November 8, 2021 - Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić is maximally focused on the upcoming decisive matches for a spot at the World Cup in Qatar next year. Croatia plays Malta first away (November 11), then Russia at Poljud (November 14),

Dalić points out that the first game is the most important, reports HNS.

"We have two games ahead of us; two victories separate us from our goal. Given the state we have been in the last five games, I am optimistic. The first game that comes is always the most important. Malta is very important because, with a victory, we open the fight for first place in Split against Russia. Of course, Malta is an opponent who cannot match us, but we must be serious, patient, and responsible. Malta has been training for seven days, they want to oppose us, but if we are good, we will win. At no point do I want, nor will I talk about Russia until Split. There is no talk about Russia," says Dalić, who referred to the team's current condition. 

"Kovačić dropped out before, and we will miss him very much. Brekalo will come to the gathering, we will do an examination, and if something suspicious comes about and he is not ready, he will return to his club. Thanks to Ivan Jurić and Turin for allowing us to do that; if he is not one hundred percent ready, he will continue to recover at his club. Sučić suffered an unpleasant blow, so he will also have a check-up, and captain Modrić is much better, and we will see what will happen with him in the next two or three days. Luka had a fever; he had a virus, and couldn't compete in Real's last game. Of course, this is not an ideal situation, we will try to train him for Malta, but if he is not one hundred percent, we will not force him because we need the readiest players for Malta. However, I hope that Luka will be OK."

The day before the national team gathering, the coach subsequently sent invitations to Bruno Petković and Lovro Majer.

"We have two games ahead of us, during which we can only win. So we have nothing to defend and calculate; we need to be at a high level in the attack. Majer left a very good impression in September, then, unfortunately, he got injured, but now he is healthy and brings us more quality in that segment of the game. And Petković's quality was not disputable; it just didn't have continuity. He has raised his form in the last games, and he can help us with his qualities. We will have an exceptional 25 players; we must not allow any surprises so as not to get stuck at the last minute. Petković and Majer are in very good shape, and there were no doubts. Petković's position? In the position he plays at Dinamo. We have the best players in the world - Brozović and Modrić; he must finish for the national team, and a goal is important to us against Malta and Russia. So, Bruno will be used as a striker."

As a coach, Dalić has already led decisive matches on several occasions, so the current situation is not unusual.

"The pressure is always there, but I don't feel it. These are important matches for us because we want to avoid tough additional qualifications, but there is always pressure and desire without which you cannot work properly. We have to be ready for everything, expectations are high, but we are going step by step."

Given the frequent injuries, the coach has rotated a lot of players in the defense. But now, everyone is ready.

"And my wish is to have a standard team. In Russia, there were always eleven players who started matches, but now, I was forced to rotate due to the circumstances. We changed, we tried, it took seven days to distribute the forces. The players play from Wednesday - Sunday, viruses happen, immunity drops, fatigue occurs, and I have to take care of all that. Croatia has not been so powerful in stopper positions for a long time; we have great players in big clubs. The best ones will play, while Gvardiol has the advantage over everyone. He is left-footed and plays well at his club. And we finally have a left-footer in the position of the left stopper. We will see who will play on the right side."

Before the match against Russia, Dalić does not want to leave anything to chance.

"In Malta, for the first time in my term, we will stay there to sleep after the game. The match in Split is played at 3 pm, so we need to try to make sure that we get a good rest before Russia. We have to beat Malta, and after that, we will see what condition we are in. I really don't mean to worry about whether we will keep a player for Russia. Of course, we will rest some players in case of a favorable result, but let's not talk about Russia. I know that the focus is on that game, but for me, Russia is not a topic until we beat Malta," concluded the coach.

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October 25, 2021 - The latest news on the Croatian national football team, as Zlatko Dalić announces a list of 24 players called up and another 6 players on stand-by for the matches against Malta and Russia in November, the last two to define the qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Croatian national football team will face their Maltese counterparts in Ta 'Qali on November 11 at 8:45 p.m. And on November 14, at 3:00 p.m., Croatia will host the Russian national team at the Poljud to define the winner of Group H. Dalić and his players beat Cyprus 3-0 and drew 2-2 against Slovakia in Osijek in the previous round of matches. Now, in their last two group matches, they hope to take all six points to seal their direct qualification to the Qatar World Cup in 2022 and avoid the playoffs. It will not be easy since, in addition to visiting Malta, they will face their direct rival for qualification, Russia.

