Sport in Croatia
Encyclopedia
Sport in Croatia has significant role in Croatian culture
, and many local sports clubs as well as the Croatian national squads enjoy strong followings in the country. The most enduring sport by far in Croatia is football, and is played on amateur and professional levels amongst all age groups across the entire country. Several other major team sports are handball
, basketball
, water polo
, and rugby union
, with clubs in all parts of Croatia. Ice hockey
is another popular team sport, namely in the Croatian interior. The most popular individual sports
in Croatia are tennis
, alpine skiing
, and swimming
, and to some extent table tennis
and chess
. Various amateur sport games are popular in Croatia, notably picigin
.
(1866–1946) is widely considered to be the father of modern Croatian sport. He founded the Croatian Sports Federation in 1909 within what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Bučar introduced a multitude of mainstream sports in Croatia, such as football, alpine skiing
, ice skating
and ice hockey
, as well as gymnastics
and fencing
. The Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport
, the Republic of Croatia's highest award in the development of sport, is named in his honor.
With the exception of the years during the fascist-era Independent State of Croatia
, Croatian club and national teams first represented the Republic of Croatia at the start of the 1990s, with the formation of the Croatian national football team and its first match against the United States in 1990.
. The Prva HNL is the top division of the country's football league system, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Druga HNL. Dinamo Zagreb
is the country's most successful football club and the 2011 champion, with 13 total championships, followed by Hajduk Split with 6 championships (last one in in 2005). The rivalry between these two clubs is known as the Eternal Derby in Croatia, with the two clubs combining to win all but one of the 20 championships ever contested in the league's history. The Prva HNL is ranked 19th league in Europe by UEFA
, and Dinamo Zagreb is the highest-ranked Croatian club in Europe, occupying the 76th spot.
The Croatian Cup
is the main knock-out tournament in Croatian football, and has also been dominated by Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. The Croatian Supercup
is contested between the champions of the Prva HNL and the Croatian Cup.
No Croatian Club has ever won the UEFA Champions League, however Hajduk Split, at the time Croatia's premier club, made it to the quarterfinals of the 1994-95 league, losing on aggregate to eventual champion Ajax.
The Croatian national football team won a bronze medal in the 1998 FIFA World Cup
and Davor Šuker
won the Golden Boot
as the top goal scorer. The national football team has also played in the quarter-finals of the 1996 European Championships and the 2008 European Championships. The team is currently ranked 9th in the FIFA World Rankings
(as of July 2011). The most popular football players are Luka Modrić
, Ivan Perišić
, Darijo Srna
, Ivica Olić
, Ivan Klasnić
and Niko Kranjčar
.
, both in the success of its club handball, as well as with the achievements of the Croatian national squad
.
At the start of the 2nd half of the 20th century, RK Bjelovar
dominated Croatian handball, and in the 1970's won five Yugoslavian league championships. In 1972, RK Bjelovar won the EHF Champions League
, Europe's greatest handball competition, and reached the final the following year. A smaller city, Bjelovar's reign of successes can be likened to that of the storied Vince Lombardi
-era Green Bay Packers
of the National Football League
, as the town of Green Bay, Wisconsin
, the smallest NFL market in the United States
, brought home five league championships in the 1960's.
Since Croatian independence, RK Zagreb has been the nation's premier handball club. It has won every Croatian First Handball League championship that has been contested, 20 in all. The club has reached the EHF Champions League
finals six times, winning consecutively in 1992 and 1993. In 2008 the club acquired Croatian star Ivano Balić, considered the best handballer of all time.
The Croatia national handball team
is currently ranked 10th in the world by the International Handball Federation
. At the 1996
and 2004 Summer Olympics
, Croatia won gold medals in men's handball. The squad won the 2003 World Men's Handball Championship
, and came in 2nd at the 1999
and 2005
championships, as well as at the 2009 Championship
as hosts, losing in the final to France
. Croatia also came in 3rd at the 1994 European Men's Handball Championship
and 2nd at the 2008
and 2010
championships.
, bronze medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
and bronze medals at EuroBasket 1993
and EuroBasket 1995
. Croatian basketball clubs were Euroleague
champions 5 times: KK Split
three times (in 1989, 1990 and 1991) and KK Cibona
in 1985 and 1986. Croatian basketball players such as Dražen Petrović
, Krešimir Ćosić
and Toni Kukoč
were amongst the first foreign players to succeed in the NBA
in the United States
.
and bronze medals in 2009
and 2011
. The team also won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic water polo tournament
and gold medal at the 2010 European Championship
as well as silver medals in the 1999 and 2003 European Championships. Croatian water polo clubs were 13 times LEN Euroleague
champions. HAVK Mladost
from Zagreb was a seven time European Champion (in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1990, 1991 and 1996) and was awarded the title Best Club of the 20th Century by the LEN
. VK Jug from Dubrovnik and VK Jadran from Split were both three time European champions.
