May 27, 2023 - Budapest: The Croatian U-17 national team played 1:1 with the Netherlands in the last match of Group D of the U-17 European Championship, which is taking place in Hungary.

Photo: Slobodan Kadić

Robert Jarni's team finished the competition in third place, behind England and Switzerland, and missed the quarterfinals. Before the draw with the Dutch, the young Croatian national team lost to England (0:1) and Switzerland (1:2).

Photo: Slobodan Kadić

"Like in the first two games, we had more chances. We knew how the Netherlands played, and we had great counterattacks, but unfortunately, we weren't as precise as the others. We had to rotate, but everything went very well. These guys must be seen, attitude, and thinking; I hope everyone will find their way.

Photo: Slobodan Kadić

Now a new generation follows, which also has a lot of potential, but time will tell. After that, it is up to the boys to work; without desire and will to work, there is nothing - Jarni concluded.

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

December the 13th, 2022 - The Croatian chain Konzum has put having a sporting spirit before an extra hour of doing business by shortening their working hours today. They have warned people to come and buy what they need before time.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, given that the remarkable Croatian national football team has entered the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar and that fan euphoria is at its peak at this moment in time, the large Croatian chain Konzum has decided that today (Tuesday, December the 13th), their stores will remain open only until 20:00.

There are several exceptions to this, with some stores located within larger shopping centres remaining open and in operatation according to their regular working hours (until 21:00)

Customers are as such invited to come and make their purchases on time, as even the people who aren't remotely interested in football and hoping to do their shopping during the match will need to come earlier in most cases.

For more, check out our news section.

November the 30th, 2022 - Canada's goalkeeper Milan Borjan caused an intense reaction during the Canada-Croatia match (during which Croatia really f*cked Canada, by the way, Mr. Herdman) with his comments about Croatia and ''Krajina''. Croatian fans launched a wave of anger (and literal physical items) at Borjan, who otherwise plays for Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) Belgrade.

Croatian football fans aren't the only people Borjan has managed to upset with his statement about being ''born in Krajina, not in Croatia'', and his own grandmother, Stefica Borjan (83) has come out and said in no uncertain terms ''Jebala ga Krajina'' which you'll no doubt be able to quite easily translate and save me the job.

As Mirovina writes, Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan isn't the most popular person in Croatia at this moment in time, he's apparently even less popular with his own grandmother, 83-year-old Stefica Borjan, who came out and commented on the extremely controversial statement he made about his birthplace and his performance at the World Cup as the Canadian goalkeeper in the recent match against Croatia.

After the convincing victory of the incredible Croatian national team over Canada (4-1), apart from Croatia's talented goal scorers themselves, the hottest topic was Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan. During the match, Croatian fans threw all kinds of things at him from the stands, and he responded by raising three of his fingers at them. Look up the historical meaning of that and just why it's so insulting to do to a Croat.

Although he pointed out after the match that the Croatian players behaved like ''gentlemen'', the public will definitely not forget his statement from a few years ago. Journalists once asked him how he would describe himself, as a Serb born in Croatia who plays for Canada.

''Big mistake. I wasn't born in Croatia. I was born in Krajina, Dalmatia, it was a Serbian place. When I describe myself, I say I'm from Serbia, should I say Dalmatia, but I feel like a Canadian,'' was his answer. We're not sure Borjan's strong point is geography, but that's another matter for another time.

Stefica Borjan is far from thrilled with his performance and she's made zero effort to hide it

After the match, fans somehow got hold of Borjan's mobile phone number and sent him around 2,500 rather, erm... inappropriate messages. During that time, the Dnevnik Nova TV team visited the village close to Drnis in inland Dalmatia where his grandmother, Stefica Borjan, lives.

''Listen, I'm a little angry about all this. He should have done a little better,'' she said.

She didn't seem to be very enthusiastic about the fact that her grandson conceded four goals against the Croatian team. Let's remember that Kramaric scored twice, as did Livaja and Majer.

''Well, it is what it is, what am I going to do with him? Is it my fault?'' Stefica threw up her hands and asked.

"Nobody hates anyone"

She also commented on his controversial statements about being born in Krajina. Borjan could also quite easily take his grandmother's message as an insult.

