83000045.83	1996 European Championship – Quarter-finals 1998 World Cup – Third place 2000 European Championship – Did not qualify
Jozić, MirkoMirko Jozić	2000–2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00	2002 World Cup – Group stage
Barić, OttoOtto Barić	2002–2004	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.83000045.83	2004 European Championship – Group stage
Kranjčar, ZlatkoZlatko Kranjčar	2004–2006	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044.00	2006 World Cup – Group stage
Bilić, SlavenSlaven Bilić	2006–2012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&065.&&&&&065	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.62000064.62	2008 European Championship – Quarter-finals 2010 World Cup – Did not qualify 2012 European Championship – Group stage
Kovač, NikoNiko Kovač	2013–2015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&052.63000052.63	2014 World Cup – Group stage
CzaczicAnte Čačić	2015–2017	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060.00	2016 European Championship – Round of 16
Dalić, ZlatkoZlatko Dalić	2017–present	&&&&&&&&&&&&&093.&&&&&093	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025	&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023	&&&&&&&&&&&&&048.39000048.39	2018 World Cup – Runners-up 2020 European Championship – Round of 16 2022 World Cup – Third place 2024 European Championship – Group stage
Total		365	190	100	75	52.05%	13 out of 15

Last updated: Croatia vs. Portugal, 18 November 2024 Source: Croatian Football Federation

Players on the Team

Current Squad

Here are the players who were recently chosen for Croatia's matches in November 2024.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Dominik Livaković	(1995-01-09) 9 January 1995 (age 30)	62	0	Fenerbahçe
12	1GK	Dominik Kotarski	(2000-02-10) 10 February 2000 (age 25)	2	0	PAOK
23	1GK	Ivica Ivušić	(1995-02-01) 1 February 1995 (age 30)	6	0	Pafos
	1GK	Nediljko Labrović	(1999-10-10) 10 October 1999 (age 25)	2	0	FC Augsburg
3	2DF	Marin Pongračić	(1997-09-11) 11 September 1997 (age 27)	11	0	Fiorentina
4	2DF	Joško Gvardiol	(2002-01-23) 23 January 2002 (age 23)	39	3	Manchester City
5	2DF	Duje Ćaleta-Car	(1996-09-17) 17 September 1996 (age 28)	29	1	Lyon
6	2DF	Josip Šutalo	(2000-02-28) 28 February 2000 (age 25)	23	0	Ajax
19	2DF	Borna Sosa	(1998-01-21) 21 January 1998 (age 27)	26	2	Torino
2	3MF	Kristijan Jakić	(1997-07-14) 14 July 1997 (age 27)	9	0	FC Augsburg
7	3MF	Nikola Moro	(1998-03-12) 12 March 1998 (age 27)	2	0	Bologna
8	3MF	Mateo Kovačić (third captain)	(1994-05-06) 6 May 1994 (age 31)	108	5	Manchester City
10	3MF	Luka Modrić (captain)	(1985-09-09) 9 September 1985 (age 39)	184	27	Real Madrid
13	3MF	Nikola Vlašić	(1997-10-04) 4 October 1997 (age 27)	57	8	Torino
15	3MF	Mario Pašalić	(1995-02-09) 9 February 1995 (age 30)	72	10	Atalanta
16	3MF	Martin Baturina	(2003-02-16) 16 February 2003 (age 22)	9	1	Dinamo Zagreb
21	3MF	Luka Sučić	(2002-09-08) 8 September 2002 (age 22)	16	0	Real Sociedad
9	4FW	Andrej Kramarić	(1991-06-19) 19 June 1991 (age 34)	102	30	TSG Hoffenheim
11	4FW	Ante Budimir	(1991-07-22) 22 July 1991 (age 33)	28	3	Osasuna
14	4FW	Ivan Perišić (vice-captain)	(1989-02-02) 2 February 1989 (age 36)	140	33	PSV Eindhoven
17	4FW	Marco Pašalić	(2000-09-14) 14 September 2000 (age 24)	5	1	Rijeka
18	4FW	Mislav Oršić	(1992-12-29) 29 December 1992 (age 32)	27	2	Trabzonspor
20	4FW	Marko Pjaca	(1995-05-06) 6 May 1995 (age 30)	28	1	Dinamo Zagreb
22	4FW	Igor Matanović	(2003-03-31) 31 March 2003 (age 22)	5	1	Eintracht Frankfurt

Player Records

Here are some interesting facts about the players who have played the most games or scored the most goals for Croatia.

Most Games Played

Luka Modrić is Croatia's most capped player.

Luka Modrić has played the most games for Croatia, with 184 appearances!

Top Goalscorers

Davor Šuker is Croatia's top goalscorer.

Davor Šuker is Croatia's all-time top goalscorer with 45 goals!