Croatian sides competed in the Rugby Championship of Yugoslavia
, which ran from 1957-1991. Croatia was something of a centre of rugby union in Yugoslavia before it gained its independence.
The biggest rugby "scrum
" in the world was made on 14 Oct 2007, in Croatia, with over 200 players of all categories from Croatian rugby club Nada
, for a Millennium Photo.
won silver medals three times at European Volleyball Championship
in 1995
, 1997
and 1999
.
is the most successful female alpine ski racer
in the history of the Winter Olympic Games
. She is the only woman to win four gold medals in alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing events
(in 2002
and 2006
), and the only woman to win three alpine skiing gold medals in one Olympics (2002
). She also won two slilver medals in 2006
. Janica was the World Cup
overall champion in 2001
, 2003
, and 2006
. On February 5, 2006 Janica became only the second female skier to win all five disciplines in one season. She also holds the record for the highest number of points in one World Cup season. In 2006 she won Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year
. Her elder brother Ivica Kostelić
was the 2003 World Champion in slalom
and the Men's Overall Champion at the 2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup
, and is a three-time Winter Olympic silver medalist himself.
Blanka Vlašić
is the best-known Croatian track and field athlete; she specialises in the high jump
. She is 2007 and 2009 World Champion
. Blanka is also 2008 World Indoor Champion
and 2008 Olympic silver medalist. Her personal best is 2.08 m (6.82 ft) (which is only 1 cm less than the world record) set in Zagreb at August 31, 2009.
Croatian athletes have had considerable success in individual sports as well, where they represented Croatia in international competitions at the highest level. These sports include:
Croatia has participated in the following Winter Olympic Games to date:
. The nation's arenas are primarily used for handball and basketball games.
The country also competed for hosting the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship
in a joint bid with Hungary
, planning a similar process of building and modernization of the nation's four largest football stadiums (in Zagreb
, Split
, Rijeka
and Osijek
), but the bid failed due to certain elements in both countries.
Culture of Croatia
The culture of Croatia has roots in a long history: the Croatian people have been inhabiting the area for fourteen centuries, but there are important remnants of the earlier periods still preserved in the country.- Ancient Heritage :...
, and many local sports clubs as well as the Croatian national squads enjoy strong followings in the country. The most enduring sport by far in Croatia is football, and is played on amateur and professional levels amongst all age groups across the entire country. Several other major team sports are handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
, and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, with clubs in all parts of Croatia. Ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
is another popular team sport, namely in the Croatian interior. The most popular individual sports
Individual sport
-Examples:Examples of individual sports include:*Archery*Athletics*Bodybuilding*Badminton*Boomerang*Boxing*Chess*Croquet*Cycling*Darts*Equestrian*Fencing*Figure Skating*Golf*Gymnastics*Knife Throwing*Krav Maga*Judo*Lawn Bowls*Orienteering*Pilates...
in Croatia are tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, and swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, and to some extent table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
and chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. Various amateur sport games are popular in Croatia, notably picigin
Picigin
Picigin is an amateur sport game, created on "Bačvice" beach in Split,Croatia and played on some beaches in Croatia and Montenegro, but also widely popular in Novi Sad, Serbia where it is being played on a Danube river beach. It is played with a ball. In Croatia, it is very popular, especially in...
.
History
Franjo BučarFranjo Bucar
Franjo Bučar was a Croatian writer and sports popularizer of Slovenian origin. He is considered to be the father of Croatian sport and olympism....
(1866–1946) is widely considered to be the father of modern Croatian sport. He founded the Croatian Sports Federation in 1909 within what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Bučar introduced a multitude of mainstream sports in Croatia, such as football, alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
and ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, as well as gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
and fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
. The Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport
Franjo Bucar State Award for Sport
Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport is the highest recognition that Republic of Croatia gives for extraordinary achievements and contributions of remarkable meaning for the development of sport in Croatia.This award has been given since 1991...
, the Republic of Croatia's highest award in the development of sport, is named in his honor.
With the exception of the years during the fascist-era Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
, Croatian club and national teams first represented the Republic of Croatia at the start of the 1990s, with the formation of the Croatian national football team and its first match against the United States in 1990.
