Croatia national Football team - wikipedia Croatia national Football team This article is about the men 's team. For the women 's team, see Croatia women 's national football team. Croatia Nickname ( s ) Vatreni ( The Blazers or Fiery Ones ) Il furioso incendio ( Istrian Italian for : Blazing Fire ) Srce vatreno ( Fiery Hearts ) Kockasti ( The Chequered Ones ) Crvena i bijela ( The Red and White ) Plavi ( The Blues ) Association Croatian Football Federation Confederation UEFA ( Europe ) Head coach Zlatko Dalić Captain Luka Modrić Most caps Darijo Srna ( 134 ) Top scorer Davor Šuker ( 45 ) Home stadium Various FIFA code CRO First colours Second colours FIFA ranking Current 20 ( 7 June 2018 ) Highest 3 ( January 1999 ) Lowest 125 ( March 1994 ) Elo ranking Current 7 ( 16 July 2018 ) Highest 5 ( July 1998, July 2018 ) Lowest 26 ( October 2002 ) First international Croatia 4 -- 0 Switzerland ( Zagreb, Croatia ; 2 April 1940 ) as modern Croatia Croatia 2 -- 1 United States ( Zagreb, Croatia ; 17 October 1990 ) Biggest win Croatia 10 -- 0 San Marino ( Rijeka, Croatia ; 4 June 2016 ) Biggest defeat England 5 -- 1 Croatia ( London, England ; 9 September 2009 ) World Cup Appearances 5 ( first in 1998 ) Best result Runners - up ( 2018 ) European Championship Appearances 5 ( first in 1996 ) Best result Quarter - finals ( 1996, 2008 ) Medal record Men 's football FIFA World Cup 1998 France Team 2018 Russia Team The Croatia national football team ( Croatian : Hrvatska nogometna reprezentacija ) represents Croatia in international association football matches. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation ( HNS ), the nation 's governing body for football, and is widely supported throughout the country due to the ever - present popularity of the sport. Most home matches are played at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb or at the Stadion Poljud in Split, though other smaller venues are also used occasionally. They are one of the youngest national teams ( since formation ) to reach the knockout stage of a major tournament, as well as the youngest team to occupy the top 10 in the FIFA World Rankings. Croatia has represented itself as an independent nation since 1993, when the team was officially recognised by both FIFA and UEFA following dissolution from Yugoslavia. However, short - lived national sides were briefly active during periods of political upheaval, representing sovereign states such as the Banovina of Croatia from 1939 to 1941, or the Independent State of Croatia from 1941 to 1944. Before the current team was formed, most Croatian players represented the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia instead. The modern - day team has played competitive matches since 1994, starting with a successful qualifying campaign for the 1996 European Championships. In 1998, they competed in their first FIFA World Cup, finishing 3rd and providing the tournament 's top scorer, Davor Šuker. Exactly twenty years later, under their second golden generation, Croatia reached the 2018 World Cup Final, securing second place and featuring the tournament 's best player, Luka Modrić. Among other nicknames, the team is colloquially referred to as the Vatreni ( `` Blazers '' or `` Fiery Ones '' ) or the Kockasti ( `` Chequered '' ). In the Italian - speaking counties the team is known as Il furioso incendio ( `` The Blazing Fire '' ). Since becoming eligible to compete, Croatia has only failed to qualify for two major tournaments ; the 2000 European Championship and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Their biggest defeat came in 2009 with a 5 -- 1 loss to England, while their highest - scoring victory was a 10 -- 0 friendly win over San Marino in 2016. The national team is also known for some long - standing rivalries, such as the Derby Adriatico with Italy, or the politically - charged rivalry with Serbia, both of which have led to controversial or disruptive matches. The team represents the second - smallest country by population and land mass to reach the World Cup final, behind Uruguay and Netherlands respectively. At major tournaments, Croatia holds joint - records for longest period between one goal and another of a player ( 2002 -- 2014 ), most penalty shootouts played ( 2 ), most extra time periods played ( 3 ) and most penalties saved in a match ( 3 ). They are also one of only two teams -- along with Colombia -- to be named FIFA 's `` Best Mover of the Year '' more than once, winning the award in 1994 and 1998. Upon admission to FIFA, Croatia was ranked 125th in the world ; following the 1998 World Cup campaign, the side rose to third place in the rankings, making it the most volatile team in FIFA Rankings history. Contents 1 History 1.1 Pre-independence 1.2 Official formation 1.3 Blažević period and the `` golden generation '' ( 1994 -- 99 ) 1.4 Barić, Kranjčar, and Bilić periods ( 2000 -- 12 ) 1.5 Štimac, Kovač and Čačić period ( 2012 -- 17 ) 1.6 Dalić period and the second `` golden generation '' ( 2017 -- present ) 2 Team image 2.1 Kits and crests 3 Supporters 4 Stadiums 5 Rivalries 6 Competitive record 6.1 FIFA World Cup 6.2 UEFA European Championship 6.3 UEFA Nations League 7 All - time team records 7.1 Head - to - head record ( 1992 -- present ) 7.2 FIFA ranking history 8 Recent results and fixtures ( 2017 -- 18 ) 8.1 2017 8.2 2018 9 Personnel 10 Players 10.1 Current squad 10.2 Recent call - ups 10.3 Previous squads 11 Statistics 11.1 Most capped players 11.2 Top goalscorers 11.3 Managers 12 Honours 13 See also 14 References 15 Footnotes 15.1 Books 16 External links History Pre-independence The first recognised Croatian team played against Switzerland in 1940. Association football was first introduced to Croatia by English expatriates working on industrial projects in Rijeka and Županja in 1873. By 1907, local clubs had been established in Croatia and a modern edition of the sport 's laws was translated and published. Before the nation 's independence, Croatian footballers played for the national teams of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( 1919 -- 39 ) and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ( 1945 -- 92 ), though during periods of political upheaval, ethnically Croatian sides occasionally formed to play unofficial matches. A hastily arranged Croatian side, managed by Hugo Kinert, played a few matches in 1918 -- 19. In 1940, Jozo Jakopić led an unofficial national team representing the Banovina of Croatia ( part of Kingdom of Yugoslavia ) in four friendly matches, against Switzerland and Hungary. Following invasion by the Axis powers, the Croatian Football Federation became briefly active, joining FIFA on 17 July 1941, representing the Independent State of Croatia. The side, led by Rudolf Hitrec, went on to play 15 friendly matches, 14 of those as a member of FIFA. Croatia 's first recorded result as a FIFA member was a 1 -- 1 draw with Slovakia on 8 September in Bratislava. The Independent State of Croatia continued playing matches until 1945 and the end of World War II, when SR Croatia was formed as constituent part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. From 1950 to 1956, unofficial Croatian teams were briefly active once again -- winning games against Indonesia and a Yugoslav team playing as `` Serbia ''. The Yugoslavia squad at the 1956 Summer Olympics included Croatian footballers, as did Yugoslavia in World Cup and European Championship tournaments up to 1990. Official formation The last Yugoslav team to field a considerable Croatian contingent played against Faroe Islands on 16 May 1991, days before Croatia 's independence referendum. However, an unofficial Croatian team was formed shortly before, and played the team 's first modern international game, against the United States on 17 October 1990 at Maksimir Stadium. The game, which Croatia won 2 -- 1, was one of three games played under caretaker manager Dražan Jerković. The match against the American side also marked the introduction of Croatia 's national jersey, inspired by the chequered design of the country 's coat of arms. Although Croatia was still officially part of Yugoslavia until its independence declaration on 8 October 1991, this team already served as a de facto national side. Croatia went on to win two more friendly games under Jerković, against Romania in December 1990 and Slovenia in June 1991. On 3 July 1992, Croatia was re-admitted to FIFA, playing its first official matches in the modern era against Australia in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. This team was led by Stanko Poklepović as part of an international exhibition tour ; in April 1993, Vlatko Marković was appointed as manager. Croatia finally gained admission into UEFA in June 1993, which was too late for the national team to enter the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, as these already commenced the year before. Marković only led the team in one match, a home win against Ukraine in June 1993, before being dismissed in February 1994 and replaced by Miroslav Blažević the following month. The team 's performances before Croatia 's official independence were not recorded by FIFA, so they entered the World Rankings in 125th place. Blažević led Croatia 's qualifying campaign for Euro 1996, beginning with the nation 's first post-independence competitive victory, a 2 -- 0 win over Estonia on 4 September 1994. Their first competitive defeat came on 11 June 1995 in a 1 -- 0 away loss to Ukraine during the same qualifying campaign. They eventually finished first in their qualifying group and won FIFA 's 1994 Best Mover of the Year award as they moved up to 62nd in the rankings by the end of the year. Blažević period and the `` Golden Generation '' ( 1994 -- 99 ) Ladić Štimac Šimić Bilić Soldo Stanić Jarni Prosinečki Asanović Boban ( C ) Šuker Croatian squad at the 1998 World Cup. ( coach : Miroslav Blažević ). Goran Vlaović scored the team 's first goal at a major tournament, a late winner against Turkey at the City Ground in Nottingham in their first group match at Euro 96. After their opening victory, Croatia beat reigning champions Denmark 3 -- 0, but went on to lose against Portugal by the same scoreline in their final group fixture. Croatia still advanced to the knockout stage, but were beaten in the quarter - finals 1 -- 2 by Germany, who went on to win the tournament. In spite of the quarter - final exit, Blažević continued to lead Croatia in the 1998 World Cup qualifying campaign, which ended successfully after an aggregate victory against Ukraine in the two - legged play - off. In the group stage of the World Cup, Croatia