# Croatia national under-20 football team

The Croatia national under-20 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players aged 20 or under. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Croatia. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colours reference two national symbols: the Croatian checkerboard and the country's tricolour. They are colloquially referred to as the Mladi vatreni ('Young Blazers'). So far, the Mladi vatreni qualified for three FIFA U-20 World Cups, namely in 1999, 2011 and 2013. The team's greatest accomplishment is passing the group stage at the 1999 and 2013 tournaments.
The U20 team is the de facto U19 of the previous year, and it acts mainly as a feeder team for the U21s and provides further international development for youth players. The team qualifies for the FIFA U-20 World Cup based on the success of the U19 at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

## History

The U20 national team was formed in 1994. The first match was played against the team of Austrian region Styria, and the first match against FIFA member was against Italy on 8 February 1995.
Croatia managed to qualify for 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup. That was the second appearance from the Croatian football team in the FIFA competition, after A team appeared on FIFA World Cup in France in 1998. They passed the group, then lost to Brazil by 4–0 in Round of 16.
On 24 July 2010, after trashing Portugal 5–0 in 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship group game, Croatia qualified for the semi-final. Also, it secured a spot in 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.
Another good performance by the U19 team at 2012 championship saw Croatia qualifying for the World Cup, this time held in Turkey in 2013.

## Recent results

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

### 2023
## Coaching staff

| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Ognjen Vukojević |
| Assistant coaches | Mato Neretljak Mario Carević |
| Goalkeeping coach | Marjan Mrmić |
| Fitness coach | Ivan Krakan |
| Physiotherapists | Ivan Halambek |
| Doctors | Goran Madžarac |
| Chief instructor | Petar Krpan |
| Team manager | Denis Lukša |

## Current squad

The following is the squad named for friendly matches against China played on 1 and 3 June 2023.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1GK | Franko Kolić | (2003-02-07) 7 February 2003 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | Posušje |
| 1GK | Mislav Zadro | (2003-04-22) 22 April 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Aris Limassol |
| 1GK | Filip Kovačević | (2002-03-22) 22 March 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | Cibalia |
| 2DF | Mateo Lisica | (2003-07-09) 9 July 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Istra 1961 |
| 2DF | Moris Valinčić | (2002-11-17) 17 November 2002 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | Istra 1961 |
| 2DF | Vicko Ševelj | (2000-09-19) 19 September 2000 (age 24) | 5 | 1 | Radomlje |
| 2DF | Roko Jureškin | (2000-09-29) 29 September 2000 (age 24) | 5 | 0 | Pisa |
| 2DF | Krešimir Krizmanić | (2000-07-03) 3 July 2000 (age 24) | 2 | 0 | Gorica |
| 2DF | Maro Katinić | (2004-04-13) 13 April 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Bravo |
| 2DF | Ivan Smolčić | (2000-08-17) 17 August 2000 (age 24) | 2 | 0 | Rijeka |
| 2DF | Niko Galešić | (2001-03-26) 26 March 2001 (age 23) | 6 | 0 | Rijeka |
| 2DF | Luka Jelenić | (2000-05-24) 24 May 2000 (age 24) | 1 | 0 | Varaždin |
| 2DF | Nikola Soldo | (2001-01-25) 25 January 2001 (age 24) | 2 | 0 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern |
| 3MF | Ante Palaversa | (2000-04-06) 6 April 2000 (age 24) | 4 | 0 | Troyes |
| 3MF | Ivan Ćubelić | (2003-06-02) 2 June 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Hajduk Split |
| 3MF | Luka Stojković | (2003-10-28) 28 October 2003 (age 21) | 4 | 1 | Dinamo Zagreb |
| 3MF | Adrian Liber | (2001-01-09) 9 January 2001 (age 24) | 4 | 0 | Rijeka |
| 3MF | Leon Belcar | (2002-01-04) 4 January 2002 (age 23) | 6 | 0 | Varaždin |
| 3MF | Niko Janković | (2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 23) | 1 | 0 | Rijeka |
| 4FW | Silvio Goričan | (2000-02-27) 27 February 2000 (age 25) | 3 | 0 | Lokomotiva Zagreb |
| 4FW | Ante Crnac | (2003-12-17) 17 December 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 0 | Raków Częstochowa |
| 4FW | Karlo Špeljak | (2003-03-14) 14 March 2003 (age 21) | 5 | 0 | Celje |
| 4FW | Bartol Barišić | (2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 (age 22) | 5 | 0 | DAC Dunajská Streda |
| 4FW | Michele Šego | (2000-08-05) 5 August 2000 (age 24) | 8 | 1 | Varaždin |
| 4FW | Denis Bušnja | (2000-04-14) 14 April 2000 (age 24) | 4 | 2 | Rijeka |

## Competitive record

Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Tournament played fully or partially on home soil
Croatian under-20 team played most of its matches competing in a regional cup called Mirop Cup, also known as Cup Alpe-Adria, with groups of Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and teams of some Austrian and Hungarian regions. Croatia won that cup three times in a row, in 1994, 1995 and 1996, and ever after.

### FIFA U-20 World Cup record

| FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | FIFA U-20 World Cup record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record |
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record |
| 1977 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1979 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1981 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1983 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1985 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1987 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1989 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1991 | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | | | | | |
| 1993 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | | | | | | | |
| 1995 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 1994 |
| 1997 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 1996 |
| 1999 | Round of 16 | 14/24 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1999 | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 1998 |
| 2001 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2000 |
| 2003 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2002 |
| 2005 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2004 |
| 2007 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2006 |
| 2009 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2008 |
| 2011 | Group stage | 23/24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2011 | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2010 |
| 2013 | Round of 16 | 11/24 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2013 | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2012 |
| 2015 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2014 |
| 2017 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2016 |
| 2019 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2018 |
| 2023 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2022 |
| 2025 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | UEFA European Under-19 Championship | 2024 |
| Total | Round of 16 | 3/24 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 18 | | | | | | | | |
Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 3 July 2013 after the match against Chile.
Matches :
| First match | Ghana 1–1 Croatia (Kaduna, Nigeria; 4 April 1999) |
| Biggest win | Croatia 5–1 Kazakhstan (Kaduna, Nigeria; 7 April 1999) |
| Biggest defeat | Brazil 4–0 Croatia (Calabar, Nigeria; 14 April 1999) |