(Croatian Football Federation on Facebook)

For the matches against Malta and Russia, Dalić has presented a roster of 24 players and another six on stand-by. Compared to their last list to face Cyprus and Slovakia, it is worth highlighting that Dalić announces the return of Simon Sluga (Luton Town) in goal, and Duje Ćaleta-Car (Marseille) and Marin Pongračić (Dortmund) in defense, thus leaving Filip Uremović (Rubin Kazan) and Mile Škorić (Osijek) on the stand-by list, and Ivica Ivušić of Osijek is no longer among the 30 named by Dalić. Those would be the only changes to the 24-player roster, while goalkeeper Lovre Kalinić (Hajduk) is new to the stand-by roster. Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moscow), Antonio-Mirko Čolak (Malmo), and Kristijan Lovrić (Gorica) reappear on the provisional list.

The tickets for the match against Russia at Poljud are already on sale, and according to the Federation, more than 10,000 have already been sold.

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October 10, 2021 - Zlatko Dalić addressed the press in Osijek on Sunday with captain Luka Modrić. The coach announced how the Croatia starting 11 against Slovakia would look, especially with the absence of Mateo Kovačić. 

A crucial 2022 World Cup qualifying match awaits the Croatia national team on Monday at 20:45 at City Garden Stadium in Osijek. Croatia will face Slovakia in the 8th round of qualifications for the World Cup in Qatar. A possible victory would keep them in first place in the group ahead of the last two rounds held in November.

Two days ago, Croatia beat Cyprus 3:0 on the road and thus continued a series of winning results and a game without conceding a goal. Croatia is currently tied with Russia, which plays against Slovenia in Maribor on Monday.

Zlatko Dalić, as well as captain Luka Modrić, appeared before the press in Osijek at 17:00 at the final press conference before the match against Slovakia. Croatia's last training at City Garden is scheduled for 17:30. 

"We have to respect Slovakia; they are a top national team and can be tough. It doesn't matter who will play for them; we have to be good," said coach Zlatko Dalić at the beginning.

"Our goal is to win as many points as possible and secure a place in the World Cup. We know how much tomorrow's game means to us, perhaps the most important qualifying match. Russia has a difficult visit to Slovenia. This is a chance for us to get closer to Qatar with the victory," Dalić added.

Dalić announced changes in the defense, despite a good performance in recent games.

"We haven't conceded a goal in six games, but tomorrow is an important exam. As good as we were in Cyprus, it was not a benchmark. Tomorrow is a situation where we must not receive pain. We will make changes in the lineup, but not because someone played badly, but we want even more energy. We will put in a couple of fresh players; some of our players are not standard, so it is difficult to repeat two games in three days. Vida is returning to his position," Dalić explained and praised Osijek player Mile Škorić.

"He deserved the invitation, but the competition is great for him. So we will see; I would like the situation to open up for him," Dalić added.

"I am looking forward to the competition in the national team, players who bring new energy and strength. We have to confirm this to get continuity. Everyone works well, and whoever I play, I will not make a mistake," said the Croatia coach, who added that the atmosphere is good because the results and overall team play are good.

"The result dictates everything; we play well, so the atmosphere is great. What makes us happy is the atmosphere and the result; the atmosphere was not worse at the Euros, but the result was missing."

Mate Kovačić will not play due to yellow cards.

"Pašalić will replace him; he will go to his position. Because he is good in the end, and we miss such a player, he has the best of all players, so there is no dilemma. Pašalić will start," said Dalić and added that Duje Ćaleta-Car will not start from the first minute.

Source: HRT

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October 4, 2021 - Croatia's October World Cup qualifiers begin on Friday against Cyprus and continue in Osijek against Slovakia next Monday. Coach Zlatko Dalić addressed the press in Zagreb today before the national team gathered to discuss the upcoming cycle.