Association football
Football is the most popular sport in Croatia, and is governed by the Croatian Football FederationCroatian Football Federation
The Croatian Football Federation is the governing body of association football in Croatia. It was originally formed in 1912 and is based in the capital city of Zagreb. The organisation is a member of both FIFA and UEFA, and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of football in Croatia...
. The Prva HNL is the top division of the country's football league system, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Druga HNL. Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
is the country's most successful football club and the 2011 champion, with 13 total championships, followed by Hajduk Split with 6 championships (last one in in 2005). The rivalry between these two clubs is known as the Eternal Derby in Croatia, with the two clubs combining to win all but one of the 20 championships ever contested in the league's history. The Prva HNL is ranked 19th league in Europe by UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
, and Dinamo Zagreb is the highest-ranked Croatian club in Europe, occupying the 76th spot.
The Croatian Cup
Croatian Cup
The Croatian Cup is an annually held football tournament for Croatian football clubs and is the second most important competition in Croatian football after the Prva HNL league championship. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation and usually runs from late August to May...
is the main knock-out tournament in Croatian football, and has also been dominated by Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. The Croatian Supercup
Croatian Supercup
The Croatian Supercup is a football match between the winners of the Prva HNL and the Croatian Cup. The Supercup serves as a curtain raiser of the new football season and is only held when different clubs happen to win the two most important competitions during the previous season The Croatian...
is contested between the champions of the Prva HNL and the Croatian Cup.
No Croatian Club has ever won the UEFA Champions League, however Hajduk Split, at the time Croatia's premier club, made it to the quarterfinals of the 1994-95 league, losing on aggregate to eventual champion Ajax.
The Croatian national football team won a bronze medal in the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
and Davor Šuker
Davor Šuker
Davor Šuker , is a retired Croatian footballer. He played as a striker for a number of European clubs as well as the Croatian national team, where he is the all-time top goal scorer with 45 goals....
won the Golden Boot
FIFA World Cup awards
At the end of each FIFA World Cup final tournament, several awards are attributed to the players and teams which have distinguished from the rest, in different aspects of the game.These are awards granted during the men's senior tournament...
as the top goal scorer. The national football team has also played in the quarter-finals of the 1996 European Championships and the 2008 European Championships. The team is currently ranked 9th in the FIFA World Rankings
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Spain. The teams of the member nations of FIFA , football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
(as of July 2011). The most popular football players are Luka Modrić
Luka Modric
Luka Modrić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and for the Croatia national football team.Modrić's childhood coincided with the Croatian War of Independence. After showing promise in hometown club Zadar's youth team, he was signed by Dinamo Zagreb as a teenager in 2002. His...
, Ivan Perišić
Ivan Perišic
Ivan Perišić is a Croatian football player who plays as a midfielder for German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.-Career:...
, Darijo Srna
Darijo Srna
Darijo Srna is a Croatian footballer who plays for Shakhtar Donetsk as a captain and is also the captain of the Croatian national team.-Club career:Srna's talent was seen by many scouts in Croatia while he was young...
, Ivica Olić
Ivica Olic
Ivica Olić is a Croatian professional footballer who plays for Bayern Munich in Germany and internationally for the Croatian national team.- Early career :Olić was born and raised in the village of Davor near Nova Gradiška, Croatia, Yugoslavia...
, Ivan Klasnić
Ivan Klasnic
Ivan Klasnić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Bolton Wanderers of the Premier League. He is a Croatian international. In 2007, Klasnić underwent a kidney transplant, and became the first player to participate in a major tournament after a transplant.-St. Pauli:Klasnić started his...
and Niko Kranjčar
Niko Kranjcar
Niko Kranjčar is a Croatian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur and the Croatia national team.He represented two of the biggest clubs in his homeland, playing for Dinamo Zagreb before sparking controversy by making a move to their fierce rivals Hajduk Split in 2005...
.
Team handball
Historically, Croatia has been a prolific nation in handballTeam handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, both in the success of its club handball, as well as with the achievements of the Croatian national squad
Croatia national handball team
The Croatian national handball team is a handball team that represents Croatia in the international matches and has been playing since the country's independence in the early 1990s...
.
At the start of the 2nd half of the 20th century, RK Bjelovar
RK Bjelovar
RK Bjelovar is a team handball club from Bjelovar, Croatia formed in 1955. The club currently competes in the Croatian Second League of Handball and the Croatian Handball Cup....
dominated Croatian handball, and in the 1970's won five Yugoslavian league championships. In 1972, RK Bjelovar won the EHF Champions League
EHF Champions League
The EHF Champions League is the most important professional club handball competition in Europe . The competition was started in the 1956–57 season, and is administered by the European Handball Federation.The most successful teams are from Germany and Spain...
