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The Croatian national football team has played since Croatia's independence in 1990–92 and is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation.

The team played in their first major tournament in 1996 and have been a strong force in international football ever since, finishing third in the 1998 World Cup, led by Golden Boot winner Davor Šuker. They have qualified for every World Cup that they have entered as an independent nation.

Between October 17, 1990 and June 22, 2006, Croatia has played 148 international games and had 72 victories, 45 draws and 31 losses. The team has been FIFA's "Best Mover of the Year" in 1994 and 1998.

Earlier history

Football was played in Croatia from the beginning of the 20th century, but before the 1990s the country was not independent. Before that, the players from Croatia participated in the teams of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1919–39), Banovina of Croatia (1939–41), Independent State of Croatia (1941–45) and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1945–90).

For the Yugoslav periods, see Yugoslavia national football team.

Due to political circumstances in Kingdom of Yugoslavia shortly before World War II, Croatian sports teams were allowed to compete under Croatian flag, so the first international of Croatia could be considered a 4–0 victory over Switzerland played in Zagreb on 2 April, 1940.

World Cup record

  • 1930 to 1990 - Was part of Yugoslavia''
  • 1994 - Did not enter, was too late to participate in the qualifying matches
  • 1998 - Third place
  • 2002 - First round (Third place in Group G)
  • 2006 - First round (Third place in Group F)

European Championship record

Famous past players

2006 World Cup squad

Head coach: Zlatko Kranjčar

Caps correct as of June 22, 2006

Shakhtar Donetsk}} Hertha Berlin}} Juventus}} A.C. Siena}} Werder Bremen}} A.C. Milan}} Bayer Leverkusen}} Rangers F.C.}} Red Bull Salzburg}} FK Austria Wien}} AZ Alkmaar}} Galatasaray}}

Club Brugge}} AS Monaco}} Werder Bremen}} CSKA Moscow}}

Panathinaikos}} Club Brugge}} KRC Genk}} Olympiacos}}

Team captain: Niko Kovač

2006 World Cup Information

For more in-depth information, see Croatia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup

Croatia finished third in their group, amassing only 2 points, while second place Australia had 4. They did not advance.

Other current players

The following players weren't among the 24 called up to the 2006 World Cup, but are slated to play for the national team by the current coach.

Coaches

Past squads and campaigns

External links

European national football teams | Football in Croatia

منتخب كرواتيا لكرة القدم | Chorvatská fotbalová reprezentace | Kroatische Fußballnationalmannschaft | Horvaatia jalgpallikoondis | Selección nacional de fútbol de Croacia | Équipe de Croatie de football | Selección nacional de fútbol de Croacia | 크로아티아 축구 국가대표팀 | Hrvatska nogometna reprezentacija | Nazionale di calcio della Croazia | נבחרת קרואטיה בכדורגל | Horvātijas futbola izlase | Kroatijos vyrų futbolo rinktinė | Horvát labdarúgó-válogatott | Фудбалска репрезентација на Хрватска | Kroatisch voetbalelftal | サッカークロアチア代表 | Reprezentacja Chorwacji w piłce nożnej | Seleção Croata de Futebol | Сборная Хорватии по футболу | Chorvátske národné futbalové mužstvo | Фудбалска репрезентација Хрватске | Kroatiens herrlandslag i fotboll | Hırvatistan Milli Futbol Takımı | 克羅地亞國家足球隊

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Croatia national football team".

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