The Croatia national team is gathering in Zagreb ahead of the October World Cup qualifiers. Zlatko Dalić's team will play against Cyprus on Friday and host Slovakia on Monday in Osijek. Dalić has a lot of problems in the Croatia defense due to injuries, reports HRT.

"We must continue to be disciplined. We must continue even more seriously, even more responsibly, if we want to ease the cycle in November," said Dalić to begin.

On Sunday, he activated a callup to Borussia Dortmund defender Marin Pongračić. A few days ago, he also called up Duje Ćaleta-Car, due to the uncertain injuries of Domagoj Vida and Josip Juranović.

Dalić commented on Josip Brekalo's return to the national team:

"Josip Brekalo was not a problem for me; he was looking for a club, he was not in rhythm, and that is why he was not invited. He went to Turin, he played, and as soon as he got back in shape, we called him. We need him like other players who were not on the national team. No one will be deprived of the national team; whoever deserves their games, with their behavior, statements, and attitude towards the national team, will not be deprived because I see my interest first. Mine is that Croatia plays well to qualify for Qatar and the interest of the Croatia national team. I did not communicate with Rebić; there was no contact."

Croatia leads Group H with 13 points, the same as Russia. Slovakia is third with nine points, and Slovenia has seven. Malta and Cyprus follow with four points each.

"I think that 21 points will be enough, but we must decide for ourselves."

What does he think of the World Cup every two years?

"I don't think it's good, especially for the players, and the charm of playing the World Cup would be lost. We have to take care of the health of the footballers, and they play too many games this way."

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September 7, 2021 - Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić and Inter Milan midfielder Ivan Perišić spoke to the press ahead of Croatia's final September 2022 World Cup qualifier at Poljud on Tuesday. Ivan Perišić will captain Croatia against Slovenia. 

Croatia needs a victory at Poljud to increase points after consecutive visits to Russia and Slovakia.

"Certainly, there will be no Livaković in goal; we will not take any risks; Gvardiol is also questionable. I am not inclined to force what I am not sure of, as in the case of Modrić and Budimir. We will go with healthy and ready players. This, after all, was shown by this census at the beginning of the September cycle. Some players played a lot, Sosa, Juranović, Lovren… I'm a little scared to start a game with players who played a lot. We won’t change and invent much because we have nothing. I will say that Livaja will start the game, he has known this for several days, and I expect great things from him; he deserved it with his performances for Hajduk. In what position will he play? Everyone is there to play what is meant for them. Nobody plays a dominant position, even though the media constantly emphasize it," says Zlatko Dalić, who went on to discuss the importance of a victory and the demands of the third game in a week.

"We have to be favorites at our stadium, in front of our fans. Perhaps this will be the most difficult match for us because it is the third in just seven days against an aggressive and combative opponent who beat us in Slovenia. If we do not show the energy from Bratislava and Moscow, it will be difficult for us. However, I doubt that the audience will carry us in our motive, and I believe we will win the match. In which way, it doesn't matter; only the points are important."

Slovenia is no easy opponent. 

"Slovenia is not just Jan Oblak. Iličić rested; he is fresh and the biggest danger; he forms an attacking axis with Lovrić, and I expect Mlakar as well. Slovenia will play as much as we allow them and as we position ourselves on the field. We did not let Russia or Slovakia play with pressure; I am delighted with that game segment. We must react well to other opponents' balls again. Problems in the attack? We were a little futile going forward, but these aren’t games to die for in beauty. Points matter, not impressions. I said that I had no objections to what Croatia played, except for that final."

The team will once again be weakened with the absence of Luka Modrić.

"Luka will not be forever; we cannot keep repeating Luka, Luka, Luka. No one can replace him individually; we can only replace him as a team; we must understand that. He started training; he will be with us in October. We have to get rid of that rumor so that we can play without the captain, who we miss a lot."

There will be no lack of support at Poljud, and well-filled stands are expected.

"The support of the audience will be important to us. We remember Hungary and the fantastic atmosphere that reigned at Poljud during that match. It was an atmosphere that gave you chills. However, since I was the coach, where the point was that we played, it was beautiful for us, in Osijek, Rijeka, Zagreb… Regardless of what someone wants to do that is worthless, the Croatian people recognize the good. Therefore, I expect great support from the stands, and we will try to thank you with three points," concluded Dalić.