beat Jamaica and Japan but lost to Argentina, before defeating Romania to reach a quarter - final tie against Germany, then ranked second in the world. Croatia won 3 -- 0 with goals from Robert Jarni, Goran Vlaović and Davor Šuker, all after Christian Wörns had been sent off. Croatia then faced the host nation, France, in the semi-final. After a goalless first - half, Croatia took the lead, only to concede two goals by opposing defender Lilian Thuram and lose 1 -- 2. In the third - place match, Croatia beat the Netherlands 2 -- 1, with Davor Šuker winning the Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals of the tournament with six goals in seven games. Croatia 's performance in 1998 was among the best debut performances in the World Cup ( equaling Portugal 's third place debut finish at the 1966 World Cup ), and as a result, Croatia rose to number three in the January 1999 FIFA World Rankings, their highest ranking to date. For their achievements, the team of the 1990s was dubbed the `` Golden Generation. '' A considerable portion of this squad ( Jarni, Štimac, Boban, Prosinečki and Šuker ), previously won the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship with the Yugoslavia under - 20 team. Despite good performances in their first two major competitions, Croatia 's qualifying campaign for Euro 2000 was less successful, as they finished third in their qualifying group behind Yugoslavia and Republic of Ireland, and thus failed to qualify. Both fixtures against archenemies Yugoslavia ( the rump state later renamed Serbia and Montenegro ) ended in draws, which prevented Croatia from qualifying for the tournament. Barić, Kranjčar, and Bilic periods ( 2000 -- 12 ) Croatian football fans during the 2001 international season. Although Blažević continued his tenure in spite of failure to qualify for Euro 2000, he resigned in October 2000 following draws against Belgium and Scotland in the first two games of the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. His successor at the helm of the national team was Mirko Jozić, who previously led the Yugoslavia under - 20 team to a World Cup triumph in 1987. Despite the retirement of many Golden Generation players, Croatia went unbeaten during the rest of the qualifiers. They opened their 2002 World Cup campaign with a narrow loss to Mexico before producing a surprise 2 -- 1 victory over Euro 2000 finalists Italy in the next fixture, giving life to hopes of passing through to the knockout stage. However, they lost their final group fixture to Ecuador and were eliminated. Jozić then resigned, and was replaced in July 2002 by Croatian - Austrian Otto Barić, the team 's first manager born outside the Balkans. During Barić 's tenure, most of the remaining players from the Golden Generation squad were gradually replaced by younger players over the course of the Euro 2004 qualifiers. Croatia went on to qualify for the tournament with a playoff victory against Slovenia, winning 2 -- 1 on aggregate after Dado Pršo 's decisive late goal in the second leg. At the finals tournament in Portugal, Croatia drew 0 -- 0 with Switzerland and 2 -- 2 with reigning champions France only to lose to England 2 -- 4 and suffer another elimination in the group stage. Barić 's two - year contract ended in June 2004 and was not renewed. Former Croatia international Zlatko Kranjčar, appointed to succeed Barić in July 2004, led the team through the 2006 World Cup qualifiers without losing a single match and topping the group ahead of Sweden and Bulgaria. However, local media outlets accused him of nepotism for selecting his son Niko Kranjčar for the national squad. At the 2006 World Cup, Croatia lost their opening game to Brazil and drew 0 -- 0 with Japan after Darijo Srna missed a first - half penalty. A 2 -- 2 draw with Australia, in which three players were sent off, confirmed Croatia 's exit in the group stage. The game was also notable for a mistake by referee Graham Poll, who gave three yellow cards to Croatian defender Josip Šimunić, failing to send him off after his second offense. He later stated that he mistook Šimunić for an Australian player due to his Australian accent. Poll was heavily criticised for losing control of the match, and retired from refereeing shortly afterwards. Croatia vs. Brazil at the 2006 FIFA World Cup In July 2006, the Croatian Football Federation replaced Kranjčar with Slaven Bilić, who played for the national team during their Golden Generation era. Bilić, who previously managed the under - 21 team between 2004 and 2006, introduced a host of young players into the squad, which ultimately proved successful. His first game was a friendly away victory against 2006 World Cup champions Italy. After controversially suspending Darijo Srna, Ivica Olić and Boško Balaban for missing a curfew after a turbofolk nightclub outing, Bilić led the team through qualifiers for Euro 2008. Croatia topped their group, losing only one game to Macedonia and beating England twice, who as a result failed to qualify for the first time since 1984. Shortly before the European Championships, first - choice striker Eduardo, who was the team 's top goalscorer during qualifying, suffered a compound fracture while playing for Arsenal in the Premier League. Bilić was forced to alter his final Euro 2008 squad significantly and recruited Nikola Kalinić and Nikola Pokrivač, neither of whom had yet played competitive games for the national team. The team received criticism after poor attacking performances in warm - up games against Scotland and Moldova, but at the tournament they beat Austria, Germany and Poland in the group stages to reach the quarter - finals with maximum group points for the first time in their tournament history. Niko Kovač remained team captain at what was expected to be his final international tournament, except in the final group fixture when Dario Šimić temporarily held the captain 's armband. Croatia 's campaign ended dramatically when they lost a penalty shoot - out to Turkey, with Luka Modrić, Mladen Petrić and Ivan Rakitić all missing their penalties. Croatia left the tournament with records for fewest goals conceded ( 2 ), fewest games lost ( 0 ), and earliest goal ( in the fourth minute of their opening game against Austria ; this was also the all - time earliest successful penalty at the European Championship Finals ). Following the tournament, Bilić renewed his contract, becoming the first manager since Blažević to lead Croatia to successive tournaments. Croatia were again drawn to play England in the qualifying stages for the 2010 World Cup ; the tie was voted the most anticipated of the campaign on FIFA.com. After a home win against Kazakhstan Croatia lost at home to England, ending a 14 - year unbeaten home record. The team was eventually weakened due to a number of key players ' injuries and went on to suffer their heaviest defeat in history, losing 5 -- 1 to England at Wembley Stadium. Although Croatia defeated Kazakhstan in their final qualifying fixture, they were ultimately eliminated as Ukraine, who had previously defeated group leaders England, beat Andorra to win second place in the group. Bilić was once again heavily expected to resign as national coach, but instead vowed to renew his contract and remain in charge. Croatia vs. Italy match at UEFA Euro 2012 Despite heavy loss of form, which also saw the team fall outside the top ten in the FIFA rankings, Croatia were placed in the top tier of teams for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying draw ; Croatia was previously a candidate to co-host the tournament with Hungary which would have allowed the team to qualify automatically, but UEFA eventually chose Poland and Ukraine as hosts instead. Despite being top - seeds in their qualifying group, Croatia finished second behind Greece, settling for a play - off against Euro 2008 rivals Turkey. Croatia proceeded to beat Turkey 3 -- 0 on aggregate, with all three goals coming in the away leg in Istanbul, thereby qualifying for the 2012 European championship. In the proceeding group - stage draw for the tournament, Croatia were placed in the third tier of teams, and were eventually grouped with Ireland, Italy and defending champions Spain. In the buildup towards the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, the team 's first major competition since their 2008 run at the same event, manager Slaven Bilić formally agreed a deal to manage Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, thereby announcing he would resign from the national team when the tournament ended. Croatia opened their campaign with a comfortable 3 -- 1 victory over the Republic of Ireland, with striker Mario Mandžukić scoring twice. Mandžukić continued his run at the tournament with an equaliser in the 1 -- 1 draw against Italy, which was marred by controversial fan reactions and referee decisions from English official Howard Webb. In their last group match, Croatia suffered a 0 -- 1 defeat to Spain. The late Spanish goal by Jesús Navas, along with Italy 's victory over the Republic of Ireland in the final round, forced Croatia to exit the tournament in the group stage once again. Upon his formal departure, Bilić was also praised for his long - standing service to the national side. Jutarnji List daily labelled him as Croatia 's only manager to depart on such positive terms and credited him for his strong revival of the national side during his six - year tenure. Štimac, Kovač and Čačić period ( 2012 -- 17 ) Croatia vs. Brazil at 2014 World Cup Following Bilić 's departure, former player and pundit Igor Štimac was appointed manager of the national team. Croatia 's all - time top goalscorer Davor Šuker also took over as president of the Croatian Football Federation ( HNS ) after the death of Vlatko Marković ended a 14 - year tenure. Štimac 's managerial campaign was unsuccessful, as the team endured a succession of poor performances and narrowly finished second in their 2014 World Cup qualifying group. After only a year of his appointment, Štimac was replaced by former captain Niko Kovač, who previously managed the under - 21 youth side. 