Croatia national football team

Mens national football team.

The Croatia national football team (Croatian: Hrvatska nogometna reprezentacija) represents Croatia in international football matches. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), the governing body for football in Croatia. The team is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors reference two national symbols: the Croatian checkerboard and the country's tricolor. They are colloquially referred to as the Vatreni (Blazers) and Kockasti (Checkered Ones).

Since gaining independence in 1991, the Vatreni have qualified for every major tournament except for UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. At the World Cup, Croatia has finished second once (2018) and third on two occasions (1998, 2022), securing three World Cup medals. Davor Šuker won the Golden Shoe and Silver Ball in 1998, while Luka Modrić won the Golden Ball in 2018 and the Bronze Ball in 2022. The team reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA European Championship twice (1996, 2008) and finished second in the UEFA Nations League in 2023.

Upon its admission into FIFA in 1994 ranked 125th, Croatia ascended to third place with its debut 1998 World Cup campaign, marking a rapid rise in FIFA rankings history. Croatia is notable for being one of the smallest countries by population to reach a World Cup final. The team holds records for most penalty shootouts played (4) and won (4) and most penalties saved in a shootout (3). They were named FIFA Best Mover of the Year in both 1994 and 1998, becoming the first national team to win the award twice.