Ivan Perišić will lead Croatia as captain against Slovenia. Ivan is aware that the victory against Slovakia in Bratislava additionally raised the self-confidence of the national team.

"The atmosphere is great after the victory in Slovakia; it gave us extra energy. We did well in the matches against Russia and Slovakia, we did not concede a goal, and we can be satisfied with two of perhaps the most difficult away games. However, if we don't beat Slovenia, it won't mean much," said Perišić, who spoke about the hard September rhythm of these matches.

"The rhythm is tough; everything happened in a short time, it will be a little easier in October and November, but then we will already have two games a week with our clubs. Whoever survives will talk, ha, ha, ha… However, we have 25 players so that the coach can choose and distribute the forces. The skeleton of the team is there; the younger players already have a lot of serious games, they give us extra strength." 

Ivan spoke about the course of the match against Slovenia.

"We will start from the first minute to score; it will be easier if we open them at the start, as was the case against Hungary at Poljud. We definitely need to improve our attack, and we need more time for that. Poljud? Every game at Poljud is something special; it means a lot to me, family, friends, we can't wait for it to start."

Source: HNS

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August 30, 2021 - September is nearly here, meaning Croatia's 2022 World Cup qualifiers are upon us. Coach Zlatko Dalić spoke to the press ahead of the first match against Russia on Wednesday. 

The Croatia national football team has arrived in Moscow, where the first of three September matches will take place. Croatia will face Russia on Wednesday to continue the 2022 World Cup in Qatar qualification cycle, reports HNS.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić fondly remembers the beautiful memories of Moscow and the historical silver but is aware of the fact that one cannot live from old glory in football. 

"Three years have passed since the World Cup in Russia, but that is now behind us. Of course, it is nice to come here and remember everything we experienced. Still, our new task is the qualifying match against Russia, and we are focused exclusively on that," says Zlatko Dalić, who once again explained the choice of players against Russia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

“I stand behind this list. I have chosen players who play in their clubs and are in shape. I wouldn’t talk about names and specifically explain why I didn’t call someone, but no one was written off or crossed out. If those who are not there now are in shape and play in their clubs, maybe they will be with us again. This is a team that I believe can get a good result in these three games. How many points will be enough for us for Qatar? According to some of my calculations, we will need 20 or 21 for the first place, which means that we have to catch another 14, 15 in the next seven games."

Before the September matches, Dalić was first left without the captain and best player, Luka Modrić, due to an adductor injury. Then the news followed that Ante Budimir would miss at least the first match.

"It is impossible to replace Luka, but that is why all other players have to take on a greater amount of responsibility, especially the more experienced ones. One player cannot replace Luka, but everyone else must take on more responsibilities. It will be difficult for us without Luka and his help, but we have to get used to it. Luka will not be with us forever; I believe we will replace him as a team because we cannot change him according to the chess - 'figure for figure.' The midfield line? We will see, there is Brozović, Modrić, Pašalić, and Vlašić, and we will look for solutions among them. Again, Ivanušec is in good shape; our midfield must not and will not be a problem. Of course, Luka is difficult to replace, but I'm not afraid; I believe in this team."

Several Croatia members are currently in the middle of club transfers, which can be a problem ahead of important matches.

"Yes, that is a problem, their heads are in transfers, they have a lot of inquiries and information, and it is difficult for them to concentrate, and that worries us. Fortunately, Vlašić has finished his, he is on his way from London to Moscow, but they all have to forget the transfers and turn to the match against Russia. So my meeting with the players today will be in that direction. I know that these are their careers and lives, but now we are only interested in Russia." 

When it comes to Russia, the team has undergone significant changes compared to the one that played the World Cup quarterfinals against Croatia.

"Russia plays differently than in 2018 or at this year's Euro, which is logical considering that they have a new coach. Before, they looked for Juba with long balls. Karpin cultivates a different style, looking for a passing play in a 4-3-3 formation. We prepared for that; I spoke a lot with Olić, Ćorluka, and Pletikosa. Russia will not surprise us. This match is crucial to them; they allowed 20,000 spectators to be in the stands, we have a hard job ahead of us, but I believe that we will respond with aggression, fighting spirit, and energy," concluded the Croatia coach. 