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. At the World Cup, Croatia were drawn with host - nation Brazil, Mexico and Cameroon. In the opening game of the tournament, Croatia lost 3 -- 1 to Brazil. The match garnered heavy media attention and controversy as Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura was scrutinized for a number of controversial decisions. In their second game, Croatia won 4 -- 0 against Cameroon, but did not progress from the group as they lost 3 -- 1 to Mexico in their final fixture. In the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, Croatia were drawn against Italy, Bulgaria, Norway, Azerbaijan and Malta. Following a goalless away draw against Azerbaijan and an away defeat to Norway, in early September 2015, the Executive Committee of the Croatian Football Federation unanimously decided to terminate Kovač 's contract. On 21 September 2015, Ante Čačić was named as the head coach of the Croatian national team. On 13 October 2015, Croatia qualified for the finals by finishing as runners - up in Group H. Under Čačić, Croatia broke the record for most goals scored in one match, by beating San Marino in a friendly 10 -- 0. At Euro 2016, Croatia were drawn in Group D ; against Turkey, the Czech Republic and defending champions Spain, who had won the two previous editions of the tournament, in 2008 and 2012. Croatia began their campaign with a 1 -- 0 win over Turkey ; following a sensational long - volley kick from Luka Modrić, with the goal receiving praise and being considered one of the best of the tournament. The next match was against the Czech Republic ; with Croatia taking the lead through Ivan Perišić and doubling it through Ivan Rakitić, before goals from Milan Škoda and a last - minute penalty from Tomáš Necid ; but the match received controversy for crowd trouble in the last minutes of the match, with Flares being thrown on the pitch and a steward being hurt by a firework during stoppage time. Croatia 's final match was against Spain ; conceding an early goal from Álvaro Morata, before goals from Nikola Kalinić and a late winning goal from Ivan Perišić, securing Croatia a historic win as they topped the group, meanwhile for Spain it was their first defeat at a Euro finals match for the first time since 2004. After the match, Croatia were tipped as one of the tournament favourites, and drew Portugal in the round of sixteen, who surprisingly finished third in the group, advancing only as the third - best third - placed team. The match was extremely poor, described by BBC Sport as `` abysmal '', as there were no serious efforts on goal, with Ricardo Quaresma 's winning goal in the 117th minute knocking Croatia out of the tournament. Shortly after the Euro 2016 campaign, long - standing captain Darijo Srna announced his retirement from international football, amassing a record 134 appearances for the national side. Luka Modrić was announced as his successor for team captain. Dalić period and the second `` Golden Generation '' ( 2017 -- present ) Subašić Lovren Vida Vrsaljko Strinić Rakitić Brozović Rebić Perišić Modrić Mandžukić Croatia starting line - up against France at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final. Croatia started their 2018 World Cup qualification strongly, leading their group and remaining undefeated for the first round of matches. However, consecutive defeats against Iceland and Turkey, as well as a draw against lowly - ranked Finland threatened their qualification hopes and caused a public outcry against manager Ante Čačić. He was quickly replaced by Zlatko Dalić, who led the team to a crucial 2 -- 0 win against Ukraine in Kiev, securing a spot in the playoff round against Greece. Croatia went on to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after beating Greece 4 -- 1, with all goals coming in the first leg in Zagreb. In the buildup to the tournament, The Guardian, among other news outlets, labelled the 2017 -- 18 squad as Croatia 's second golden generation. Key players such as Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić, and Mario Mandžukić drew close comparisons to their 1998 counterparts, and were expected to achieve similar success. Despite a poor showing in their friendly matches, Croatia started their World Cup campaign with a 2 -- 0 victory over Nigeria, with Luka Modrić scoring a penalty. Modrić went on to score again in a highly - applauded 3 -- 0 victory over previous finalists Argentina, which was also marked by Vedran Ćorluka earning his 100th cap for the national team. Croatia then defeated Iceland to top the group with maximum points, marking their best ever performance in the group stages of the World Cup. They went on to play Denmark in the round of sixteen ; the match was dubbed as Croatia 's best chance to finally win a knockout round fixture at a major tournament, which they had n't done since 1998. Despite conceding in the first minute of the match, they equalized to force extra-time. In the ensuing penalty shootout, Croatia prevailed after goalkeeper Danijel Subašić saved three penalties, equalling the record for most penalties saved in a match. This was the team 's first ever successful penalty shootout, garnering praise from the local public and media. In the quarter - finals, Croatia drew 2 -- 2 with hosts Russia, but advanced after another successful penalty shootout. This made them the first team since 1990 to win two consecutive penalty shootouts at the World Cup, and also equalled their best ever run at the tournament. The 2017 -- 18 national squad, dubbed the `` Second Golden Generation '', posing with Vladimir Putin and Kolinda Grabar - Kitarović after the 2018 World Cup Final against France. Croatia went on to play England in the semi-finals. After going behind once more, they equalized to force their third consecutive extra-time, equalling another record for most extra-time matches at the tournament. Mario Mandžukić eventually scored as Croatia won 2 -- 1, making them the second - smallest country by population to reach the World Cup final ( after Uruguay in 1930 ). The win sparked massive celebrations across the country, as reported by several media outlets. In the buildup to the final, Croatian parliamentary members, including president Kolinda Grabar - Kitarović, wore football jerseys in support of the team. Online searches for the team also reached their highest level in history, as the Croatian tourist board reported a 250 % increase in website visits. Due to tournament structure, France received an extra day of rest before the final which promoted many, most notably football manager Jose Mourinho, to label the final `` unfair '' and deserving of `` equal opportunities ''. Croatia eventually lost the final 4 -- 2 to France, after a controversial penalty awarded by the video assistant referee ( VAR ). After the match, Luka Modrić became the first Croatian to win the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament. For achieving their best ever World Cup finish, the Croatian players were greeted by over 550, 000 people at their homecoming in Zagreb. On 23 January 2018, Croatia were drawn to play against England and Spain in the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League ; an international tournament contested by all UEFA member 's national teams. Team image Kits and crests Wikimedia Commons has media related to Croatia national football team kits. The Croatian chequy has been a symbol of Croatia since the Middle Ages. Croatia 's modern - day jersey was designed in 1990 by locally acclaimed painter Miroslav Šutej, who also designed the nation 's coat of arms and banknotes. The traditional red and white motif is based on the historic Croatian checkerboard ( šahovnica ), which has been used to represent Croats since the Middle Ages. Although there have been many slight variations made by manufacturers Lotto and Nike since the original release, the traditional chequered theme has remained a symbol of national identity, with similar incorporation used by many Croatian national sports teams and entities. Kit supplier Period Uhlsport 1990 -- 1991 Lotto 1992 -- 1994 Kappa 1994 Lotto 1994 -- 2000 Nike 2000 -- present Supporters Croatia supporters at UEFA Euro 2012 Football is Croatia 's most popular team sport, and the national team has developed an extensive fan base since its formation in 1991. Following their run at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, just three years after the Croatian war of Independence, there was a rapid rise in domestic and global attention for the side. Balkan Insight commented that the national team became a symbol of Croatian independence from Yugoslavia. However, after the death of former - president Franjo Tuđman, local political ties with the national team have loosened. All matches are widely followed and televised throughout the country, particularly during tournaments. A large part of the team 's support base consists of fans of Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb, the two best - supported clubs in the Croatian domestic league, the Prva HNL. Both sets of fans -- the Bad Blue Boys of Zagreb and The Torcida from Split -- have been associated with hooliganism due to their ultra-style support, though violence between them does not occur at international matches. Heavy support for the Croatian national team also comes from Croats in Bosnia - Herzegovina, particularly from fans of Zrinjski Mostar. There are also considerable Croatian communities in Australia, North America, and South America that follow the team. Among supporters, it is customary to include an inscription of their city of origin onto the Croatian flag to indicate where they are from. They are also notable for their vocal support and orchestrated chants during matches. It is common for one section to shout `` U boj, u boj '' ( to battle, to battle ), with another responding `` za narod svoj '' ( for our people ), which is an old Croatian mantra. When the team wins, supporters often chant `` Bježite ljudi, bježite iz grada '' ( beware people, move away from here ), which is a song praising the large presence of euphoric Croatian fans. The Croatian Football Federation endorses an official fan club for the team, known as Uvijek Vjerni ( Always Faithful ). The national team enjoys widespread support from various local musicians, who often release tracks dedicated to them. Former manager Slaven Bilić and his rock band released a single, `` Vatreno Ludilo '' ( Fiery Madness ), which reached the top position on the Croatian music charts during Euro 2008. Other Croatian artists such as Dino Dvornik, Connect, Prljavo Kazalište and Baruni have also recorded songs praising the team. The most widely used among supporters are `` Malo nas je al nas ima '' ( We are few, but we exist ), `` Samo je jedno '' ( There is but one thing ( in my life ) ), `` Moja Domovina '' ( My Homeland ), `` Srce vatreno '' ( Fiery Heart ), and `` Hrvatska je prvak svijeta '' ( Croatia are World Champions ). The players and fans often adopt other patriotic songs to celebrate victories as well. Croatian supporters have