''He didn't say anything in particular. He only said that he was born in Knin and that he loves, as he says, Krajina. F*ck his Krajina. I was immediately angry about that, that he'd mention Krajina, and his grandmother is Croatian, his father is half Serbian and half Croatian,'' said 83-year-old Stefica Borjan for Nova TV.

Despite the wave of fury that her grandson caused with his odd statements, she claims that there is no hatred in the Borjan family to speak of, for anyone.

''Oh no, no. Nobody hates anyone, nobody despises anyone,'' concluded the grandmother of the Canadian goalkeeper of Serbian origin who was born in Croatia. Not in Krajina.

For more, follow our politics and sport sections.

February 15th, 2022 - The football club from Rijeka launched a crypto token and raised close to half a million kuna in six days of presale

Orijent recently launched a fan token ($ORI) and offered it for purchase in a week-long presale, reports Novi list.

The club that competes in the Second HNL joins Dinamo and HNS as the pioneers of cryptocurrency in Croatian football.

A fan token is a form of cryptocurrency used to reward fans by giving them benefits like voting on club decisions, interacting with the club and players, and a chance to win exclusive rewards.

The club published the following statement on their site:

‘We are proud to inform you that the presale of the $ORI Token has been successfully completed seven days after its announcement!

Namely, on the sixth day of the presale, the SoftCap of 100 BNB was reached - a predefined amount that guarantees the safe entry of the Orijent token on the cryptocurrency market.

Not only that, but here’s the total sold in 7 days of the presale:

172.82 BNB (which equals HRK 487.382,56 at the time of writing)
648.075 $ORI Tokens found their owners

We’re the only football club in Croatia alongside the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and Dinamo to have successfully launched their token in the world of cryptocurrency.

The successful completion of this project is yet another proof that the ‘red and black’ club from Krimeja has a community of loyal fans and supporters, true sponsors and partners, who got [the club] to the top - in terms of football, organisation, infrastructure, and now in the segment of digitalization as well.

It takes 48 hours from the end of the presale for the cryptocurrency to become available on the stock exchange, i.e. for its trading to begin.

What we already know is that Orijent 1919 will offer its fans numerous interactions, prize contests, voting options, opportunities to win tokens, and so many other future things which we already look forward to.

As we’ve promised, together we enter the world of cryptocurrency, and together we create the future of Orijent.

We’re also looking forward to the Orijent mobile app which will fully come to life in the coming days, and keep the club close to loyal fans and all other users.

By downloading the application, the user enters a carefully designed ‘red and white’ world in which, apart from season passes and other tickets, they’ll be able to buy all products from the fan shop, enjoy special benefits such as discounts from our partner companies, track changes in the second league in real time, and much more.

The FAN Token will be available for purchase in the app from April 1st, 2022.

Users will be able to use the purchased tokens within the app, spend them on various things, but also win some ORI through individual prize contests.

We again wish to say a huge thank you to everyone who recognised this project of Orijent and together with us made another big step forward’, reads the announcement.

More information about the ORI fan token can be found here: Fan Tokens HNK Orijent 1919

Cryptocurrency trading can lead to large and immediate financial losses. Transactions in cryptocurrency may be irreversible, and, accordingly, losses due to fraudulent or accidental transactions may not be recoverable. The nature of cryptocurrency may lead to an increased risk of fraud or cyber attack.

ZAGREB, 19 May, 2021 - Bosnian police arrested Croatian football manager Zoran Mamić in the southern town of Međugorje on Wednesday morning based on a warrant issued by Croatia.

Mamić will be handed over to the State Court which will decide on Croatia's request for his extradition.

Mamić has confirmed earlier that he holds dual Croatian and Bosnian citizenship and wants to serve the prison sentence imposed on him by a Croatian court in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Bosnian State Court is expected to reject the extradition request on the ground that Mamić holds Bosnian citizenship.

Mamić has been sentenced in Croatia to four years and eight months in prison for siphoning funds from the Dinamo Zagreb football club.

The Zagreb County Court issued a warrant for his arrest on 12 May after he failed to report for serving his sentence.

For more news about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

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January 10, 2021 – Still only 15-years-old, Pula's Rocco Zikovic is following in the footsteps of football megastars Sadio Mané and Erling Haaland with his record teenage transfer to Red Bull Salzburg

Although inside the country Croatians enjoy a wide variety of sports, to outsiders there is only one sport for which Croatia has become known around the world. Football.

