The Split City Council announced the arrival of the Croatia national team at Poljud but also expects changes at the root of HNS.

It was a marathon session of the Split City Council, where the decision of whether the Croatia national team would play against Hungary at Poljud was finally revealed around 8 pm on Wednesday, reports Gol.hr on June 19, 2019. 

With 25 votes for (from 26 councilors), the council unanimously decided that Croatia would play against Hungary at Poljud.

However, changes at the root of HNS's relationship with the City of Split and Hajduk was demanded, as is an apology from HNS and a quick agreement from the Federation that all sides would get together as soon as possible.

You can read the City of Split’s statement in full below:

The Split City Council wants the Croatia national football team in our town for the official qualification match against the national team of Hungary at Poljud stadium.

The Split City Council demands from the Croatian Football Federation a rooted change in the current relationship between the leadership of the Croatian Football Federation towards the City of Split and the Croatian football club Hajduk, which is best reflected by the fact that Croatia has only played two official matches in Split in the last 20 years, one of which was played without the public.

Due to the many years of an inappropriate and unacceptable relationship with our city and club, an apology by the Croatian Football Federation is needed as an act of goodwill and a step towards recovering Croatian football and strengthening its communion.

In the interest of Croatian football, we are looking for an agreement at a meeting between the Croatian Football Federation and HNK Hajduk, in the presence of representatives of the City of Split, related to achieving a solution for the numerous deviations and the accumulation of problems that have burdened Croatian football for a long time, as well as an agreement on organizing the desired football match in our city of Split, said the Split City Council.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

The Croatia Football Federation announced on Wednesday that the Croatia national team would play the next Euro 2020 home qualifier against Hungary on October 10, 2019, at Poljud stadium in Split. The call was made after a unanimous decision by the HNS Executive Board.

Thus, after Croatia defeated Wales in Osijek and plays their next qualifiers in Slovakia and Azerbaijan in September, in October, the national team will return to Split after four years.

While this all seems fine and dandy and is precisely what Hajduk and the City of Split were hoping for in the end (give or take), one precious detail was left out - HNS failed to inform Hajduk and the City of Split of their final decision, leaving them to find out thanks to the slew of Croatian media reports on Wednesday. 

With a long tradition of tension already established between HNS and Hajduk and a relationship that blows hot and cold, you can imagine this wasn’t easy to swallow for the Split club. 

Namely, after announcements of the game in Split, Hajduk revealed on their official Facebook page that they learned of the Federation's decision thanks to the media.

"We did not receive any official information on this news, we learned about it from the media."

And then everyone started talking. 

Hajduk President Marin Brbić called this decision imprudent and assessed that it was an expression of disrespect towards Hajduk. 

“As a rule, the decision on who will host the national team should be a matter of agreement between the Federation as an organizer and Hajduk as a host (regardless of the fact that the formal host may be the City of Split as the stadium owner). For the first time, such a decision was made without any agreement with the club or, as far as it is known, the host city.

The fact is that the wider public is divided about the Federation’s relationship with Hajduk, and making a one-sided decision shows thoughtlessness, disrespect, and potent antagonism. Building an atmosphere of renewed confidence and creating preconditions for better and quality relations is in favor of all players of Croatian football, while making one-sided decisions makes it impossible and counterproductive because it discredits those people who are ready to talk and negotiate, and gives the right to those who are solely for the conflict. It is obvious that this is an assessment of the people in the Federation who think this is a good time to emphasize existing tensions.

Looking ahead, the Federation’s concrete measures that will shape the future of Croatian football will show whether this hasty one-sided decision was made under pressure from the term expiring to determine the host, or as the result of their poor assessment.

If this decision was made separately from topics that were or should only be the subject of talks and negotiations on the future of Croatian football and the fair and transparent relationship, for which Hajduk is very interested in, in that case, HNS assumes the sole responsibility for the organization of the match,” said Brbić.

The City of Split also confirmed they were not informed of this decision.

“The City of Split did not receive any official information on the decision of the Croatian Football Federation to hold the match between Croatia and Hungary at Poljud.

Since the meeting held in late April, which included the mayor, Hajduk president Marin Brbić and the president of the Supervisory Board, Benjamin Perasović, neither the mayor nor anyone in the city administration had any contact with the heads of HNS."

Split Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara also commented on the matter on Thursday, reports Dalmatinski Portal. 

“Very surprising, even though it does not surprise me when such decisions are made by Šuker and Society. I have spent my life in diplomacy and administration and other bodies, I have been in numerous talks and negotiations, and to realize common goals, it is necessary to speak frankly.

It will still be held,” he continued. 

While HNS has not officially come out to comment on the matter, Index.hr was able to reach HNS Executive Director Marijan Kustić.