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August 24, 2021 - Three Croatian diaspora footballers will join Igor Bišćan's U21 Croatia squad for the new qualification cycle. 

U21 Croatia coach Igor Bišćan has selected players for the new qualification cycle, which includes three footballers born and raised abroad - Luka Sučić, Josip Stanišić, and Marco Pašalić, announced HNS.

Red Bull Salzburg's offensive midfielder, Luka Sučić, already has 17 appearances for the young Croatia national team and was among the candidates for the U21 national team before the European Championship final, which he missed due to injury. Sučić played for the U15 Croatia national team for the first time in a friendly match against Austria, where he was born and raised.

"It is a special feeling to wear a jersey with red and white checks, and I am looking forward to continuing to represent Croatia," said Sučić, who is currently on the call-up list for the A national team coach with coach Zlatko Dalić.

Defender Josip Stanišić was born on April 2, 2000, in Munich, where he played for the first team of the Bavarian giants Bayern this season. He played for the German U19 national team in two friendly matches but chose to play for his parents' country:

"I am pleased to be invited to the U21 Croatia national team. I am honored to be able to wear the Croatia jersey," Stanišić said.

Borussia Dortmund striker Marco Pašalić also attracted the attention of the Croatian public this summer. Pašalić was born on September 14, 2000, in Karlsruhe, and so far, he has played in two friendly matches for the U17 Croatia national team.

"I can't describe how proud I am to play for the Croatia national team because I was raised from a young age that Croatia is my homeland. I am looking forward to the first gathering with the young national team, and it is up to all of us to prove ourselves with good games and dedicated work, first for coach Bišćan, and then potentially for coach Dalić," said Pašalić.

⬇️ Popis Hrvatske U-21 za rujanske utakmice ⬇️ #MladiVatreni pic.twitter.com/GmFRY7gGKi

— HNS (@HNS_CFF) August 23, 2021

The talented trio from the diaspora confirms the quality work of the Croatian Football Federation, said the president of the HNS, Marijan Kustić:

"We are aware that there is great potential in the diaspora, and young men like Sučić, Stanišić, and Pašalić show with their decisions to play for Croatia how strong the commitment of our families abroad is to the Croatia national team. Furthermore, by bringing Stipe Pletikosa as the technical director of the A and U21 national teams, we wanted to strengthen this segment of operations further because we are a small country, and we must successfully find every talent in Croatia or abroad."

The newly appointed technical director of the A and U21 national team, Stipe Pletikosa, has already held talks with Sučić and Stanišić, and this week he will also meet with Pašalić:

"I am extremely pleased that Sučić, Stanišić, and Pašalić have chosen to represent Croatia. We have a responsibility to develop our scout network further and nurture quality communication with guys who are potential for Croatia national teams, and organize as many activities as we can see them up close, such as the Memorial of Croatian Veterans in Vukovar. "

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August 21, 2021 - Aleksander Čeferin, Luis Figo, Johannes Hahn, Zvonimir Boban, Predrag Mijatović, Darijo Srna, Florent Malouda, Maxwell Andrade, and Fernando Hierro took part in the 25th anniversary of the Plasma Youth Sports Games in Split.

The 25th Plasma Youth Sports Games in Split on Friday brought together many international sports stars and officials who came to congratulate the largest amateur sports event in Europe on this great jubilee, reports Dalmacija Danas.

The program began with a solemn ceremony at the Croatian Home in Split, which brought together longtime partners, friends, and ambassadors of the Games.

The international sports stars were led by Luis Figo, who arrived in the company of Zvonimir Boban, Maxwell Andrade, Hierro, Malouda, Darijo Srna, and Predrag Mijatović.

Miroslav Lelas / PIXSELL

Special awards for long-term support and cooperation were given to Zoran Mamić, Tommy doo Supervisory Board Presiden, Zoran Bogdanović, Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola HBC on behalf of the Coca-Cola partner of the ceremony, Predrag Mijatović, Ambassador of Plasma Youth Sports Games, Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration for the 2020 Ambassador of the Year, and Alexander Ceferin for 2021 Ambassador of the Year.