The glittering international careers of Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić, Ivan Perišić, Mario Mandžukić and others have in recent years advertised Croatia as a factory of top-flight footballing talent. Their combined efforts in reaching the final of the most recent World Cup sent that reputation into the stratosphere.

Croatian footballing talent has become so well known that the scouting of Croatia's young players is beginning earlier and earlier. However, Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg's recent purchase of promising Pula talent Rocco Zikovic breaks several records. The transfer fee - rumoured to be in the region of an initial €2 million – is the highest ever made to Zikovic's former team, Istra 1961. It is also the highest ever paid for a Croatian player of Rocco Zikovic's age; he is still only 15-years-old.


Rocco Zikovic © NK Istra 1961

But, by all accounts, Red Bull Salzburg have here done a particularly shrewd piece of business in their acquisition of the player. Rocco Zikovic captained Istra 1961 cadets to the top of the national league last year. He has also played for the Croatian National Football Team in the U-15, U-16 and U-17 age categories. Playing in midfield, he was the captain of the Croatian National youth team that recently won the international Vlatko Marković tournament in Osijek, where Rocco Zikovic was judged player of the tournament. It is during his performances there that Red Bull Salzburg are rumoured to have finally decided on making their move.

Rocco Zikovic is following a long line of youth talent to have been picked up by Red Bull Salzburg

Red Bull Salzburg have a strong reputation for scouting international youth talent and picking them up at the right time. They bought Senegalese player Sadio Mané for €4 million while he was only a teenager before selling him on into the UK Premier League for €13.5 million after just two years. Red Bull Salzburg bought Norwegian international Erling Haaland, one of Europe's most exciting young players, before selling him to Borussia Dortmund in 2019 for a fee reported to be in the region of €20 million. Haaland completed the move having become the first teenager ever to score in five consecutive UEFA Champions League matches

Erling Haaland playing for Red Bull Salzburg in 2019. The club sold him to Borussia Dortmund later that year for a fee reported to be in the region of €20 million © Werner100359

Rocco Zikovic's move to Red Bull Salzburg is all but a done deal. He still has to undergo a final medical and wait until 21 January before he can be announced – that's his 16th birthday. Additional fees earned by his former club Istra 1961 could bring their total from the sale to as much as €3.5 million. It may be too early to place too much expectation on the young player's shoulders just yet, but something tells us that we'll be closely watching this young Croatian footballing talent for many more years to come.

For all of the results and news from the key games of Croatian domestic league football, Croatian international players and the Croatian National Football team, be sure to follow our dedicated sports pages 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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When one thinks of Croatia's football stadiums, it's hard to really deter your thoughts from the obvious - Poljud in Split, and the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb, you might think of Rujevica in Rijeka but that's about all.

This brand new, ultra modern football statium has captured the interest of many, and they're not all just football lovers. Croatia's brand new statium will be completely covered over, and matches can be watched from no less than a jacuzzi should you want to fully relax while enjoying the game.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 17th of August, 2019, at first it sounded like a utopia, too good to be true, many skeptics were mocking the idea (and with good reason when one looks at Croatia's love of red tape), the politics behind it was floundering, and the classic Croatian bureaucracy was almost threatening the influx of foreign money, like it has many a time before.

Despite all of the obstacles placed in the way of the construction of Croatia's new stadium, it seems, as things currently stand, that it will be completed by the end of 2020. It is the first large stadium to be built in Croatia since 1979 when Split's now famous Poljud opened its doors.

While there's a lot written about various investments taking place in Croatian tourism, from both domestic and foreign investors, it isn't often we hear about money being pumped into Croatian football, outside of transfers and the players themselves. This will likely prove a promising move for a country which breeds so much sporting talent, with a particular emphasis placed on football, of course, after Croatia's incredible performance at the most recent World Cup.

''This stadium and football camp in Osijek will be something unprecedented, not only here in Croatia, but also much further afield,'' - stated Ivan Meštrović, co-owner and president of NK Osijek, according to a report from Večernji list.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle and sport pages for much more.

The Zagreb district of Sesvete will receive a brand new football stadium in 2018, with the new modern expression developed by the studio Proarh architect Davor Mateković. The stadium will be built around the retention of the existing terrain of the current stadium "Sv. Josip Radnik".