December the 19th, 2022 - Following an absolutely incredible performance at 2022's World Cup over in Qatar, the Croatian national team arrived home this evening to a packed Ban Jelacic Square and a welcome home celebration reminiscent of scenes from 2018 - which they thoroughly deserved. With football fever now over for another four years, just how much will HNS get from FIFA, and how much will Croatia's players earn from the government?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian national team (or the Vatreni, if you prefer) played an absolutely fantastic game of which we can all be very proud, they defeated Morocco 2:1 and pocketed the bronze medal. Thanks to them having showcased Croatia's enormous sporting spirit, they will all also receive handsome amounts of money, but how much does it all amount to, precisely?

HNS will receive a cheque for 30 million dollars (Morocco will receive one worth 25 million dollars) from FIFA for coming third place, and this sum will later be divided between the federation itself and the Croatian national team in a ratio of 60-40 or 55-45 percent. It will be carried out in whichever manner the two parties agree.

Of the amount that will go to those who deserved it the most, 80 percent will be paid directly into the Croatian national team players' personal bank accounts, and 20 percent to the members of the team's dedicated coaching staff.

That's not all, because all members of the Croatian national team will all also receive 120,000 kuna each from the government, as this is according to the regulation for awards to athletes in Olympic sports for medals won at world championships held every four years, i.e the World Cup, as published by tportal.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

December the 18th, 2022 - The Croatian team welcome party in the very heart of Zagreb (Ban Jelacic square) is set to take place this afternoon when the team lands back home from an incredible performance in 2022's World Cup in Qatar. Here's what you need to know.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, after returning from Qatar, the members of the Croatian national football team will land at Zagreb's Franjo Tudjman International Airport shortly after 17:00, after which they will head to Ban Jelacic square along the same route they took four years ago when they returned from Russia as runners-up in the 2018 World Cup.

The Ministry of the Interior (MUP), in cooperation with HNS, has published numerous tips on its official website, in addition to maps with the route that the vehicles carrying the members of the national team and professional staff will take as they make their way towards the very heart of the city.

You can see official and detailed photos of the route from the airport to Ban Jelacic square by clicking here.

From the airport, the buses will run along Ulica Rudolfa Fizira, turn onto Zagrebacka Ulica towards Buzin and then head along SR Njemacka Ulica onto Avenija Dubrovnik. Then, they'll travel along Ulica Hrvatske bratske zajednice until they reach Vukovarska Ulica, from which they will turn onto Savska, extend to Frankopanska and then onto Ilica, and end their journey at the main stage, which this time will be located on the west side of Ban Jelacic square, more precisely in front of the Zagrebacka banka branch office located there.

For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated Croatian news section.

February 19, 2022 - There is no doubt that the World Cup in Qatar from November 21 to December 18 is the most anticipated sporting event in 2022, but did you know that September will be the busiest for Croatian athletes? A look at Croatian sports in September 2022. 

The craziest period of 2022 when it comes to sports will be the month of September, in which an incredible number of events await us, both at the club and national team level, reports Gol.hr. 

European Water Polo Championships in Split
The European Water Polo Championship will be played in Split this summer at the Spaladium Arena from August 27 to September 10.

Under the leadership of coach Ivica Tucak, the Barracudas will be chasing a medal, with the ubiquitous hope that after 12 years, they could go all the way and be crowned European champions.

EuroBasket in four countries
Another Croatia national team will compete at the continental basketball festival this September. Namely, EuroBasket starts on the first day of September and lasts until the 18th and will be played in four countries: the Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, and Germany.

Croatia's basketball players will, perhaps for the last time at a major competition, be led by Bojan Bogdanović.

Vatreni, Croatian First League (HNL), Champions League, Europa League
Football is an extraordinary story in the September calendar this year. The new season of the First HNL will be in full swing, and in the first two weeks of September, two rounds of the Champions League group stage, the Europa League and the Conference League, will be played.

The Croatia national football team will be in action in the second half of September, awaiting the Nations League's fifth and sixth rounds. Croatia will welcome Denmark on September 22 and visit Austria three days later. 

Tennis will come to the fore between the club and national football activities. The Davis Cup group stage, which will bring together sixteen teams divided into four groups, the first two of which will qualify for the knockout phase, has been moved to September, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced on Thursday.