, Europe's greatest handball competition, and reached the final the following year. A smaller city, Bjelovar's reign of successes can be likened to that of the storied Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
-era Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, as the town of Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, the smallest NFL market in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, brought home five league championships in the 1960's.
Since Croatian independence, RK Zagreb has been the nation's premier handball club. It has won every Croatian First Handball League championship that has been contested, 20 in all. The club has reached the EHF Champions League
EHF Champions League
The EHF Champions League is the most important professional club handball competition in Europe . The competition was started in the 1956–57 season, and is administered by the European Handball Federation.The most successful teams are from Germany and Spain...
finals six times, winning consecutively in 1992 and 1993. In 2008 the club acquired Croatian star Ivano Balić, considered the best handballer of all time.
The Croatia national handball team
Croatia national handball team
The Croatian national handball team is a handball team that represents Croatia in the international matches and has been playing since the country's independence in the early 1990s...
is currently ranked 10th in the world by the International Handball Federation
International Handball Federation
The International Handball Federation, often referred to by the acronym IHF, is the administrative and controlling body for International team handball.- Championships :*World Men's Handball Championship*World Women's Handball Championship...
. At the 1996
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
and 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Croatia won gold medals in men's handball. The squad won the 2003 World Men's Handball Championship
2003 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2003 World Men's Handball Championship took place in Portugal from January 20 to February 2, 2003.-Qualified teams:24 teams were qualified for the first round and dispatched into 4 groups.Group A : , , , , , .Group B : , , , , , ....
, and came in 2nd at the 1999
1999 World Men's Handball Championship
The 1999 World Championship for men in team handball was the 16th edition of the Men's World Handball Championship. It was held in Egypt, from June 2 to June 15, in the cities of Cairo, Ismailia and Port Said.-Preliminary round:In the following tables:...
and 2005
2005 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2005 World Championship for men in team handball was played in Tunisia between January 23 and February 6, 2005.The winner of the gold medal was Spain, Croatia took silver and France won the bronze.-Group A :-Group B :...
championships, as well as at the 2009 Championship
2009 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2009 World Men's Handball Championship took place in Croatia from 16 January–1 February, in the cities of Split, Zadar, Osijek, Varaždin, Poreč, Zagreb and Pula. Croatia was selected from a group of four potential hosts which included the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania.The opening game and...
as hosts, losing in the final to France
France national handball team
France national handball team is the handball team, supervised by the French Handball Federation, that represents France in the international matches....
. Croatia also came in 3rd at the 1994 European Men's Handball Championship
1994 European Men's Handball Championship
-Final ranking:...
and 2nd at the 2008
2008 European Men's Handball Championship
The 2008 EHF European Men's Handball Championship was held in Norway from 17–27 January, in the cities of Bergen, Drammen, Lillehammer, Stavanger and Trondheim. Denmark won the tournament with Croatia second and France third....
and 2010
2010 European Men's Handball Championship
The 2010 EHF European Men's Handball Championship was held in Austria from 19–31 January, in the cities of Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Linz and Wiener Neustadt.-Venues:...
championships.
Basketball
The Croatian national basketball team won a silver medal at the 1992 Olympic basketball tournamentBasketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The Basketball games of the 1992 Summer Olympics were played at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona. 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams participated in the tournament....
, bronze medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
and bronze medals at EuroBasket 1993
EuroBasket 1993
-Venues:-First round:-A - Karlsruhe:-B - Berlin:-C - Karlsruhe:-D - Berlin:-Second round:-E - Karlsruhe:-F - Berlin:-Finals in Munich:-Places 5-8 in Munich:-Finals in Munich:-Final rankings:# # #...
and EuroBasket 1995
EuroBasket 1995
EuroBasket 1995 final tournament stage was XXIX European basketball championship and was held in Athens, Greece from 21 June to 2 July, 1995. This European championship was the first one that saw the successful return of Lithuania national basketball team to the tournament, since its last triumph...
. Croatian basketball clubs were Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
champions 5 times: KK Split
KK Split
KK Split , KK Split CO for sponsorship relations is a basketball club from Split, Croatia. Currently, KK Split competes in the A-1 Liga and Krešimir Ćosić Cup.-History:...
three times (in 1989, 1990 and 1991) and KK Cibona
KK Cibona
Košarkaški klub Cibona is a professional basketball club based in Zagreb, Croatia. It competes in the Croatian League and the Adriatic League.-History:The club was founded in 1946 under the name Sloboda...
in 1985 and 1986. Croatian basketball players such as Dražen Petrović
Dražen Petrovic
Dražen Petrović was a Yugoslav and Croatian professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he initially achieved success playing professional basketball in Europe in the 1980s before joining the American NBA in 1989...