traditionally used flares to celebrate the team 's victories, though the use of pyrotechnics has become increasingly controversial due to sanctions imposed by FIFA and UEFA. Fans ' behaviour at international games has led to various sanctions against the national side, despite due efforts by the HNS, Croatian government and players to prevent unwanted incidents. The team has been heavily penalized for multiple acts of inappropriate behaviour by its travelling fans, such as an isolated incident of racial abuse towards English striker Emile Heskey in 2010. There were also reports of minor clashes involving Croatian fans at various tournaments, which led to further sanctions imposed by FIFA and UEFA. There are often fears of violence during matches against Serbia too, such as the politically - fuelled football riot between Croat and Serb fans following the 1990 parliamentary election. This has led to extra security measures being imposed for these matches, such as restrictions on travelling fans, which has prevented any major incidents from occurring. In response to widespread allegations of corruption within the Croatian Football Federation, there have been multiple acts of protest against the national team. Croatia 's Euro 2016 qualifying fixture against Italy in Milan was interrupted due to flares being thrown onto the field by a small section of attendants, which also occurred at a European Championship match against Czech Republic. A similar incident took place in 2015 during another fixture against Italy as a swastika symbol was embedded onto the pitch at the Poljud Stadium. The Croatian Football Federation apologized for the incident and called it an act of sabotage. The players and supporters also condemned this behavior. A criminal investigation was commenced, and the team was docked 1 point in their qualifying group over the incident. Stadiums The majority of home matches take place at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb, which is also the home - ground of local football club Dinamo Zagreb. The venue, built in 1912 and refurbished in 1997, is named after the surrounding neighbourhood of Maksimir and has hosted national team games since Croatia 's competitive home debut against Lithuania. The Croatian Football Federation ( HNS ) previously agreed on extensive plans with the government to renovate the stadium and increase its current forty - thousand seating capacity, however the proposal was eventually rejected by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić in 2008 due to high construction costs. Some home matches are occasionally played at other, smaller venues around the country. The Poljud Stadium in Split has hosted several 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 '' ). The run was finally ended after the team came from behind to beat Georgia on 3 June 2011. Qualifying fixtures have also been played at the Stadion Kantrida in Rijeka, along with the Gradski vrt stadium in Osijek and the Stadion Anđelko Herjavec in Varaždin. However, these venues are rarely used due to their remote locations and smaller seating capacity, despite objections from local residents and some players. The following table provides a summary Croatia results at various venues used for home games. Since Croatia 's first match in October 1990, they played home games at eleven stadiums around the country. The following table provides a summary of Croatia 's results at home venues. The Stadion Poljud in Split holds nearly 35,000 spectators and has been occupied by the national team since 1995. Key : Pld -- games played, W -- games won, D -- games drawn ; L -- games lost, % -- win percentage Stadium City / town Pld Win % Last match hosted Stadion Maksimir Zagreb 7001620000000000000 ♠ 62 7001420000000000000 ♠ 42 7001150000000000000 ♠ 15 7000500000000000000 ♠ 5 07001677000000000000 ♠ 67.7 2017 Stadion Poljud Split 7001120000000000000 ♠ 12 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000700000000000000 ♠ 7 7000400000000000000 ♠ 4 00 7000830000000000000 ♠ 8.3 2015 Stadion Kantrida Rijeka 7001110000000000000 ♠ 11 7001100000000000000 ♠ 10 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 07001909000000000000 ♠ 90.9 2011 Stadion Gradski vrt Osijek 7001110000000000000 ♠ 11 7000900000000000000 ♠ 9 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 07001818000000000000 ♠ 81.8 2018 Stadion A. Herjavec Varaždin 7000700000000000000 ♠ 7 7000500000000000000 ♠ 5 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 07001714000000000000 ♠ 71.4 2015 Stadion A. Drosina Pula 7000400000000000000 ♠ 4 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 07001750000000000000 ♠ 75.0 2014 Stadion Rujevica Rijeka 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 07001500000000000000 ♠ 50.0 2017 Stadion Cibalia Vinkovci 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7002100000000000000 ♠ 100.0 2009 Stadion Kranjčevićeva Zagreb 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7002100000000000000 ♠ 100.0 Stadion Šubićevac Šibenik 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 00 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0.0 2003 Stadion Koprivnica Koprivnica 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7002100000000000000 ♠ 100.0 2016 Totals 113 74 29 10 7001652000000000000 ♠ 65.2 % & -- Last updated : Croatia vs. Senegal, 8 June 2018. Statistics include official FIFA - recognised matches only. Rivalries `` Derby Adriatico '' redirects here. For the similarly named rivalry between the two Croatian clubs Hajduk Split and Rijeka, see Adriatic derby. Croatia contests the Derby Adriatico with Italy. Croatia and Serbia, belligerents during the violent Yugoslav Wars, have developed a fierce rivalry. Croatia contest the Le derby tricolore with France. The 2018 World Cup Final is seen as the pinnacle of their rivalry. Croatia were the first team to defeat England at Wembley Stadium ( pictured ). Two years later, England beat Croatia 5 -- 1 at the same venue, which was Croatia 's heaviest defeat in the modern era. The Croatia national football team has developed numerous rivalries with other national teams. Most of these are friendly in nature, stemming from repeated match - ups and the context in which they are played. However, some are also politically and socially charged. Here are the team 's most notable opponents : Croatia v. Italy : Croatia competes with Italy in games known as the Derby Adriatico or Adratic Derby, named after the Adriatic which separates the two nations. This rivalry is not to be confused with the similarly named Adriatic derby between Croatian clubs Hajduk Split and Rijeka. Croatia has not lost against Italy since 1991, with many matches between the two teams being notable for their competitive nature. During the Euro 2016 qualifying phase, Croatia and Italy played each other twice, drawing both times. Both matches were marred by crowd troubles due to flares being thrown onto the pitch, which also occurred when the two teams met at the 2012 European Championships. At the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Croatia came from behind to beat Italy 2 -- 1, though this match was also marked by controversy after two Italian goals were disallowed. As of July 2018, the two countries have played nine times : Croatia has won three times, drawn five times, and lost once. Croatia v. Serbia : Stemming from the Croatian war of Independence, Croatia and Serbia have developed a politically - charged football rivalry, described as one of the fiercest rivalries in the world. Supporters of both national teams clashed for the first time at the Dinamo Zagreb -- Red Star Belgrade riot, as both clubs were seen as symbols of national identity at the time. Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, both countries have continued to use their national teams to assert their national identities. Croatia and Serbia played each other for the first time during qualifying for Euro 2000, with both matches ending in a draw and sparking violence among supporters and players. Since then, the two teams have met twice in World Cup Qualifying, with Croatia winning 2 -- 0 in Zagreb and the away leg ending in a draw after Josip Šimunić and Nemanja Matić were sent off. These matches were played without away supporters and with added security to avoid crowd trouble. Croatia v. France : France and Croatia began competing against each other in a series of friendly exhibition games, however since 1998, their encounters have become increasingly competitive. As both countries have the red - white - blue tricolor, matches between the two are nicknamed Le derby tricolore ( `` Tricolor Derby '' ) or Trobojnica ( `` Tricolor '' game ). During the 1998 World Cup, both France and Croatia reached their then - pinnacle of international prowess after the former won the tournament after defeating the latter who took third place. Twenty years later, the two teams battled the 2018 World Cup final where France overcame Croatia 4 -- 2 to secure the trophy. Similarly to 1998, the match with France elevated Croatia to its highest - ever ranking with runners - up positioning. The two teams have competed against each other five times with France winning three matches and drawing two. Croatia v. Germany : Although there have only been three competitive meetings between Croatia and Germany, each of them took place at a major tournament and featured a red card. The first was a quarter - final at the 1996 European Championships, which Germany won en route to becoming champions. Two years later, Croatia eliminated Germany in a 3 -- 0 World Cup quarter - final win, one of their most notable results to date. The two sides played each other again at the 2008 European Championships, with Croatia winning 2 -- 1. Croatia v. Turkey : Croatia 's first match at a major tournament was against Turkey at the 1996 European Championships, which they won after a late goal. At the 2008 European Championships, the two teams were involved in one of the most dramatic matches in the history of the tournament ; Croatia took the lead with less than a minute left to play, only for Turkey to equalise almost immediately and then win the ensuing penalty shootout. Croatia responded by beating Turkey 3 -- 0 in the 2012 European Championship playoffs, qualifying at their expense. Since then, the two teams have played each other three times, one time at the 2016 European Championships and twice in World Cup qualifying, with each of them winning 1 -- 0 and also a 1 -- 1 draw in - between the two matches. Croatia v. England : Croatia and England have played each other eight times, six in competitive