“Sport connects, sport is love, sport is unique, sport earns the respect of all people, so a big tribute to everything that the Plasma Youth Sports Games do. As long as I am the president of UEFA and the UEFA Children's Foundation, I will fully support the work of the Games within my capabilities," said Čeferin.

The stars were greeted by Ivica Puljak, Mayor of Split, and Davor Božinović, Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister. Members of the Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the Plasma Youth Sports Games, have been conducting a large educational campaign "Be a fan, not a breaker", which aims to prevent violence on sports fields. In addition, they jointly implemented the National Road Safety Program.

"This is a great event, dedicated to the great idea and vision of young people, who are still young even after 25 years. Youth sports games have given a new dimension to sports in Split and sports in Croatia. In these challenging times, it is important to care for children and separate them as much as possible from mobile phones and computers so that they can fully accept healthy lifestyles," said Davor Božinović.

Miroslav Lelas / PIXSELL

In his emotional speech, Zdravko Marić, President of Plasma Youth Sports Games, thanked everyone who gave their all to the success of the Games and pointed out: “We try to add up, try to summarize a quarter of a century in some statistics to describe well how we grew, how we expanded, how we did not give up. We have been promoting tolerance, friendship, solidarity, and fair play for a quarter of a century and we hope that in these 25 years we have woven exactly these values ​​into many generations of our children and youth in Croatia and the region.”

Zlatko Dalić, Stipe Pletikosa, and Marijan Kustić, HNS president, but also famous citizens of Split - Gibonni and Tonci Huljić, and guests from Serbia led by Vanja Udovičić, Serbian Minister of Youth and Sports, were also at the ceremony.

After the festive program, the guests hurried to change into jerseys as Prokurative transformed to host a football spectacle at 8 pm: revival matches featuring participants in the international finals of the Plasma Youth Sports Games from Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina against world sports stars and friends of the Games.

Tihomir Gudić, executive director of Plasma Youth Sports Games, celebrated football player Igor Tudor, and Igor Angelovski coached the young athletes. The star team was led by coaches Zdravko Marić, Martina Dalić, and Davor Božinović.

Fulfilling the dream of playing with your idols was the biggest reward for the excited little footballers who seriously impressed Figo, Srna, Stanić, Boban, and other stars. That this would be a serious football clash was also clear with the arrival of Robert Rosetti, a world-famous football coach. The fan atmosphere, which has not been seen for a long time at a sporting event, was heightened by the victory of young athletes against world stars. Prokurative turned into a spectacular football field thanks to Green Luxury. The match could be watched live by the citizens of Split and guests of the city in the fan zone on the Riva, where the real fan atmosphere was provided by Indira.

Miroslav Lelas / PIXSELL

The closing ceremony was held on the Riva, where Alexander Čeferin, Predrag Mijatovic, and Johannes Hahn presented awards to young ambassadors from Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The young athletes and guests were greeted by Ivica Puljak, Mayor of Split, Tomislav Družak, State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Nikola Brnjac, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Zdravko Marić, and Davor Božinović, who closed the 25th season of the Games. Before the celebration, congratulations were sent by video from many athletes: Luka Modrić, Goran Ivanišević, Slaven Bilić, Edin Džeko, Dragan Stojković Piksi, and many others, regretting that they failed to attend the celebration.

The beautiful night in Split ended with a big fireworks display and a concert by Sergej Ćetković.

As part of the International Finals in Split from August 17-21, as part of the implementation of the Youth Sports Fair Chance project, games were held with the participation of students and teachers from Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Infographics created during the implementation of the project on the fight against violence, racism, discrimination, and intolerance in sports were presented, and panel discussions and sports activities for children were organized.

The Youth Sports Fair Chance project is co-financed by the Erasmus + program of the European Union, and the total value of the project is 365,525.00 euros. The project was also presented at a ceremony at the Croatian Home.