, Krešimir Ćosić
Krešimir Cosic
Krešimir Ćosić was a Croatian professional basketball player who represented Yugoslavia internationally, a member of FIBA Hall of Fame and Basketball Hall of Fame...
and Toni Kukoč
Toni Kukoc
Toni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
were amongst the first foreign players to succeed in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Water polo
The Croatia national water polo team won a gold medal at the 2007 FINA World ChampionshipsWater Polo at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships
The Water Polo tournaments at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne, Australia, from 19 March to 1 April.The tournament was won by Croatia who did not lose a single match throughout the tournament and beat Hungary 9-8 in the final game...
and bronze medals in 2009
Water polo at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament
The men's water polo tournament at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome was held from July 20 to August 1. It was won by Serbia.-Teams:-Preliminary round:All times are Central European Summer Time -Tie-breaking criteria:...
and 2011
Water polo at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament
The men's water polo tournament at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, China was held from July 18 to July 30. The top three teams qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics.- Qualification :...
. The team also won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic water polo tournament
Water polo at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The men's water polo tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held from July 20 to July 28, 1996, in Atlanta, United States.-Group A:*Saturday July 20, 1996*Sunday July 21, 1996*Monday July 22, 1996*Tuesday July 23, 1996...
and gold medal at the 2010 European Championship
2010 Men's European Water Polo Championship
The 2010 Men's European Water Polo Championship was the 29th edition of the bi-annual event, organised by the Europe's governing body in aquatics, the Ligue Européenne de Natation...
as well as silver medals in the 1999 and 2003 European Championships. Croatian water polo clubs were 13 times LEN Euroleague
LEN Euroleague
The LEN Euroleague and the Women's Champions' Cup are the premier European water polo club competitions run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation...
champions. HAVK Mladost
HAVK Mladost
HAVK Mladost is a Croatian water polo club from Zagreb. It is part of the Mladost sports society. The club was formed in 1946 and is currently coached by Veselin Đuho.It was voted as the world's best water-polo club of the 20th century.- Famous players :...
from Zagreb was a seven time European Champion (in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1990, 1991 and 1996) and was awarded the title Best Club of the 20th Century by the LEN
Ligue Européenne de Natation
Ligue Européenne de Natation or LEN is the European governing body for aquatic sports affiliated to FINA—it is the Continental Association for Europe. It was founded in 1927 in Bologna, Italy....
. VK Jug from Dubrovnik and VK Jadran from Split were both three time European champions.
Rugby union
Rugby union in pre-independence Croatia was a moderately popular sport, but due to its recent international successes, it is gaining more recognition. Some people date the start of Croatian rugby to the 17th of January 1954 when the Mladost team from Zagreb was formed to become Croatia's first Rugby Club.Croatian sides competed in the Rugby Championship of Yugoslavia
Rugby Championship of Yugoslavia
The Rugby Championship of Yugoslavia was the highest level of rugby union competition in the federation of Yugoslavia. The league lasted until 1991, when several successor leagues were formed:*Croatian Rugby Championship- Results :-Wins by club :...
, which ran from 1957-1991. Croatia was something of a centre of rugby union in Yugoslavia before it gained its independence.
The biggest rugby "scrum
Scrum (rugby)
Scrum , in the sports of rugby union and rugby league, is a way of restarting the game, either after an accidental infringement or when the ball has gone out of play...
" in the world was made on 14 Oct 2007, in Croatia, with over 200 players of all categories from Croatian rugby club Nada
RK Nada
RK Nada is a rugby union club from Split, Croatia. It participates in the Croatian Rugby Championship, the Croatian Rugby Cup and the Regional Rugby Championship...
, for a Millennium Photo.
Volleyball
Croatia women's national volleyball teamCroatia women's national volleyball team
The Croatia women's national volleyball team represents Croatia in international women's volleyball competitions and friendly matches. The team's biggest successes came in 1995, 1997 and 1999 when Croatia won the silver medals at the European Championships.-Olympic Games:* 1996 — did not...
won silver medals three times at European Volleyball Championship
European Volleyball Championship
The European Volleyball Championship is a sport competition for national teams, currently held biannually and organized by the CEV, the European volleyball federation. There are both men's and women's competitions....
in 1995
1995 Women's European Volleyball Championship
The 1995 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 19th edition of the event, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. It was hosted in Arnhem and Groningen, Netherlands from September 23 to October 1, 1995...