"In December 2018, Hajduk said they were interested in one of two matches, Slovakia or Hungary, and we made a unanimous decision that we would like to play the game, of course, in Split,” Kustić said, adding:

"The statement signed by HNK Hajduk and President Huljaj stands and we have accordingly decided to play in Split.

The leaders of Hajduk, the City of Split and HNS met in Zagreb in late April and this was a step towards improving relations, and now everything is in Split. They will soon respond if they want the match. We spoke about the relations between Hajduk and the Croatian Football Federation and I think that we should not make any ultimatums when it comes to the Croatia national team itself,” said Kustić. Recall, Hajduk sent a list of requests to HNS back in December last year when the two sides first discussed Split hosting a Euro qualifier. 

Kustić also spoke to Sportske Novosti on Wednesday evening.

“The Executive Committee unanimously accepted the candidacy of Split and Poljud to host the match against Hungary on October 10th. So, the candidacy exists and was signed by then-President Hajduk Jasmin Huljaj on December 7 last year. On this occasion, Hajduk also competed for the match against Slovakia in November.

We received requests from Zagreb, Rijeka, Pula, and Osijek, but we chose Split. A few days ago, we were extremely well received in Split and Omiš, and the coach and players expressed the desire to welcome Hungary at Poljud, and the Executive Board accepted it.”

Has HNS already confirmed Split as a host to UEFA?

“We did not, because the next step is to talk to representatives of the City of Split and Hajduk. They were a candidate, we chose them, and now we have to arrange details about the organization of the match. I expect that we will in the next few days.”

Judging by the reaction from Poljud and the City of Split, they might refuse to host the game at all.

“I do not want to prejudge anything. After we decided on Poljud, we immediately received hundreds of ticket requests, as well as many congratulations. Everyone in the Federation wants Poljud, and the players want it as well as thousands of fans from Split and Dalmatia,” concluded Kustić.

So, what will happen next? Stay tuned.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

June 11, 2019 - The Croatia national team defeated Wales on Saturday in Osijek for their third Euro 2020 qualifier. Croatia's win against Wales brought peace to Zlatko Dalić in front of the new challenges awaiting his team in September in Slovakia and Azerbaijan.

But before the team goes their separate ways for the summer, Modrić and Co. had one last appearance in Varaždin for a friendly against Tunisia. It was a game that saw 8,000 fans and all ticket sales go to charity, and one that tested out some new football rules. It was also good preparation for Tunisia before they play in the Africa Cup of Nations later this month. 

Dalić came out with a different lineup than against Wales and made sure to give his reserves a chance against Tunisia. Namely, Dalić started with Sluga in goal, Benković, Lovren and Vida in the back, Melnjak, Kovačić, Badelj, Pašalić, and Brekalo across the midfield, and Petković and Kramarić up top. 

????

? #Croatia starting lineup! ?#BeProud #CROTUN #Vatreni pic.twitter.com/Ayre5EFlcd

— HNS (@HNS_CFF) June 11, 2019

It took a while for this Croatia side to get their bearings, and the first half as a whole was pretty shaky - Tunisia was actually the first to score in the 16th minute thanks to a goal by Badri!

While Croatia had a few chances in the first half, the game went into halftime with Tunisia in the lead. 

At the start of the second half, Dalić made his first change - namely, Lovren was substituted for Bartolec. Just one minute later, Croatia equalized thanks to Bruno Petković’s first goal for the Croatia national team. It was 1:1 in the 47th minute. 

In the 55th minute, Dalić made two more changes - Kovačić and Badelj came out for Perišić and Brozović. Minutes later, Brekalo came out for Halilović, and Kramarić came out for Caktaš. 

Croatia was unlucky in the 69th minute after the ball hit Vida’s hand in the box for a Tunisia penalty, which Sliti scored for 1:2. 

It was time for Dalić to bring in the big guns, and Luka Modrić came in for Pašalić right after Tunisia retook the lead.

Croatia attacked and had a few chances to score, though a burst of heavy rain and wind hit Varaždin, making it hard for either team to play much in the last 10 minutes. 

While Croatia put on the pressure, Tunisia was able to defend - and the weird weather helped no one. The game ended 1:2 for Tunisia.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

Remember a few months ago when we called out Liam Gallagher for liking Hajduk’s badge a bit too much in his Pretty Green spring collection? Well, this time, we have another case of imitation, but from some of the greatest football giants in the world - Barcelona and Croatia. 

Namely, the Spanish football champion launched their new 2019/20 kits for sale on Tuesday, which looks awfully similar to those of the 2018 World Cup finalists - the Croatia national team, reports Gol.hr on June 3, 2019. 

? Presenting the 2019/2020 kit
?? All the details
➡ https://t.co/KhCpRra4Pc
? On sale from Tuesday, June 4!