matches, some of which are regarded as the most notable matches in both teams ' histories. During Euro 2008 qualifying, in addition to a 2 -- 0 victory over England in Zagreb, Croatia were the first team to defeat England at the newly - built Wembley Stadium. The 3 -- 2 defeat to Croatia meant England failed to qualify for their first major competition since hosting Euro 1996 twelve years earlier, which was also Croatia 's debut tournament. England in turn went on to defeat Croatia twice during qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which caused Croatia to miss their first World Cup since gaining independence. This included a 5 -- 1 defeat at the Wembley Stadium, which was Croatia 's biggest defeat in the modern era. The two teams also competed for a place in the quarter - finals at the 2004 European Championships, with England winning 4 -- 2. Most recently, they played again at the 2018 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, with Croatia winning 2 -- 1 and ending England 's best run at the tournament in 28 years. It also marked Croatia 's first World Cup final, their best ever achievement at the competition. Competitive record FIFA World Cup Main article : Croatia at the FIFA World Cup Croatia qualified for and competed in three consecutive World Cup tournaments between 1998 and 2006, but failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after finishing 3rd in Group 6 behind England and Ukraine. Although they had joined both FIFA and UEFA by 1992, they were unable to enter the 1994 World Cup as qualification had started before the side was officially recognised as a state. In the following three World Cup groups they were eliminated after finishing third in all of them, before finally advancing further than the group stage at the 2018 World Cup. On 11 July 2018, Croatia won their semi-final match against England, advancing the national team to their first FIFA World Cup final wherein they secured second place as runners - up against winners France. Supplanting their third place positioning in 1998, this is the nation 's best performance to date. * Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks ; correct as of 26 June 2018 after the match against Iceland. The current national squad, lining up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final. FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record Year Result Position Pld GF GA Squad Position Pld GF GA 1930 -- 1990 Part of Yugoslavia -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1994 Did not enter -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1998 Third place 3rd 7 5 0 11 5 Squad 2nd 10 5 20 13 2002 Group stage 23rd 0 Squad 1st 8 5 0 15 2006 22nd 0 Squad 1st 10 7 0 21 5 Did not qualify 3rd 10 6 19 13 2014 Group stage 19th 0 6 6 Squad 2nd 12 6 14 9 2018 Runners - up 2nd 7 14 9 Squad 2nd 12 7 19 5 2022 To be determined To be determined 2026 Total 5 / 6 Runners - up 23 11 8 35 26 -- -- 62 36 18 8 108 47 * Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks show List of FIFA World Cup matches Year Round Opponent Score Result Date Venue 1998 Group H Jamaica 3 -- 1 Win 14 June 1998 Stade Félix - Bollaert, Lens Japan 1 -- 0 Win 20 June 1998 Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Argentina 0 -- 1 Loss 26 June 1998 Stade Chaban - Delmas, Bordeaux Round of 16 Romania 1 -- 0 Win 30 June 1998 Stade Chaban - Delmas, Bordeaux Quarter - final Germany 3 -- 0 Win 4 July 1998 Stade de Gerland, Lyon Semi-final France 1 -- 2 Loss 8 July 1998 Stade de France, Paris Bronze Final Netherlands 2 -- 1 Win 11 July 1998 Parc des Princes, Paris 2002 Group G Mexico 0 -- 1 Loss 3 June 2002 Denka Big Swan Stadium, Niigata, Niigata Italy 2 -- 1 Win 8 June 2002 Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima Ecuador 0 -- 1 Loss 13 June 2002 International Stadium, Yokohama 2006 Group F Brazil 0 -- 1 Loss 13 June 2006 Olympiastadion, Berlin Japan 0 -- 0 Draw 18 June 2006 Frankenstadion, Nuremberg Australia 2 -- 2 Draw 22 June 2006 Mercedes - Benz Arena, Stuttgart 2014 Group A Brazil 1 -- 3 Loss 12 June 2014 Arena Corinthians, São Paulo Cameroon 4 -- 0 Win 18 June 2014 Arena da Amazônia, Manaus Mexico 1 -- 3 Loss 23 June 2014 Itaipava Arena Pernambuco, Recife 2018 Group D Nigeria 2 -- 0 Win 16 June 2018 Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad Argentina 3 -- 0 Win 21 June 2018 Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod Iceland 2 -- 1 Win 26 June 2018 Rostov Arena, Rostov - on - Don Round of 16 Denmark 1 -- 1 ( 3 -- 2 p ) Draw 1 July 2018 Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod Quarter - final Russia 2 -- 2 ( 4 -- 3 p ) Draw 7 July 2018 Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi Semi-final England 2 -- 1 Win 11 July 2018 Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow Final France 2 -- 4 Loss 15 July 2018 Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow * Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks UEFA European Championship Main article : Croatia at the UEFA European Championship * Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks ; correct as of 25 June 2016 ( Croatia v. Portugal ). UEFA European Championship record / UEFA European Championship qualifying Year Round Position Pld GF GA Squad Position Pld GF GA 1960 to 1992 Part of Yugoslavia -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Quarter - final 7th 0 5 5 Squad 1st 10 7 22 5 2000 Did not qualify 3rd 8 13 9 Group stage 13th 0 6 Squad 2nd 10 6 14 5 2008 Quarter - final 5th 0 5 Squad 1st 12 9 28 8 2012 Group stage 10th Squad 2nd 12 8 21 7 2016 Round of 16 9th 5 Squad 2nd 10 6 20 5 2020 To be determined To be determined Total Quarter - final 5 / 6 18 8 5 5 23 20 -- -- 62 40 14 8 118 39 show List of UEFA European Football Championship matches Year Round Opponent Score Result Date Venue Group D Turkey 1 -- 0 Win 11 June 1996 Nottingham, England Denmark 3 -- 0 Win 16 June 1996 Sheffield, England Portugal 0 -- 3 Loss 19 June 1996 Nottingham, England Quarter - final Germany 1 -- 2 Loss 23 June 1996 Manchester, England Group B Switzerland 0 -- 0 Draw 13 June 2004 Leiria, Portugal France 2 -- 2 Draw 17 June 2004 Leiria, Portugal England 2 -- 4 Loss 21 June 2004 Lisboa, Portugal 2008 Group B Austria 1 -- 0 Win 8 June 2008 Wien, Austria Germany 2 -- 1 Win 12 June 2008 Klagenfurt, Austria Poland 1 -- 0 Win 16 June 2008 Klagenfurt, Austria Quarter - final Turkey 1 -- 1 ( 1 -- 3 p ) Draw ( elim. ) 20 June 2008 Wien, Austria 2012 Group C Republic of Ireland 3 -- 1 Win 10 June 2012 Poznań, Poland Italy 1 -- 1 Draw 14 June 2012 Poznań, Poland Spain 0 -- 1 Loss 18 June 2012 Gdańsk, Poland 2016 Group D Turkey 1 -- 0 Win 12 June 2016 Paris, France Czech Republic 2 -- 2 Draw 17 June 2016 Saint - Étienne, France Spain 2 -- 1 Win 21 June 2016 Bordeaux, France Round of 16 Portugal 0 -- 1 Loss 25 June 2016 Lens, France UEFA Nations League Main article : Croatia at the UEFA Nations League Croatia is set to play in the UEFA Nations League 's League A in against Spain and England. UEFA Nations League Year Division Group Round Pos Pld GF GA 2018 -- 19 TBD Total -- 0 / 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 All - time team records Alen Halilović is the youngest player to represent the team, making his debut aged 16. Dario Šimić was Croatia 's first player to reach 100 appearances, doing so before his retirement in 2008. This allowed him to surpass Robert Jarni 's previous record of 81 appearances. On 6 February 2013, captain Darijo Srna, Josip Šimunić and Stipe Pletikosa each also played their 100th cap for Croatia in a 4 -- 0 friendly victory over South Korea in London. The trio went on to set a new joint - record of 101 appearances for the national team in March 2013 in a World Cup qualifying victory against Serbia in Zagreb. Srna eventually surpassed his teammates and accrued a record total of 134 international caps for Croatia before retiring in 2016. Alen Halilović is the youngest player to represent the team, making his senior debut in June 2013 aged 16 years, 11 months and 22 days. The team 's oldest player is Dražen Ladić, who played his last match in May 2000 aged 37 years, 4 months and 27 days. With 45 goals scored, Davor Šuker, the current president of the Croatian Football Federation, is the team 's highest - scoring player. Mladen Petrić holds the national team record for goals in a single match, having scored four times during Croatia 's 7 -- 0 home victory over Andorra on 7 October 2006. The national team 's record for highest - scoring victory was achieved in 2016, a 10 -- 0 friendly win over San Marino. Croatia 's heaviest defeat is a joint record ; the Independent State of Croatia side lost 5 -- 1 to Germany twice in the 1940s. The modern Croatian team also lost to England by the same scoreline in a 2010 World Cup qualifying fixture in London. Head - to - head record ( 1992 -- present ) Key Positive balance ( more wins ) Neutral balance ( equal W / L ratio ) Negative balance ( more losses ) show Croatia head - to - head record ( 1992 -- present ) As of 15 July 2018, after the match against France. Opponents Pld GF GA GD Andorra 6 6 0 0 24 0 + 24 Argentina 5 7 5 + 2 Australia 6 11 6 + 5 Austria 5 5 0 0 9 + 7 Azerbaijan 0 6 0 + 6 Belarus 0 0 + 3 Belgium 7 9 5 + 4 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 0 14 6 + 8 Brazil 0 7 - 5 Bulgaria 7 10 5 + 5 Cameroon 0 0 0 + 4 Chile 0 0 0 China PR 0 0 0 Cyprus 0 0 0 + 2 Czech Republic 0 7 5 + 2 Denmark 6 8 7 + 1 Ecuador 0 0 0 - 1 Egypt 0 0 0 England 8 12 19 - 7 Estonia 9 6 16 5 + 11 Finland 0 + 1 France 6 0 5 13 - 8 Georgia 0 0 Germany 5 8 6 + 2 Gibraltar 0 0 0 + 4 Greece 8 10 9 + 1 Hong Kong 0 0 0 + 4 Hungary 7 0 13 5 + 8 Iceland 7 5 13 + 10 Iran 0 + 2 Israel 9 8 0 22 8 + 14 Italy 8 5 0 10 6 + 4 Jamaica 0 0 + 2 Japan 0 Jordan TBP - - - - - - Kazakhstan 0 0 5 + 4 Kosovo 0 0 7 0 + 7 Latvia 0 0 10 + 9 Liechtenstein 0 0 8 + 6 Lithuania 0 0 + 2 Macedonia 8 5 12 9 + 3 Mali 0 0 + 1 Malta 8 7 0 19 + 15 Mexico 6 0 9 6 + 3 Moldova 0 0 0 + 2 Morocco 0 0 0 Netherlands 0 - 2 Nigeria 0 0 0 + 2 Northern Ireland 0 0 0 + 3 Norway 5 10 6 + 4 Peru 0 0 0 - 2 Poland 5 7 + 4 Portugal 0 0 0 7 - 7 Qatar 0 0 + 1 Republic of Ireland 7 8 8 0 Romania 0 0 + 3 Russia 0 5 + 2 San Marino 0 0 18 0 + 18 Scotland 5 0 5 - 3 Senegal 0 0 + 1 Serbia 0 5 + 2 Slovakia 6 8 8 0 Slovenia 8 5 0 15 8 + 7 South Korea 7 11 7 + 4 Spain 6 6 7 - 1 Sweden 0 5 + 1 Switzerland 0 6 - 2 Turkey 9 5 10 6 + 4 Ukraine 9 5 15 5 + 10 Wales 0 7 + 5 Jump up ^ Includes matches against Serbia and Montenegro which existed between 1992 and 2006 ( also by a different name ). FIFA ranking history FIFA - ranking yearly averages for Croatia. Upon