, 1997
1997 Women's European Volleyball Championship
The 1997 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 20th edition of the event, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. It was hosted in Brno, Czech Republic from September 27 to October 5, 1997....
and 1999
1999 Women's European Volleyball Championship
The 1999 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 21st edition of the event, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball...
.
Individual sports
Janica KostelićJanica Kostelic
Janica Kostelić is a retired alpine ski racer from Croatia. She is the only woman to win four gold medals in alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics , and the only woman to win three alpine skiing gold medals in one Olympics ....
is the most successful female alpine ski racer
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
in the history of the Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
. She is the only woman to win four gold medals in alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics Alpine skiing events
Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years...
(in 2002
Alpine skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events held near Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. The downhill, Super G, and combined events were held at Snowbasin, the giant slalom at Park City, and the slalom at Deer Valley...
and 2006
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events, held at Sestriere and Cesana-San Sicario, Italy. The races were held from February 12-25, 2006.-Medal table:- Men's events :- Women's events :-Course Information:...
), and the only woman to win three alpine skiing gold medals in one Olympics (2002
Alpine skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events held near Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. The downhill, Super G, and combined events were held at Snowbasin, the giant slalom at Park City, and the slalom at Deer Valley...
). She also won two slilver medals in 2006
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events, held at Sestriere and Cesana-San Sicario, Italy. The races were held from February 12-25, 2006.-Medal table:- Men's events :- Women's events :-Course Information:...
. Janica was the World Cup
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
overall champion in 2001
2001 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 35th World Cup season began in October 2000 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in March 2001 at the World Cup finals at Åre, Sweden. The overall winners were Hermann Maier of Austria and Janica Kostelić of Croatia....
, 2003
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
, and 2006
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
. On February 5, 2006 Janica became only the second female skier to win all five disciplines in one season. She also holds the record for the highest number of points in one World Cup season. In 2006 she won Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year
Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year
List of winners and nominees of the Laureus World Sports Awards: Sportswoman of the Year-List of winners and nominees:-Statistics:Nominations*By sport:...
. Her elder brother Ivica Kostelić
Ivica Kostelic
Ivica Kostelić is an alpine ski racer from Zagreb, Croatia. He won the world championship in slalom in 2003 and three Olympic silver medals in slalom and combined , along with the overall World Cup title in 2011 and 18 World Cup races during his career...
was the 2003 World Champion in slalom
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2003
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2003 were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, from February 2-16, 2003.St. Moritz previously hosted the world championships in 1974, as well as the 1948 Winter Olympics and the 1928 Winter Olympics ....
and the Men's Overall Champion at the 2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup
2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February...
, and is a three-time Winter Olympic silver medalist himself.
Blanka Vlašić
Blanka Vlašic
Blanka Vlašić is a Croatian athlete who specialises in the high jump. She is the current Croatian record holder in the event, and also the current indoorWorld Champion. The daughter of Croatian decathlon record holder Joško Vlašić, she was a talented junior athlete and attended her first Olympic...
is the best-known Croatian track and field athlete; she specialises in the high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
. She is 2007 and 2009 World Champion
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's high jump
The women's high jump event at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany was held between 18 August and 20 August 2009.Reigning champion Blanka Vlašić had spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons largely unbeaten, but high profile losses in the Olympic high jump final and the 2008 IAAF Golden League...
. Blanka is also 2008 World Indoor Champion
2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships - Women's High Jump
-Medalists:-Qualification:Qualification rule: qualification standar 1.96m or at least best 8 qualified-Final:...
and 2008 Olympic silver medalist. Her personal best is 2.08 m (6.82 ft) (which is only 1 cm less than the world record) set in Zagreb at August 31, 2009.
- Alpine skiing
- Janica Kostelić, Ivica KostelićIvica KostelicIvica Kostelić is an alpine ski racer from Zagreb, Croatia. He won the world championship in slalom in 2003 and three Olympic silver medals in slalom and combined , along with the overall World Cup title in 2011 and 18 World Cup races during his career...
, Natko Zrnčić-DimNatko Zrncic-DimNatko Zrnčić-Dim is a Croatian alpine skier. He won a bronze medal in super combined at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2009 in Val d'Isère, France. He is a member of SK Medveščak....
, Ana JelušićAna JelušicAna Jelušić is a female skier from Croatia. At age 15, she was the youngest athlete competing at the 2002 Winter Olympics...
, Nika FleissNika FleissNika Fleiss is a former Croatian alpine skier.She lives in Samobor. Having started skiing at the age of 3, her best results are in slalom....