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 3, 2019

For the new shirts Messi & Co. will be wearing from July, Barcelona will stray away from its 120-year-history of the traditional blue and red stripes for the first time. And it might have something to do with the Croatia Football Federation and Barcelona boasting the same American sports equipment manufacturer as their sponsor - Nike.

The club claims that the new jersey design pattern was not inspired by Croatia, who won the silver medal at the World Cup in Russia a year ago and whose checks have been recognized since 1990 and the independence of the country.

View this post on Instagram

??? Nice try @FCBarcelona, but you can't beat red-and-white checkers - and we are convinced that @ivanrakitic will surely enjoy the new kit! ?⚪️ #Croatia ??

A post shared by Hrvatski nogometni savez (@hns_cff) on Jun 3, 2019 at 11:22am PDT

"The new design is inspired by the city of Barcelona, or the characteristic blocks of the Eixample district, which is home to some of the most recognizable buildings designed by the great architect, Antoni Gaudi," said Barcelona in a press release on Monday.

Eixample is the center of Barcelona, built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, consisting of a group of buildings merged into squares. The area also features the famous church Sagrada Familia.

Since its founding in 1899, Barcelona has donned stripes on its shirts and ended this season with this traditional design. 

"The Barcelona jersey for the 2019/2020 season will replace the traditional blue and red stripes for the first time in its history," the club said in Catalonia, confirming earlier speculation about this drastic change.

"This new home jersey will be released in public on June 4 (Tuesday) in all Barcelona stores and customary sales outlets around the world," the press release said.

Croatian football player Ivan Rakitić, who is contracted with Barcelona until the summer of 2021, should play in the new jerseys this summer. The front of the shirt will continue to feature the name of the Japanese sponsor in white.

Barcelona will travel to Japan with their new kits in July where they will play a tournament against Premier League club Chelsea and Japanese club Vissel Kobe, where former Barcelona players Andres Iniesta and David Villa play. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

The Croatia national team gathered in Split on Wednesday before heading to Omiš where they will play a friendly match against NK Omiš for their 100th birthday. 

The Croatia national team conducted an open training session in Omiš as preparation before their next Euro 2020 qualifier against Wales, which will be played on June 8 in Osijek, reports Gol.hr on May 30, 2019. 

Ivica Čavka

Hundreds of fans welcomed the ’Vatreni’ at the open training held on Thursday afternoon, though it was cut short due to rain and wind. The atmosphere, however, was positive as mostly parents with children gathered at the City Stadium Anđelko Marušić - Ferata. The World Cup finalists were warmly welcomed and the atmosphere remained excellent throughout the training. The biggest applause was given to hometown hero Ivan Perišić, who made his first steps in football on the Omiš pitch. The Croatia footballers distributed balls, gave autographs, and took advantage of the opportunity to take photos with their faithful fans. 

Ivica Čavka

The Omiš stadium was enforced with strong security measures to ensure no incident would occur. Recall, the national team hasn’t played in Dalmatia since 2015.

On Friday, a friendly match will be held between Croatia and NK Omiš, who is celebrating its 100th birthday. All tickets are sold out and an extra full stadium is expected. Following the game, the team travels to Opatija, where they will continue to prepare for the match against Wales.

Zlatko Dalić is faced with the absence of a few critical standard players, namely Ivan Rakitić and Ante Rebić, who will not be available for the game against Wales. Filip Bradarić currently has a virus, but will return to the team soon. Following the Euro qualifier in Osijek, Croatia will head to Varaždin where they will play a friendly match against Tunisia.

You can see more photos of the training here. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

April 25, 2019 - The Croatia national team will celebrate the 100th birthday of the Omiš Football Club with a friendly match on May 31 in Omiš, announced HNS. 

Namely, the football club of Omiš (NK Omiš) and the town of Omiš proposed to the Croatian Football Federation that they'd like to host the Croatia national team and 2018 World Cup finalists at the end of May in the program of marking the centenary of the club's foundation. The Croatia Football Federation’s leadership and the Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić accepted the proposal and agreed that the team would play a festive match against NK Omiš on May 31.

The World Cup finalists are looking forward to an imperative qualifier for Euro 2020 against Wales (June 8 in Osijek) and a friendly match against Tunisia (June 11 in Varaždin).

The national team will gather on May 29 in Split where they will be until the match against Omiš, after which they will prepare for Wales in Opatija before leaving for Osijek on June 7.

"We are looking forward to the meeting in Omiš, and we are delighted to be able to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the club that has given Croatia a few representatives, including the World Cup finalist Ivan Perišić. The match will fit into our preparation for Wales because we want to get together a little earlier so that the players do not have too much of a break after they finish their championships,” Zlatko Dalić said.