From now on, the two phases - group and knockout, will be separated. The first is scheduled for September 14-18, and the second (quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals) from November 23 to 27, the ITF said.

This will be a crazy and exciting 30 days for Croatian sports fans! 

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

May 11, 2021 – The Borna Sosa story has stirred quite a bit of commotion with his announcement of switching national teams from Croatia to Germany. The story got a new twist that might complicate things even more.

Even though the football season is almost over the news of the day in Croatia is one about Borna Sosa. This talented 23 years old left-back player is exactly what the national team needs now. His outstanding performances both in his club and Croatia U21 national team made him a young player to watch. But it wasn’t just Croatian officials that were watching him.

German Football Federation was quick to approach the player. They managed to sway him to come to play for the German national team. Borna’s mother was born in Germany and he now has the legal right to claim German citizenship. The decision was a shocking one for the Croatian football public and especially painful given the specific talents and the position Borna Sosa excels at. We have already reported on the details of this story as well as on the interview in which he explained his decision. The case seemed pretty much closed. However, the latest news out of Germany puts another shocking spin on the entire story.

The Final Twist?

In order to have Sosa playing for the German national football team after already playing for the Croatia U21 team, he needs permission from FIFA, football’s global governing body. As index.hr reports, there is a new clause added in FIFA rulebook since September 2020 that states a player switching national teams needed to already have had citizenship of the nation he is switching to before he played for the national team he is switching from. In other words, Borna Sosa needed to already have had dual Croatian and German citizenship at the time when he played for the Croatia youth team. Borna Sosa applied for German citizenship this year, so this is not the case. Because of this, FIFA will most probably decline the German request.

This is quite a shock, not just because of the fact Sosa might not be allowed to play for Germany. It is very unusual for a serious football association to make a mistake like that, not checking basic rules and regulations. If FIFA decides to disallow this change in national teams, this will be quite an embarrassing episode for German officials. Going public with announcements of Sosa’s possible place in the national team might backfire spectacularly.

At the end of the story, Croatia might end up with the left-back player the fans were dreaming of. The question is, will there be bad feelings after the Germany saga.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

Friday 11 September 2020 - “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” as Liverpool FC take Croatian National Football Shirt design for the next Premier League

You might have thought that the UK Premier League champions were all but finished with Croatian football. This summer they let go Dejan Lovren from their ranks, shipping the Croat off to FC Zenit Saint Petersburg for a price widely thought to be €12 million. However, your thoughts may well have been wrong.

Recent images reveal that their ties with Croatia are not so nearly over, as Liverpool FC take Croatian National Football Shirt design for the next season.

Could it be an acknowledging nod of respect? Could they be trying to steal some luck in order to keep the most-cherished title in English football? Could it be a coincidence?

The latter is less likely when you consider that the sponsor for each shirt is one and the same - Nike. Whatever the reason, Croatian football fans – and, indeed, some Liverpool FC fans – were quick to spot the similarity. Comments were soon made by both on Liverpool FC's social media.

“We might as well have played with a Croatian away kit.” wrote one Liverpool fan, early in the comments. At the time of writing, his observation was 'liked' by almost 200 Liverpool FC supporters. Football fans from all over the world are familiar with the Croatian away shirt, having seen it repeatedly at the last World Cup.

“So we've got the same goalkeepers top as England and now we've also got Croatia's away shirt.” wrote another fan. Others also made a link between the departed Lovren and the fact that Nike sponsors and manufactures the shirts for both teams teams.

Further new acquisitions for Liverpool FC this summer include Greek left back Konstantinos Tsimikas, bought for a similar price for which they allowed Lovren to go. The team also has no less than seven young players arriving back at the club, following loan spells which were considered key to their development. Liverpool Under 23 players Curtis Jones is also expected to take the leap into the first team in the approaching season. Will this be enough to fend off the super-spending Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United for yet another year?

At least one Croatian fan spotted the similarity too. Dino, who commented on Liverpool FC's Facebook post, was not in the mood for poetry or jokes.

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It is a busy day for Croatian football.

Thunderstorms and abundant rain could make a significant impact on Osijek’s pitch over the next few weeks. The talk of moving to plan B, Rujevica, is becoming more serious.

In other Croatian football news...

I am sorry, Dinamo fans, but I think it’s time for a new Maksimir Stadium. 

The show must go on!