- Janica Kostelić, Ivica Kostelić
- Athletics
- Blanka Vlašić, Branko ZorkoBranko ZorkoBranko Zorko is a Croatian middle distance runner, a notable 1500 m competitor in the 1990s. Probably his biggest accomplishment is winning the first international medal for the country of Croatia, winning a bronze medal at the 1992 European Indoor Athletics Championships...
, Sandra PerkovićSandra PerkovićSandra Perković is a Croatian discus thrower. After a successful junior career, she won the discus throw gold medal at the 2010 European Championships, in her first year of senior competition...
- Blanka Vlašić, Branko Zorko
- Biathlon
- Jakov FakJakov FakJakov Fak is a Croatian-Slovenian biathlete. As a member of the Croatian biathlon team, Fak won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2009 and another bronze at the 2010 Winter Olympics...
- Jakov Fak
- Boxing
- Željko MavrovićŽeljko MavrovicŽeljko Mavrović is a retired male boxer from Croatia turned enterpreneur.-Background:Mavrović was born in Zagreb, in the neighbourhood Srednjaci ....
, Stipe DrvišStipe DrvišStipe Drews, birth name Stipe Drviš , is a Croatian professional boxer. He lost the WBA's version of the World light heavyweight championship title to Australian Danny Green on the 16th of December 2007.- Amateur career :...
, Mate ParlovMate ParlovMate Parlov was a Croatian boxer, and an Olympic gold medalist for former Yugoslavia. As a professional, he won the European light heavyweight title in 1976 and WBC light heavyweight world title in 1978....
- Željko Mavrović
- Canoeing
- Matija LjubekMatija LjubekMatija Ljubek was a successful canoer from Belišće, Croatia who later became a sports official for Croatia....
- Matija Ljubek
- Figure skating
- Sanda DubravčićSanda DubravcicSanda Dubravčić-Šimunjak is a Croatian figure skater who competed internationally for Yugoslavia. She is the 1981 European silver medalist...
, Idora HegelIdora HegelIdora Hegel is a Croatian figure skater. She is a 7-time Croatian national champion. She represented Croatia at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where she placed 19th, and at the 2006 Winter Olympics, where she again placed 19th.-Post-2002:-Pre-2002:* J = Junior level; WD = Withdrawn- References :*...
- Sanda Dubravčić
- Kickboxing
- Branko CikatićBranko CikaticBranko "The Croatian Tiger" Cikatić is a Croatian former heavyweight kickboxer, the first Croatian born fighter to achieve international success...
, Mirko FilipovićMirko FilipovicMirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
- Branko Cikatić
- Mixed martial arts
- Mirko FilipovićMirko FilipovicMirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
- Mirko Filipović
- Rowing
- Nikša SkelinNikša SkelinNikša Skelin is a Croatian rower who has won two Olympic medals. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens he won a silver medal in coxless pairs with his older brother Siniša.-External links:*...
, Siniša SkelinSiniša SkelinSiniša Skelin is a Croatian rower who has won two Olympic medals. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens he won a silver medal in coxless pairs with his younger brother Nikša.-External links:*...
- Nikša Skelin
- Swimming
- Miloš MiloševićMiloš MiloševicMiloš Milošević is a swimmer from Croatia. His best swimming discipline was butterfly stroke, but he also competed in freestyle and backstroke....
, Duje DraganjaDuje DraganjaDuje Draganja |Split]]) is a swimmer from Croatia who won the silver medal in the men's 50 meter freestyle at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece....
, Gordan KožuljGordan KožuljGordan Kožulj is a former backstroke swimmer from Croatia, who competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1996....
, Sanja JovanovićSanja JovanovicSanja Jovanović is a female backstroke swimmer from Croatia, who made her Olympic debut for her native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. There she competed in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke, where she finished in 17th and 13th position...
, Đurđica Bjedov, Mihovil Španja, Mario Todorović, Saša ImprićSaša ImpricSaša Imprić is a medley swimmer from Croatia, who made his Olympic debut for his native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. There he was eliminated in the qualifying heats of the 400 m Individual Medley....
- Miloš Milošević
- Table tennis
- Zoran PrimoracZoran PrimoracZoran Primorac is an accomplished male table tennis player from Croatia. He is considered to be among the best European players in the last 25 years .-Biography:Primorac was born in Zadar and started playing...
, Tamara BorošTamara BorošTamara Boroš is a female table tennis player competing for Croatia. She has been one of the relatively rare European players who competes at the highest level of the sport together with the players from Far East....