Recall, in Croatia's Euro 2020 qualifiers thus far, they have defeated Azerbaijan in Zagreb (2:1) and lost to Hungary in Budapest (1:2). After Croatia faces Wales in June, they will play Slovakia and Azerbaijan in September, Hungary and Wales in October, and Slovakia again in November for the remainder of their Euro 2020 qualifications. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

June 12, 2015 - the date that marks the last time the Croatia national football team touched the pitch at Poljud. The infamous swastika spotted during Croatia’s Euro 2016 qualifying match against Italy then shocked the world, and the thought of the Dalmatian capital hosting the national team no longer crossed the minds of the Croatian Football Federation. 

However, as nearly four years have passed, discussions about Split hosting the national team are back on the table, which is not terribly surprising, considering Maksimir stadium is in shambles, and Croatia’s other stadiums in Osijek and Rijeka are too small for the crucial Euro 2020 qualifying games. Modrić & Co., the 2018 World Cup finalists, could return to Split this autumn, which has been confirmed by the top of HNS, reports Gol.hr on April 4, 2019. 

The Split audience could welcome the Croatia national team at Poljud at the end of the year, at least as far as newcomer HNS executive director Marijan Kustić is concerned. 

"I said that it would be nice if we got revenge on Hungary in Split," Kustić said to Dnevnik Nova TV. The Euro qualifying match against Hungary is scheduled on October 10th.

Hajduk was asked to comment on Kustić's latest announcements, though they expressed that they have nothing new to say about this topic. The Split club pointed out that their candidacy to host the matches against Hungary and Slovakia was sent to HNS in December, but they have yet to receive an official response.

Kustić replied. 

"Well, I know that first and foremost some conditions need to be met before the game itself is organized, so, first of all, I think we have to sit down at the table. I deeply hope that it will come soon, that we will sit with the representatives of the City of Split and, of course, the leaders of Hajduk."

Recall, along with their submission to HNS, Hajduk sent a request for a meeting in Split with his where the club will present their proposals to improve the work of the Federation. They also included eight conditions for Hajduk's more active engagement in other HNS-related activities. You can read more here. 

"There is a sincere desire from the Croatian Football Federation, and I am sure that people in Dalmatia, of course, want the team in Split."

But what do the people of Split think?

"No!"

Why not?

"I have no idea, in short: I do not follow the team."

Another Split citizen thinks differently:

"Let them play; why not? It is the national team, where else would they play but Split?"

The President of the Split-Dalmatia County Football Federation even had his say on the issue.

"There is an intent by HNS, which you can see from Mr. Kustić's statement, and I think that Hajduk has nothing against the conversation. So, the first step is to sit down and talk," concluded Marko Erceg, NS president of Split-Dalmatia County.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

On this day 25 years ago, Ćiro Blažević first sat on the bench of the Croatia national football team and achieved a victory in Valencia, which resonated throughout the world. Croatia, then the 125th best team in the world, defeated Spain 2:0. The national team of Spain, at that time, held the seventh place on the FIFA ranking, reports Index.hr on March 23, 2019. 

Around 40,000 Spanish fans gathered at the nearby Mestalla stadium and expected a victory of their team against Croatia, who was just entering international football and was labeled as a complete unknown to the wider football public. Even more impressive was that Spain had a series of 20 consecutive victories.

The match in Valencia started perfectly for Croatia. Prosinečki pushed the ball from the center to the opponent's box and found the lone Šuker on the left, who struck from a poor first touch. Luckily, the ball came back to Prosinečki on the other side, who shot from 16 meters out and past the Spanish goalkeeper Zubizarreta for 1:0.

In the 51st minute, Croatia increased its lead. Mornar soared down the right side and crossed the ball in the middle where he found the head of Šuker who struck from seven meters. It should also be noted that Dražen Ladić defended the penalty of Aitor "Txiki" Begiristain Mujika, today's director of Manchester City, two minutes later. Pep Guardiola, the current manager of Manchester City, also played in this game.

In just one month, Croatia jumped 22 places on the FIFA ranking, and in April 1994, shared the 103rd place in the world.

This is how the Croatia national team looked against Spain 25 years ago:

Dražen Ladić, Nikola Jerkan, Igor Štimac, Slaven Bilić, Janko Janković, Robert Prosinečki, Stipe Andrijašević, Aljoša Asanović, Robert Jarni, Alen Bokšić, Davor Šuker, Dubravko Pavličić, Ivica Mornar, Ante Miše, Goran Vlaović. Because of an injury, the legendary captain Zvonimir Boban could not play.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

March 20, 2019 - The historic national team kit of Croatia is making a buzz in the football world yet again.

Mario Mandžukić, the legendary Juventus attacker and former Croatia national team representative, gave his thoughts on the topic hovering over Croatia since the bronze in 1998, and especially since the World Cup in Russia.