admission to FIFA, Croatia was ranked 125th in the world ; following the 1998 World Cup campaign, the side rose to third place in the rankings, making it the most volatile team in FIFA Rankings history. Recent results and fixtures ( 2017 -- 18 ) Main article : Croatia national football team results 2017 Croatia v Kosovo 3 September 2017 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Croatia 1 -- 0 Kosovo show Zagreb, Croatia 14 : 30 ( 14 : 30 UTC + 2 ) Vida 74 ' Report ( FIFA ) Report ( UEFA ) Stadium : Stadion Maksimir Attendance : 6,838 Referee : Stefan Johannesson ( Sweden ) Turkey v Croatia 5 September 2017 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Turkey 1 -- 0 Croatia show Eskişehir, Turkey 20 : 45 ( 21 : 45 UTC + 3 ) Tosun 75 ' Report ( FIFA ) Report ( UEFA ) Stadium : New Eskişehir Stadium Attendance : 28,600 Referee : Viktor Kassai ( Hungary ) Croatia v Finland 6 October 2017 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Croatia 1 -- 1 Finland show Rijeka, Croatia 20 : 45 ( 20 : 45 UTC + 2 ) Mandžukić 57 ' Report ( FIFA ) Report ( UEFA ) Soiri 90 ' Stadium : Stadion Rujevica Attendance : 7,578 Referee : Daniel Stefanski ( Poland ) Ukraine v Croatia 9 October 2017 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Ukraine 0 -- 2 Croatia show Kiev, Ukraine 20 : 45 ( 21 : 45 UTC + 3 ) Report ( FIFA ) Report ( UEFA ) Kramarić 62 ' 70 ' Stadium : Olympic Stadium Attendance : 60,200 Referee : Felix Brych ( Germany ) Croatia v Greece 9 November 2017 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Croatia 4 -- 1 Greece show Zagreb, Croatia 20 : 45 ( 20 : 45 UTC + 2 ) Modrić 13 ' ( pen. ) N. Kalinić 19 ' Perišić 33 ' Kramarić 49 ' Report ( FIFA ) Report ( UEFA ) Papastathopoulos 30 ' Stadium : Stadion Maksimir Attendance : 30,013 Referee : Gianluca Rocchi ( Italy ) Greece v Croatia 12 November 2017 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Greece 0 -- 0 ( 1 -- 4 agg. ) Croatia show Piraeus, Greece 20 : 45 ( 21 : 45 UTC + 3 ) Report ( FIFA ) Report ( UEFA ) Stadium : Karaiskakis Stadium Attendance : 18,667 Referee : Björn Kuipers ( Netherlands ) 2018 Peru v Croatia 23 March 2018 Friendly match Peru 2 -- 0 Croatia show Miami, United States 01 : 00 ( UTC + 1 ) Carrillo 12 ' Flores 48 ' Yoshimar Yotun 57 ', 75 ' Report Stadium : Hard Rock Stadium Attendance : 46,893 Referee : Ismail Elfath ( United States ) Mexico v Croatia 27 March 2018 Friendly match Mexico 0 -- 1 Croatia show Dallas, United States 04 : 00 ( UTC + 1 ) Report Rakitić 62 ' ( pen. ) Stadium : AT&T Stadium Attendance : 79,128 Referee : Mario Alberto Escobar ( Guatemala ) Croatia v Brazil 3 June 2018 Friendly match Croatia 0 -- 2 Brazil show Liverpool, England 16 : 00 ( UTC + 1 ) Report Neymar 69 ' Firmino 90 + 4 ' Stadium : Anfield Attendance : 36,584 Referee : Michael Oliver ( England ) Croatia v Senegal 8 June 2018 Friendly match Croatia 2 -- 1 Senegal show Osijek, Croatia 18 : 00 ( UTC + 2 ) Perišić 63 ' Kramarić 78 ' Report Sarr 48 ' Stadium : Stadion Gradski vrt Attendance : 15,998 Referee : Ádám Farkas ( Hungary ) Croatia v Nigeria 16 June 2018 2018 FIFA World Cup Croatia 2 -- 0 Nigeria show Kaliningrad, Russia 21 : 00 KALT ( UTC + 2 ) Etebo 32 ' ( o.g. ) Modrić 71 ' ( pen. ) Report Stadium : Kaliningrad Stadium Attendance : 31,136 Referee : Sandro Ricci ( Brazil ) Argentina v Croatia 21 June 2018 2018 FIFA World Cup Argentina 0 -- 3 Croatia show Nizhny Novgorod, Russia 21 : 00 MSK ( UTC + 3 ) Report Rebić 53 ' Modrić 80 ' Rakitić 90 + 1 ' Stadium : Nizhny Novgorod Stadium Attendance : 43,319 Referee : Ravshan Irmatov ( Uzbekistan ) Iceland v Croatia 26 June 2018 2018 FIFA World Cup Iceland 1 -- 2 Croatia show Rostov - on - Don, Russia 21 : 00 MSK ( UTC + 3 ) G. Sigurðsson 76 ' ( pen. ) Report Badelj 53 ' Perišić 90 ' Stadium : Rostov Arena Attendance : 43,472 Referee : Antonio Mateu Lahoz ( Spain ) Croatia v Denmark 1 July 2018 2018 FIFA World Cup Croatia 1 -- 1 ( a.e.t. ) ( 3 -- 2 p ) Denmark show Nizhny Novgorod, Russia 21 : 00 MSK ( UTC + 3 ) Mandžukić 4 ' Report M. Jørgensen 1 ' Stadium : Nizhny Novgorod Stadium Attendance : 40,851 Referee : Néstor Pitana ( Argentina ) Penalties Badelj Kramarić Modrić Pivarić Rakitić Eriksen Kjær Krohn - Dehli Schöne N. Jørgensen Russia v Croatia 7 July 2018 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia 2 -- 2 ( a.e.t. ) ( 3 -- 4 p ) Croatia show Sochi, Russia 21 : 00 MSK ( UTC + 3 ) Cheryshev 31 ' Fernandes 115 ' Report Kramarić 39 ' Vida 101 ' Stadium : Fisht Olympic Stadium Attendance : 44,287 Referee : Sandro Ricci ( Brazil ) Penalties Smolov Dzagoev Fernandes Ignashevich Kuzyayev Brozović Kovačić Modrić Vida Rakitić Croatia v England 11 July 2018 2018 FIFA World Cup Croatia 2 -- 1 ( a.e.t. ) England show Moscow, Russia 21 : 00 MSK ( UTC + 3 ) Perišić 68 ' Mandžukić 109 ' Report Trippier 5 ' Stadium : Luzhniki Stadium Attendance : 78,011 Referee : Cüneyt Çakır ( Turkey ) France v Croatia 15 July 2018 2018 FIFA World Cup Final France 4 -- 2 Croatia show Moscow, Russia 18 : 00 MSK ( UTC + 3 ) Mandžukić 18 ' ( o.g. ) Griezmann 38 ' ( pen. ) Pogba 59 ' Mbappé 65 ' Report Perišić 28 ' Mandžukić 69 ' Stadium : Luzhniki Stadium Attendance : 78,011 Referee : Néstor Pitana ( Argentina ) Portugal v Croatia 6 September 2018 Friendly match Portugal Croatia show Loulé, Portugal 20 : 45 ( UTC + 2 ) Report Stadium : Estádio do Algarve Spain v Croatia 11 September 2018 2018 -- 19 Nations League Spain Croatia show Elche, Spain 20 : 45 ( 20 : 45 UTC + 2 ) Report Stadium : Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero Croatia v England 12 October 2018 2018 -- 19 Nations League Croatia England show Rijeka, Croatia 20 : 45 ( 20 : 45 UTC + 2 ) Report Stadium : Stadion Rujevica Attendance : 0 Croatia v Jordan 15 October 2018 Friendly match Croatia Jordan show Rijeka, Croatia Report Stadium : Stadion Rujevica Croatia v Spain 15 November 2018 2018 -- 19 Nations League Croatia Spain show Zagreb, Croatia 20 : 45 ( 20 : 45 UTC + 1 ) Report Stadium : Stadion Maksimir England v Croatia 18 November 2018 2018 -- 19 Nations League England Croatia show London, England 15 : 00 ( 14 : 00 UTC ± 0 ) Report Stadium : Wembley Stadium Personnel Zlatko Dalić, the current manager of the Croatia national football team Position Name Head coach Zlatko Dalić Assistant coaches Dražen Ladić Ivica Olić Goalkeeping coach Marjan Mrmić Condition coach Luka Milanović Physiotherapists Nenad Krošnjar Mario Petrović Nderim Redžaj Doctors Zoran Bahtijarević Saša Janković Boris Nemec Team manager Iva Olivari Players Current squad The following players were called up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and preceding warm - up matches. All numbers, caps and goals as of 15 July 2018 after match against France, only matches as FIFA member are included. No. Pos. Player Date of birth ( age ) Caps Goals Club 1GK Dominik Livaković ( 1995 - 01 - 09 ) 9 January 1995 ( age 23 ) 0 Dinamo Zagreb 12 1GK Lovre Kalinić ( 1990 - 04 - 03 ) 3 April 1990 ( age 28 ) 12 0 Gent 23 1GK Danijel Subašić ( 1984 - 10 - 27 ) 27 October 1984 ( age 33 ) 44 0 Monaco 2DF Šime Vrsaljko ( 1992 - 01 - 10 ) 10 January 1992 ( age 26 ) 41 0 Internazionale 2DF Ivan Strinić ( 1987 - 07 - 17 ) 17 July 1987 ( age 31 ) 49 0 Milan 5 2DF Vedran Ćorluka ( 1986 - 02 - 05 ) 5 February 1986 ( age 32 ) 103 Lokomotiv Moscow 6 2DF Dejan Lovren ( 1989 - 07 - 05 ) 5 July 1989 ( age 29 ) 46 Liverpool 13 2DF Tin Jedvaj ( 1995 - 11 - 28 ) 28 November 1995 ( age 22 ) 13 0 Bayer Leverkusen 15 2DF Duje Ćaleta - Car ( 1996 - 09 - 17 ) 17 September 1996 ( age 21 ) 0 Marseille 21 2DF Domagoj Vida ( 1989 - 04 - 29 ) 29 April 1989 ( age 29 ) 65 Beşiktaş 22 2DF Josip Pivarić ( 1989 - 01 - 30 ) 30 January 1989 ( age 29 ) 23 0 Dynamo Kyiv 3MF Ivan Perišić ( 1989 - 02 - 02 ) 2 February 1989 ( age 29 ) 73 21 Internazionale 7 3MF Ivan Rakitić ( Vice-captain ) ( 1988 - 03 - 10 ) 10 March 1988 ( age 30 ) 99 15 Barcelona 8 3MF Mateo Kovačić ( 1994 - 05 - 06 ) 6 May 1994 ( age 24 ) 46 Chelsea 10 3MF Luka Modrić ( Captain ) ( 1985 - 09 - 09 ) 9 September 1985 ( age 32 ) 113 14 Real Madrid 11 3MF Marcelo Brozović ( 1992 - 11 - 16 ) 16 November 1992 ( age 25 ) 41 6 Internazionale 14 3MF Filip Bradarić ( 1992 - 01 - 11 ) 11 January 1992 ( age 26 ) 5 0 Cagliari 19 3MF Milan Badelj ( 1989 - 02 - 25 ) 25 February 1989 ( age 29 ) 41 Lazio 9 4FW Andrej Kramarić ( 1991 - 06 - 19 ) 19 June 1991 ( age 27 ) 38 10 1899 Hoffenheim 17 4FW Mario Mandžukić ( 1986 - 05 - 21 ) 21 May 1986 ( age 32 ) 89 33 Juventus 18 4FW Ante Rebić ( 1993 - 09 - 21 ) 21 September 1993 ( age 24 ) 22 Eintracht Frankfurt 20 4FW Marko Pjaca ( 1995 - 05 - 06 ) 6 May 1995 ( age 23 ) 19 Fiorentina Recent call - ups The following players have also been called up to the Croatia squad in the last 12 months and are still eligible for selection. Pos. Player Date of birth ( age ) Caps Goals Club Latest call - up GK Karlo Letica ( 1997 - 02 - 11 ) 11 February 1997 ( age 21 ) 0 0 Club Brugge 2018 FIFA World Cup DF Matej Mitrović ( 1993 - 11 - 10 ) 10 November 1993 ( age 24 ) 9 Club Brugge 2018 FIFA World Cup DF Borna Barišić ( 1992 - 11 - 10 ) 10 November 1992 ( age 25 ) 0 Rangers 2018 FIFA World Cup DF Zoran Nižić ( 1989 - 10 - 11 ) 11 October 1989 ( age 28 ) 0 Hajduk Split 2018 FIFA World Cup DF Borna Sosa ( 1998 - 01 - 21 ) 21 January 1998 ( age 20 ) 0 0 VfB Stuttgart 2018 FIFA World Cup DF Marin Leovac ( 1988 - 08 - 07 ) 7 August 1988 ( age 30 ) 0 Dinamo Zagreb v. Peru, 23 March 2018 DF Antonio Milić ( 1994 - 03 - 10 ) 10 March 1994 ( age 24 ) 0 0 Anderlecht v. Ukraine, 9 October 2017 MF Marko Rog ( 1995 - 07 - 19 ) 19 July 1995 ( age 23 ) 12 0 Napoli 2018 FIFA World Cup MF Mario Pašalić ( 1995 - 02 - 09 ) 9 February 1995 ( age 23 ) 6 0 Atalanta 2018 FIFA World Cup MF Nikola Vlašić ( 1997 - 10 - 04 ) 4 October 1997 ( age 20 ) 0 CSKA Moscow v. Greece, 12 November 2017 FW Nikola Kalinić ( 1988 - 01 - 05 ) 5 January 1988 ( age 30 ) 42 15 Atlético Madrid 2018 FIFA World Cup FW Duje Čop ( 1990 - 02 - 01 ) 1 February 1990 ( age 28 ) 13 Standard Liège 2018 FIFA World Cup FW Ivan Santini ( 1989 - 05 - 21 ) 21 May 1989 ( age 29 ) 0 Anderlecht 2018 FIFA World Cup Previous squads UEFA European Football Championship squads UEFA Euro 1996 squad UEFA Euro 2004 squad UEFA Euro 2008 squad UEFA Euro 2012 squad UEFA Euro 2016 squad FIFA World Cup squads 1998 FIFA World Cup squad 2002 FIFA World Cup squad 2006 FIFA World Cup squad 2014 FIFA World Cup squad 2018 FIFA World Cup squad Statistics Most capped players Darijo Srna, former captain ( 2008 -- 2016 ) and all - time most capped player. Main article : List of Croatia international footballers Highlighted names denote a player still playing or available