Most Clean Sheets (Goalkeepers)

Stipe Pletikosa is Croatia's record holder in most clean sheets.

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup History

Croatia has done very well in the FIFA World Cup! They have played in 6 World Cups and won medals in 3 of them.

FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Part of  Kingdom of Yugoslavia
1934
1938
1950	Part of  Yugoslavia
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994	Did not enter
1998	Third place	3rd	7	5	0	2	11	5	Squad		2ndOFF	10	5	4	1	20	13
2002	Group stage	23rd	3	1	0	2	2	3	Squad		1st	8	5	3	0	15	2
2006		22nd	3	0	2	1	2	3	Squad		1st	10	7	3	0	21	5
2010	Did not qualify										3rd	10	6	2	2	19	13
2014	Group stage	19th	3	1	0	2	6	6	Squad		2ndOFF	12	6	3	3	14	9
2018	Runners-up	2nd	7	4	2	1	14	9	Squad		2ndOFF	12	7	3	2	19	5
2022	Third place	3rd	7	2	4	1	8	7	Squad		1st	10	7	2	1	21	4
2026	To be determined										To be determined
2030
2034
Total	Runners-up	6/7	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)
Best result	Runners-up in 2018
Worst result	Group stage in 2002, 2006 and 2014

UEFA European Championship History

Croatia has also played in the UEFA European Championship many times.

UEFA European Championship record											Qualifying record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1960	Part of  Yugoslavia
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996	Quarter-finals	7th	4	2	0	2	5	5	Squad		1st	10	7	2	1	22	5
2000	Did not qualify										3rd	8	4	3	1	13	9
2004	Group stage	13th	3	0	2	1	4	6	Squad		2ndOFF	10	6	2	2	14	5
2008	Quarter-finals	5th	4	3	1	0	5	2	Squad		1st	12	9	2	1	28	8
2012	Group stage	10th	3	1	1	1	4	3	Squad		2ndOFF	12	8	2	2	21	7
2016	Round of 16	9th	4	2	1	1	5	4	Squad		2nd	10	6	3	1	20	5
2020		14th	4	1	1	2	7	8	Squad		1st	8	5	2	1	17	7
2024	Group stage	20th	3	0	2	1	3	6	Squad		2nd	8	5	1	2	13	4
2028	To be determined										To be determined
2032
Total	Quarter-finals	7/8	25	9	8	8	33	34	—		7/17	78	50	17	11	148	50

Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 24 June 2024 after the match against  Italy.

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)  Spain 3–0 Croatia  (Berlin, Germany; 15 June 2024)
Best result	Quarter-finals in 1996 and 2008
Worst result	Group stage in 2004, 2012, and 2024

UEFA Nations League History

Croatia has also competed in the UEFA Nations League, a newer tournament for European teams.

UEFA Nations League													Finals record
Season	LG	Grp	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		9th		2019	Did not qualify
2020–21	A	3	3rd	6	1	0	5	9	16		12th		2021
2022–23	A	1	1st	6	4	1	1	8	6		2nd		2023	Runners-up	2	1	1	0	4	2	Squad
2024–25	A	1	2nd	6	2	2	2	8	8		8th		2025	To be determined
2026–27	A	To be determined											2027
Total				22	8	4	10	29	40	2nd			Total	1/3	2	1	0	4	2	—

Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 18 November 2024, after the match against  Portugal.

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)
Best result	Runners-up in 2022–23
Worst result	12th place in 2020–21

Team Honours

Croatia has won several awards and titles in football tournaments:

Major Competitions

• FIFA World Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2018
  • Third place (2): 1998, 2022
• UEFA Nations League
  • Runners-up (1): 2023

Friendly Tournaments

• FIFA Series: Egypt
  • Champions (1): 2024
• Korea Cup
  • Champions (1): 1999
• Hassan II Trophy
  • Champions (1): 1996

Summary of Medals

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	0	1	2	3
UEFA European Championship	0	0	0	0
UEFA Nations League	0	1	0	1
Total	0	2	2	4

Images for kids

• 

  Croatia vs. Brazil at the 2006 World Cup

• 

  Fans during Euro 2004 in Portugal

• 

  Croatia vs. Portugal at Euro 2016

• 

  Smoke from supporters' pyrotechnics in Ban Jelačić Square, 2018

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Croacia para niños

• Croatia national football B team
• Croatia national under-23 football team
• Croatia national under-21 football team
• Croatia national under-20 football team
• Croatia national under-19 football team
• Croatia national under-18 football team
• Croatia national under-17 football team
• Croatia national under-16 football team
• Croatia national under-15 football team
• Croatia women's national football team
• Croatia women's national under-19 football team
• Croatia women's national under-17 football team
• Croatia women's national under-15 football team