Plasma Youth Sports Games are the largest amateur sports event in Europe and in its 25 years of existence have gathered more than 2 million children and youth athletes. Every year from January to August they organize sports competitions in 10 sports (Tommy tournament in indoor soccer 2009, Coca-Cola Cup in football, HEP handball tournament, Croatian Post Cup tennis tournament, Kinder tournament in street basketball, beach volleyball, volleyball, chess under the auspices of FIDE, table tennis, dodge ball, and 60m race) and sports-educational event Telemach Sports Day.

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August 19, 2021 - Josip Brekalo responds to critics on Instagram about being dropped from the Croatia squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers. 

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić did not invite Josip Brekalo to the national team gathering for the September 2022 World Cup qualifying matches, which shocked many after the young football star has been a standard on the squad after the 2018 World Cup.

After Dalić released the latest player list, speculation followed that Brekalo might have been dropped for not respecting his senior teammates. However, the Wolfsberg winger responded to critics on social networks to clear the air. 

Brekalo primarily wanted to deny the stories that he is "a disobedient team member who does not respect his older teammates and undermines the cohesion in the team."

You can read Brekalo's statement transmitted below:

"I use this opportunity to announce my representative status and various media stories and speculations related to it.

The worst stories that prompted me to publish this are those where I am portrayed as a disobedient who disrespects older teammates and undermines team cohesion.

These are gross fabrications and absolute untruths, and as such, I have to deny them because, in these three years that I have been in the national team, I have never had a single problem, not with a single teammate. On the contrary and the only possible one, I respect them all, and I have a very good relationship with everyone.

The Croatia national team is sacred to my other family and me.

I am proud to have played 27 of 28 possible matches in these three years, and in the last year, I also scored four goals with assists.

Why I was not invited this time is not a question for me, but I know that every time I am invited, I will give my maximum. I believe in myself and look forward to the next opportunity and the call again.

I wish the national team, staff, and all players good luck in these 3 games, and I hope that we will record all three victories and pave the way to the World Cup," wrote Brekalo with a photo in which he celebrates a goal in the Croatia jersey with Ivan Perišić.

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August 16, 2021 - There are some surprises in Zlatko Dalić's Croatia player list for the September 2022 World Cup qualifiers, as Ante Rebić, Šime Vrsaljko, Bruno Petković, and Josip Brekalo were left off the list this time around. 

The Croatia national team's first gathering after Euro 2020 is scheduled for Monday, August 30, after which the 2018 World Cup finalists will again have a busy schedule with three games in a week in September. Croatia will play against Russia in Moscow on September 1. Three days later, they will compete against Slovakia in Bratislava. Finally, the September campaign will end against Slovenia on September 7 in Split, reports HNS.

Coach Zlatko Dalić invited 25 players for these games, with 4 call ups. 

"I believe that we all recharged our batteries well after the Euros and we want to do the autumn part of the qualifications with new energy and strong ambition. We have seven games ahead of us, 21 points on the table, and we will need another 14-15 points to win first place. But, of course, our wish is to get closer to that goal in September and take as many points as possible," said coach Dalić.

"This is, objectively, the hardest part of our schedule, and the start of the season is never an ideal time for the national team because players from different leagues are at different levels of competitiveness. But the circumstances are similar for everyone. Therefore, it is up to us to show quality, commitment, and togetherness worthy of first place in the group - only in this way can we achieve our goal, which is placement in Qatar. Therefore, with my coaching staff, I estimated that at this moment, this is a list of players who can best meet the demands ahead of us, and as always - the national team's doors are not closed to anyone who deserves it," concludes the coach.

Croatia player list for September: 

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb), Simon Sluga (Luton Town), Ivica Ivušić (Osijek).

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Bešiktaš), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Borna Barišić (Glasgow Rangers), Duje Ćaleta-Car (Olimpique de Marseille), Josip Juranović (Legia), Filip Uremović (Rubin Kazan), Joško Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Mile Škorić (Osijek), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart).

Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Inter), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (CSKA Moskva), Luka Ivanušec (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moskva).

Strikers: Ivan Perišić (Inter), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hajduk), Antonio Mirko Čolak (Malmö).

Callups: Toma Bašić (Bordeaux), Kristijan Lovrić (Gorica), Lovro Majer (Dinamo Zagreb), Luka Sučić (RB Salzburg).

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