for selection. # Name Croatia career Caps Goals Darijo Srna 2002 -- 2016 134 22 Stipe Pletikosa 1999 -- 2014 114 0 Luka Modrić 2006 -- 113 14 Josip Šimunić 2001 -- 2013 105 5 Ivica Olić 2002 -- 2015 104 20 6 Vedran Ćorluka 2006 -- 2018 103 7 Dario Šimić 1996 -- 2008 100 8 Ivan Rakitić 2007 -- 99 15 9 Mario Mandžukić 2007 -- 89 33 10 Robert Kovač 1999 -- 2009 84 0 Last updated : France vs. Croatia, 15 July 2018. Source : Croatian Football Federation Top goalscorers Davor Šuker, Croatia 's all - time top scorer. Highlighted names denote a player still playing or available for selection. # Name Croatia career Goals Caps Davor Šuker 1991 -- 2002 45 69 Mario Mandžukić 2007 -- 33 89 Eduardo da Silva 2004 -- 2014 29 64 Darijo Srna 2002 -- 2016 22 134 5 Ivan Perišić 2011 -- 21 73 6 Ivica Olić 2002 -- 2015 20 104 7 Niko Kranjčar 2004 -- 2013 16 81 8 Goran Vlaović 1992 -- 2002 15 52 Nikola Kalinić 2007 -- 42 Ivan Rakitić 2007 -- 99 Last updated : France vs. Croatia, 15 July 2018. Source : Croatian Football Federation Managers The following table provides a summary of the complete record of each Croatia manager including their results regarding World Cups and European Championships. Key : Pld -- games played, W -- games won, D -- games drawn ; L -- games lost, % -- win percentage Manager Croatia tenure Pld Win % Major competitions Dražan Jerković 1990 -- 1991 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7002100000000000000 ♠ 100.0 & -- Stanko Poklepović 1992 7000400000000000000 ♠ 4 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2 07001250000000000000 ♠ 25.0 & -- Vlatko Marković 1993 -- 1994 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7002100000000000000 ♠ 100.0 & -- Miroslav Blažević 1994 -- 2000 7001720000000000000 ♠ 72 7001330000000000000 ♠ 33 7001240000000000000 ♠ 24 7001150000000000000 ♠ 15 07001458000000000000 ♠ 45.8 1996 European Championship -- Quarter - final 1998 World Cup -- Third place 2000 European Championship -- Failed to qualify Tomislav Ivić ( c ) 1994 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 5000000000000000000 ♠ 0 7002100000000000000 ♠ 100.0 & -- Mirko Jozić 2000 -- 2002 7001180000000000000 ♠ 18 7000900000000000000 ♠ 9 7000600000000000000 ♠ 6 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3 07001500000000000000 ♠ 50.0 2002 World Cup -- Group stage Otto Barić 2002 -- 2004 7001240000000000000 ♠ 24 7001110000000000000 ♠ 11 7000800000000000000 ♠ 8 7000500000000000000 ♠ 5 07001458000000000000 ♠ 45.8 2004 European Championship -- Group stage Zlatko Kranjčar 2004 -- 2006 7001250000000000000 ♠ 25 7001110000000000000 ♠ 11 7000800000000000000 ♠ 8 7000600000000000000 ♠ 6 07001440000000000000 ♠ 44.0 2006 World Cup -- Group stage Slaven Bilić 2006 -- 2012 7001650000000000000 ♠ 65 7001420000000000000 ♠ 42 7001150000000000000 ♠ 15 7000800000000000000 ♠ 8 07001645999999900000 ♠ 64.6 2008 European Championship -- Quarter - final 2010 World Cup -- Failed to qualify 2012 European Championship -- Group stage Igor Štimac 2012 -- 2013 7001150000000000000 ♠ 15 7000800000000000000 ♠ 8 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2 7000500000000000000 ♠ 5 07001533000000000000 ♠ 53.3 & -- Niko Kovač 2013 -- 2015 7001190000000000000 ♠ 19 7001100000000000000 ♠ 10 7000500000000000000 ♠ 5 7000400000000000000 ♠ 4 07001526000000000000 ♠ 52.6 2014 World Cup -- Group stage Ante Čačić 2015 -- 2017 7001250000000000000 ♠ 25 7001150000000000000 ♠ 15 7000600000000000000 ♠ 6 7000400000000000000 ♠ 4 07001600000000000000 ♠ 60.0 2016 European Championship -- Round of 16 Zlatko Dalić 2017 -- 7001140000000000000 ♠ 14 7000800000000000000 ♠ 8 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3 07001571000000000000 ♠ 57.1 2018 World Cup -- Runners - up Totals 286 153 78 55 7001537000000000000 ♠ 53.7 % 10 out of 12 Last updated : Croatia vs. France, 15 July 2018. Source : Croatian Football Federation Honours FIFA World Cup Runners - up : 2018 Third place : 1998 Minor tournaments Kirin Cup Runners - up : 1997 Korea Cup Winners : 1999 Carlsberg Cup Third place : 2006 China Cup Fourth place : 2017 Other awards Best Mover of the Year 1994 1998 See also Association football portal Croatia portal Croatia national football team results List of Croatia international footballers Croatia women 's national football team Croatia national under - 21 football team Croatia national under - 20 football team Croatia national under - 19 football team Croatia national under - 17 football team References Jump up ^ `` Spain finish 2012 on top, Colombia in fifth ''. FIFA. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` FIFA Best Mover of the Year awards ''. Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA.com ). Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008. Jump up ^ Bach, N. 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Jump up ^ Federation, UEFA ( July 15, 2018 ). `` Italy 's competitive record against Croatia in football ''. worldfootball.net. Retrieved July 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Italy national football team : record v Croatia ''. www.11v11.com. Retrieved July 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` International Football 's 10 Most Politically - Charged Football Rivalries ''. Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2014. Jump up ^ CNN -- SPORT -- Football -- Top 10 international rivalries Retrieved 6 November 2008. Jump up ^ Fenton - Thomas, Alex ( November 22, 2013 ). `` Croatia v Serbia : the sporting rivalry - in pictures ''. The Guardian. ISSN 0261 - 3077. Retrieved July 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Retrieved 16 August 2015. Jump up ^ `` Croatia v Serbia the rematch : memories of riots, battles and war ''. The Independent. Retrieved July 15, 2018. Jump up ^ Fenton - Thomas, Alex ( November 22, 2013 ). `` Croatia v Serbia : the sporting rivalry - in pictures ''. The Guardian. ISSN 0261 - 3077. Retrieved July 15, 2018. Jump up ^ Sportske -- Vest -- Domaci Fudbal -- Bez navijaca u Zagrebu i Beogradu ( Without fans in Zagreb and Belgrade ) Retrieved 20 July 2012. ^ Jump up to : Kennedy, Paul. `` France - Croatia : Three things to know about the rivalry ''. Retrieved 13 July 2018. Jump up ^ Gregory, Sean ( 11 July 2018 ). `` 32 Teams Entered, 2 Remain. Your Ultimate Guide to the World Cup Final ''. Time. Retrieved 13 July 2018. Jump up ^ Mather, Andrew Das and Victor ( 14 July 2018 ). `` France, the Class of the World Cup, Brings Home the Trophy ''. Retrieved 14 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Deutschland - Kroatien : Vom Aufbaugegner zum Rivalen ''. Der Spiegel. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2018. Jump up ^ uefa.com ( 6 October 2003 ). `` UEFA EURO 1996 - History - Germany - Croatia -- UEFA ''. UEFA. Retrieved 1 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` 1998 FIFA World Cup France -- Matches -- Germany - Croatia ''. FIFA. Retrieved 1 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Croatia national football team : record v Germany ''. 11v11.com. Retrieved 1 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Croatia 2 - 1 Germany ''. 2008 - 06 - 12. Retrieved 2018 - 08 - 06. ^ Jump up to : `` Euro 2016 : Croatia and Turkey Resume Old European Rivalry in Paris ''. News18. June 18, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2018. Jump up ^ Jackson, Jamie ( June 12, 2016 ). `` Luka Modric stunner for Croatia sinks Turkey in Euro 2016 Group D tie ''. the Guardian. Retrieved July 15, 2018. Jump up ^ UEFA.com. `` European Qualifiers - Turkey - Croatia ''. UEFA.com. Retrieved 2018 - 08 - 06. Jump up ^ FIFA.com. `` 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia TM - Matches - Croatia - Turkey - FIFA.com ''. FIFA.com. Retrieved 2018 - 08 - 06. Jump up ^ `` England 2 - 3 Croatia ''. BBC. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` England 5 - 1 Croatia ''. BBC. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` England challenge ignited by Rooney ''. UEFA. 22 June 2004. Retrieved 21 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` England 's World Cup dream dashed as Croatia win semi-final in extra time ''. The Guardian. 11 Jul 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` World Cup 1994 qualifications ''. Rec. Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2008. Jump up ^ `` World Cup 2018 : Argentina 0 -- 3 Croatia ''. BBC Sport. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018. Jump up ^ Taylor, Daniel ( 11 July 2018 ). `` England 's World Cup dream dashed as Croatia win semi-final in extra time ''. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 16 July 2018. Jump up ^ FIFA.com. `` 1998 FIFA World Cup France TM - FIFA ''. FIFA. Retrieved 1 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Šimić ends playing career ''. Union of European Football Associations ( UEFA.com ). Retrieved 11 August 2010. Jump up ^ Milosavljevic, Zoran ( 5 June 2008 ). `` Croatia ` s Dario Simic Eyes 100th Cap ''. Reuters. Retrieved 25 August 2008. Jump up ^ Pacak, Tomislav ( 15 September 2008 ). `` Šimić završio sa stotkom '' ( in Croatian ). Sportnet.hr. Retrieved 25 August 2008. Translation Jump up ^ `` Alen Halilović player profile ''. Hrvatski Nogometni Savez ( Croatian Football Federation ). Retrieved 6 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` Statistike Hrvatskog Nogometa ''. HR Nogomet. Retrieved 6 February 2018. Jump up ^ Islamović, Elvir ( 1 April 2008 ). `` Suker : a man with the Midas touch ''. European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations ( UEFA.com ). Archived from the original on 23 May 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2008. Jump up ^ Islamović, Elvir ( 7 October 2006 ). `` Petric inspires Croatian record ''. European Championships archive. Union of European Football Associations ( UEFA.com ). Retrieved 31 December 2012. Jump up ^ Kramarsic, Igor / Puric, Bojan. `` Croatia International matches ''. Rec. Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 14 July 2008. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ `` FIFAranking yearly averages for Croatia ''. FIFA. Retrieved 15 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Croatia follow in golden footsteps ''. Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA.com ). 7 August 2008. Archived from the original on 26 August 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2008. Jump up ^ `` Croatia eyeing top ten ''. Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA.com ). 3 March 2007. