Croatia Soccer Team

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Croatia Soccer Team-General Information

Country - Croatia
Capital City - Zagreb
Continent - Europe
Manager - Zlatko Kranjcar

Croatia Soccer Team History
Founded 1912
Affiliated 1992

WC participations 2 (1998, 2002)
WC honours 3rd place (1998)
Continental Titles None
First International: Croatia 2 - 1 U.S.A.(Zagreb, Croatia; 17 October 1990)
Largest win: Croatia 7 - 0 Australia (Zagreb, Croatia; 6 June 1998)
Worst defeat: Slovakia 4 - 1 Croatia (Bratislava, Slovakia; 20 April 1994)
Portugal 3 - 0 Croatia (Nottingham, England; 19 June 1996)
France 3 - 0 Croatia (Saint-Denis, France; 13 November 1999)
European Championships
Appearances: 2 (First in 1996) Best result Quarterfinals, 1996

World Cup Record:
Year Host Performance
1930 Uruguay Semi finals
1934 Italy -
1938 France -
1950 Brazil Second, Pool One
1954 Switzerland -
1958 Sweden Quarter finals
1962 Chile Fourth place
1966 England -
1970 Mexico -
1974 West Germany Second Group phase
1978 Argentina -
1982 Spain -
1986 Mexico -
1990 Italy Quarter finals
1994 U.S.A. -
1998 France Third place
2002 S.Korea/Japan
Third, Group G -
2006 Germany in Group F with Brazil, Australia, Japan
CROATIA Football Team for 2006 FIFA World Cup

Manager:
Henri Michel

Goalkeepers: Tomislav Butina, Joey Didulica, Stipe Pletikosa, Vladimir Vasilj.

Defenders:
Robert Kovac, Igor Tudor, Josip Simunic, Stjepan Tomas, Mario Tokic, Dario Simic.

Midfielders:
Jerko Leko, Darijo Srna, Jurica Vranjes, Niko Kovac, Marko Babic, Niko Kranjcar, Ivan Leko, Luka Modric, Anthony Seric.

Forwards:
Dado Prso, Ivan Klasnic, Bosko Balaban, Ivica Olic, Ivan Bosnjak.

Croatia Statistics Record in World Cup Finals (as Yugoslavia 1930 1990) and then as Croatia has reached their third successive Football World Cup Finals. Now in Group F with Brazil, Australia, Japan

Jersey No. Name of the Player
1 Jean Jacques Tizie
2 Etienne Arthur Boka
3 Kanga Gauthier Akale
4 Kolo Toure
5 Didier Zokora
6 Blaise Kouassi
7 Emerse Fae
8 Bonaventure Kalou
9 Arouna Kone
10 Gilles Yapi Yapo
11 Didier Drogba
12 Abdoulaye Meite
13 Marc Zoro
14 Bakary Kone
15 Aruna Dindane
16 Gerard Gnanhouan
17 Cyrille Domoraud
18 Abdul Kader Keita
19 Gnegneri Yaya Toure
20 Guy Roland Demel
21 Emmanuel Eboue
22 Ndri Koffi Romaric
23 Boubacar Copa Barry

Although Croatia Soccer Team is not among the favourites of the FIFA Cup this season, the reason for the team to celebrate is that it is amongst the elite football playing teams. Croatia is playing in Group F along with Brazil, Australia and Japan.

Croatia Soccer Team reached their third successive FIFA World Cup finals for the third time. Coach Zlatco Kranjcar helped the Croatian team qualify in style. They finished top in the European qualifying Group 8. The Croatian team had seven wins in ten matches in their kitty. The most remarkable victory was over Sweden.

Croatia lost a two-goal lead in the home-draw with Bulgaria. Then Croatia had four consecutive victories in its kitty between March and June 2005. But soon they had to face a 1-1 draw in Malta.

After Croatia gained independence in 1991 from former Yugoslavia, it joined FIFA the following year. After Croatia was admitted to international competitions organized by UEFA and FIFA, Croatia have qualified for five out of six major tournaments. Croatia Map

Croatia enjoys a good qualifying record. The Croats have never been beaten in a competitive game at home.

Croatia was in Group 8, a competitive one. The Croatia Soccer Team emerged as the best in that group amongst Sweden, Hungary, Bulgaria, Iceland and Malta. Croatia had two 1-0 wins over Sweden in its kitty. The best Croatian side is said to be the one of the nineties, when Davor Suker, Zyonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki and Robert Jani were the key players. With them the team earned a third place at the 1998 World Cup. This season the players to watch out are midfielder Luka Modric and frontman Dado Prso.

In the France World Cup, Croatia reached the semi-finals, which included a 3-0 quarterfinal victory over Germany. But the side lost to France in the semi-finals. The team was named FIFA's "Best Mover of the Year" in 1994 and 1998.

Croatia will be facing Brazil in Berlin and they'll have to put a brave fight.