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2008. Jump up ^ The game was originally scheduled for 2 September, but due to heavy rains in Zagreb was postponed for the next day. Jump up ^ `` ODLUKE IZVRŠNOGODBORA HNS - A ''. hns-cff.hr. Jump up ^ hns-cff.hr ( 4 June 2018 ). `` IZBORNIK DALIĆ POTVRDIO KONAČAN POPIS PUTNIKA ZA SP ''. hns-cff.hr ( in Croatian ). Retrieved 4 June 2018. Footnotes Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ 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 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying match against Italy in November 1994. Books Ramet. P, Sabrina ( 2005 ). Thinking about Yugoslavia. Cambridge University. ISBN 0 - 521 - 85151 - 3. Klemenčić, Mladen ( 2004 ). Nogometni leksikon. Miroslav Krleža lexicographic institute. ISBN 953 - 6036 - 84 - 3. Foster, Jane ( 2004 ). Footprint Croatia. Footprint Travel Guides. ISBN 1 - 903471 - 79 - 6. Bellamy. J, Alex ( 2003 ). The Formation of Croatian National Identity. Manchester University Press. ISBN 0 - 7190 - 6502 - X. Giulianotti, Richard ( 1997 ). Entering the Field : New Perspectives on World Football. Berg Publishers. ISBN 1 - 85973 - 198 - 8. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Croatia national football team. Official website ( in Croatian ) FIFA profile Official supporters ' club website ( in Croatian ) Croatia -- Players ' stats at RSSSF ( Last updated 29 March 2011 ) Croatia national football team General Croatian Football Federation Statistics Results Hat - tricks Players 20 + caps World Cup Finals Summary 2018 FIFA World Cup Final European Finals Summary Notable matches SR Croatia 5 -- 2 Indonesia ( 1956 ) Croatia 2 -- 1 United States ( 1990 ) Other teams Men 's Under - 21 Under - 20 Under - 19 Under - 17 Women 's Under - 19 Under - 17 Football in Croatia Croatian Football Federation ( HNS ) National teams Croatia U21 U20 U19 U18 U17 Women 's League system Men 's : 1. HNL 2. HNL 3. HNL 1. ŽNL Women 's : 1. HNLŽ Domestic cups Croatian Football Cup Super Cup Women 's Cup Seasons 1992 1992 -- 93 1993 -- 94 1994 -- 95 1995 -- 96 1996 -- 97 1997 -- 98 1998 -- 99 1999 -- 2000 2000 -- 01 2001 -- 02 2002 -- 03 2003 -- 04 2004 -- 05 2005 -- 06 2006 -- 07 2007 -- 08 2008 -- 09 2009 -- 10 2010 -- 11 2011 -- 12 2012 -- 13 2013 -- 14 2014 -- 15 2015 -- 16 2016 -- 17 2017 -- 18 2018 -- 19 Records List of clubs List of venues International players Men Women National football teams of Europe ( UEFA ) Active Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark England Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France Georgia Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland Israel Italy Kazakhstan Kosovo Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Northern Ireland Norway Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania Russia San Marino Scotland Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Wales Defunct Czechoslovakia East Germany Ireland ( 1882 -- 1950 ) Saarland Serbia and Montenegro Soviet Union ( CIS ) Yugoslavia Squads Croatia squad -- UEFA Euro 1996 1 Ladić 2 Jurčević 3 Jarni 4 Štimac 5 Jerkan 6 Bilić 7 Asanović 8 Prosinečki 9 Šuker 10 Boban ( c ) 11 Bokšić 12 Mrmić 13 Stanić 14 Soldo 15 Pavličić 16 Mladenović 17 Pamić 18 Brajković 19 Vlaović 20 Šimić 21 Cvitanović 22 Gabrić Coach : Blažević Croatia squad -- 1998 FIFA World Cup third place 1 Ladić 2 Krpan 3 Šerić 4 Štimac 5 Jurić 6 Bilić 7 Asanović 8 Prosinečki 9 Šuker 10 Boban ( c ) 11 Marić 12 Mrmić 13 Stanić 14 Soldo 15 Tudor 16 Kozniku 17 Jarni 18 Mamić 19 Vlaović 20 Šimić 21 Jurčić 22 Vasilj Coach : Blažević Croatia squad -- 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Pletikosa 2 Šerić 3 Šimunić 4 Tomas 5 Rapaić 6 Živković 7 Vugrinec 8 Prosinečki 9 Šuker ( c ) 10 N. Kovač 11 Bokšić 12 Butina 13 Stanić 14 Soldo 15 Šarić 16 Vranješ 17 Jarni 18 Olić 19 Vlaović 20 Šimić 21 R. Kovač 22 Balaban 23 Vasilj Coach : Jozić Croatia squad -- UEFA Euro 2004 1 Vasilj 2 Tokić 3 Šimunić 4 Tomas 5 Tudor 6 Živković ( c ) 7 Rapaić 8 Srna 9 Pršo 10 N. Kovač 11 Šokota 12 Butina 13 Šimić 14 Neretljak 15 Leko 16 Babić 17 Klasnić 18 Olić 19 Mornar 20 Roso 21 R. Kovač 22 Bjelica 23 Didulica Coach : Barić Croatia squad -- 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Pletikosa 2 Srna 3 Šimunić 4 R. Kovač 5 Tudor 6 Vranješ 7 Šimić 8 Babić 9 Pršo 10 N. Kovač ( c ) 11 Tokić 12 Didulica 13 Tomas 14 Modrić 15 I. Leko 16 J. Leko 17 Klasnić 18 Olić 19 N. Kranjčar 20 Šerić 21 Balaban 22 Bošnjak 23 Butina Coach : Z. Kranjčar Croatia squad -- UEFA Euro 2008 1 Pletikosa 2 Šimić 3 Šimunić 4 R. Kovač 5 Ćorluka 6 Vejić 7 Rakitić 8 Vukojević 9 Kalinić 10 N. Kovač ( c ) 11 Srna 12 Galinović 13 Pokrivač 14 Modrić 15 Knežević 16 Leko 17 Klasnić 18 Olić 19 Kranjčar 20 Budan 21 Petrić 22 Pranjić 23 Runje Coach : Bilić Croatia squad -- UEFA Euro 2012 1 Pletikosa 2 Strinić 3 Šimunić 4 Buljat 5 Ćorluka 6 Pranjić 7 Rakitić 8 Vukojević 9 Jelavić 10 Modrić 11 Srna ( c ) 12 Kelava 13 Schildenfeld 14 Badelj 15 Vrsaljko 16 Dujmović 17 Mandžukić 18 Kalinić 19 Kranjčar 20 Perišić 21 Vida 22 Eduardo 23 Subašić Coach : Bilić Croatia squad -- 2014 FIFA World Cup 1 Pletikosa 2 Vrsaljko 3 Pranjić 4 Perišić 5 Ćorluka 6 Lovren 7 Rakitić 8 Vukojević 9 Jelavić 10 Modrić 11 Srna ( c ) 12 Zelenika 13 Schildenfeld 14 Brozović 15 Badelj 16 Rebić 17 Mandžukić 18 Olić 19 Sammir 20 Kovačić 21 Vida 22 Eduardo 23 Subašić Coach : Kovač Croatia squad -- UEFA Euro 2016 1 Vargić 2 Vrsaljko 3 Strinić 4 Perišić 5 Ćorluka 6 Jedvaj 7 Rakitić 8 Kovačić 9 Kramarić 10 Modrić 11 Srna ( c ) 12 L. Kalinić 13 Schildenfeld 14 Brozović 15 Ćorić 16 N. Kalinić 17 Mandžukić 18 Rog 19 Badelj 20 Pjaca 21 Vida 22 Čop 23 Subašić Coach : Čačić Croatia squad -- 2018 FIFA World Cup runners - up 1 Livaković 2 Vrsaljko 3 Strinić 4 Perišić 5 Ćorluka 6 Lovren 7 Rakitić 8 Kovačić 9 Kramarić 10 Modrić ( c ) 11 Brozović 12 L. Kalinić 13 Jedvaj 14 Bradarić 15 Ćaleta - Car 16 N. Kalinić 17 Mandžukić 18 Rebić 19 Badelj 20 Pjaca 21 Vida 22 Pivarić 23 Subašić Coach : Dalić Finalists UEFA Euro 1996 finalists Champions Germany Runners - up Czech Republic Eliminated in the semi-finals England France Eliminated in the quarter - finals Croatia Netherlands Portugal Spain Eliminated in the group stage Group A Scotland Switzerland Group B Bulgaria Romania Group C Italy Russia Group D Denmark Turkey 1998 FIFA World Cup finalists Champions France Runners - up Brazil Third place Croatia Fourth place Netherlands Quarter - finals Argentina Denmark Germany Italy Round of 16 Chile England Mexico Nigeria Norway Paraguay Romania FR Yugoslavia Group stage Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cameroon Colombia Iran Jamaica Japan Morocco Saudi Arabia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Tunisia United States 2002 FIFA World Cup finalists Champions Brazil Runners - up Germany Third place Turkey Fourth place South Korea Quarter - finals England Senegal Spain United States Round of 16 Belgium Denmark Italy Japan Mexico Paraguay Republic of Ireland Sweden Group stage Argentina Cameroon China PR Costa Rica Croatia Ecuador France Nigeria Poland Portugal Russia Saudi Arabia Slovenia South Africa Tunisia Uruguay UEFA Euro 2004 finalists Champions Greece Runners - up Portugal Eliminated in the semi-finals Czech Republic Netherlands Eliminated in the quarter - finals Denmark England France Sweden Eliminated in the group stage Group A Russia Spain Group B Croatia Switzerland Group C Bulgaria Italy Group D Germany Latvia 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists Champions Italy Runners - up France Third place Germany Fourth place Portugal Quarter - finals Argentina Brazil England Ukraine Round of 16 Australia Ecuador Ghana Mexico Netherlands Spain Sweden Switzerland Group stage Angola Costa Rica Ivory Coast Croatia Czech Republic Iran Japan South Korea Paraguay Poland Saudi Arabia Serbia and Montenegro Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia United States UEFA Euro 2008 finalists Champions Spain Runners - up Germany Eliminated in the semi-finals Russia Turkey Eliminated in the quarter - finals Croatia Italy Netherlands Portugal Eliminated in the group stage Group A Czech Republic Switzerland Group B Austria Poland Group C France Romania Group D Greece Sweden UEFA Euro 2012 finalists Champions Spain Runners - up Italy Eliminated in the semi-finals Germany Portugal Eliminated in the quarter - finals Czech Republic England France Greece Eliminated in the group stage Group A Poland Russia Group B Denmark Netherlands Group C Croatia Republic of Ireland Group D Sweden Ukraine 2014 FIFA World Cup finalists Champions Germany Runners - up Argentina Third place Netherlands Fourth place Brazil Quarter - finals Belgium Colombia Costa Rica France Round of 16 Algeria Chile Greece Mexico Nigeria Switzerland United States Uruguay Group stage Australia Bosnia and Herzegovina Cameroon Croatia Ecuador England Ghana Honduras Iran Italy Ivory Coast Japan Portugal Russia South Korea Spain UEFA Euro 2016 finalists Champions Portugal Runners - up France Eliminated in the semi-finals Germany Wales Eliminated in the quarter - finals Belgium Iceland Italy Poland Eliminated in the round of 16 Croatia England Hungary Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland Slovakia Spain Switzerland Eliminated in the group stage Group A Albania Romania Group B Russia Group C Ukraine Group D Czech Republic Turkey Group E Sweden Group F Austria 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists Champions France Runners - up Croatia Third place Belgium Fourth place England Quarter - finals Brazil Russia Sweden Uruguay Round of 16 Argentina Colombia Denmark Japan Mexico Portugal Spain Switzerland Group stage Australia Costa Rica Egypt Germany Iceland Iran Morocco Nigeria Panama Peru Poland Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia South Korea Tunisia National sports teams of Croatia Australian football Baseball Basketball Beach handball Cricket Field hockey Football ( Soccer ) Futsal Minifootball Handball Ice hockey Inline hockey Rugby Union Speedway Tennis Volleyball Water polo Olympic Games Youth Paralympic Games European Games Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Croatia_national_football_team&oldid=854574405 '' Categories : European national association football teams Croatia national football team National sports teams of Croatia Hidden categories : CS1 Croatian - language sources ( hr ) CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from June 2010 Articles with dead external links from June 2016 Articles with dead external links from August 2017 Articles with permanently dead external links Good articles Use dmy dates from July 2018 Articles containing Croatian - 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Question: when did croatia finish 3rd in the world cup
Answer: 1998