, Dragutin ŠurbekDragutin ŠurbekDragutin Šurbek is a legendary former table tennis player from Croatia. He is one of the most successful Croatian table tennis players ever....
, Antun StipančićAntun StipancicAntun "Tova" Stipančić was a top Croatian professional table tennis player and one of the most renowned personalities in the history of the competition, earning him the nickname "the golden left hand of Croatian sport"...
, Sandra PaovićSandra PaovicSandra Paović is a Croatian table tennis player.She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, reaching the second round of the singles competition. She also competed in the team competition....
- Zoran Primorac
- Tennis
- Goran IvaniševićGoran IvaniševicGoran Ivanišević is a retired Croatian professional tennis player. He is best remembered for being the only person to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon as a wildcard. He achieved this in 2001, having previously been runner-up at the championships in 1992, 1994 and 1998. Ivanišević is famous...
, Ivan LjubičićIvan Ljubicic----Ivan Ljubičić is a Croatian tennis player born in Bosnia and Herzegovina . His career-high ATP ranking to date has been no. 3, and he stands at no. 37....
, Marin ČilićMarin CilicMarin Čilić , is a Croatian professional tennis player. His career high ATP ranking is no. 9, achieved on 22 February 2010, following his best-ever performance at a Grand Slam, reaching the semi-finals in the 2010 Australian Open...
, Mario AnčićMario AncicMario Ančić is a retired Croatian professional tennis player. He won three singles titles and five doubles titles. His highest international ranking came during the 2006 ATP Tour, when he reached no. 7 in singles...
, Iva MajoliIva MajoliIva Majoli Marić is a former professional tennis player from Croatia. She upset Martina Hingis to win the women's singles title at the French Open in 1997. Majoli also won eight singles titles and one women's doubles title during her career.-Career:Majoli turned professional in 1991 at the age...
, Karolina ŠpremKarolina ŠpremKarolina Šprem was a Croatian tennis player.She has won eight titles all at the ITF level. She has not won any titles on the WTA Tour. Career highlight is a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon in 2004 where she defeated two-time champion, four-time finalist and then-world No...
, Ivo KarlovićIvo KarlovicIvo Karlović is a Croatian tennis player. He has won four ATP singles titles: three in 2007 and one in 2008. Karlović is the tallest player ever on the ATP Tour at 208 cm . He is a serve-and-volleyer, Karlovic holds the fastest serve recorded in professional tennis, measured at 251 km/h ...
, Lovro ZovkoLovro ZovkoLovro Zovko is a professional Croatian tennis player.-Tennis career:Early on in 2000 and 2001, Zovko reached the Umag final both years with Ivan Ljubičić....
, Petra MartićPetra MarticPetra Martić is a professional tennis player from Croatia. Her career high ranking is #47, achieved on September 26th 2011.-Early Career: 2006–2009:...
- Goran Ivanišević
Sports and leagues
National organizations and leagues exist in Croatia for most popular sports. Some of these include:- FootballFootball in CroatiaFootball in Croatia, called nogomet, is the most popular team sport in the country and is led by the Croatian Football Federation. It is played in four official components; the domestic league consists of three hierarchical echelons, and a single national team represents the entire state...
- Prva HNL
- HandballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
- Croatian First League of Handball
- Basketball
- A1 LigaA1 LigaThe A-1 Liga or Croatian A-1 League is the highest level basketball league in Croatia. It is operated by the Croatian Basketball Federation.-Current season teams :-Playoffs Champions:...
- A1 Liga
- FutsalFutsalFutsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
- Croatian First League of FutsalCroatian First League of FutsalThe Prva Hrvatska Malonogometna Liga is the top futsal league in Croatia.Twelve teams currently comprise the league. The Croatian First League winner is entered into the UEFA Futsal Cup. Clubs also compete in the Croatian Futsal Cup.The league was formed in 1991 with the dissolution of the...
- Croatian First League of Futsal
- Water poloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
- Croatian First League of Water PoloCroatian First League of Water PoloThe Croatian First League of Water Polo is the top water polo league in Croatia.The league was formed in 1991 with the dissolution of the Yugoslav First League of Water Polo and its first season started in 1992...
- Croatian First League of Water Polo
- Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
- Croatian Ice Hockey ChampionshipCroatian Ice Hockey ChampionshipThe Croatian Ice Hockey League is the top ice hockey league in Croatia. At the end of the season the Croatian Championship is held. The league is operated by the Croatian Ice Hockey Federation.-History:...
- Croatian Ice Hockey Championship
- Volleyball
- Croatian 1A Volleyball LeagueCroatian 1A Volleyball LeagueThe Croatian 1-A Volleyball League is the highest level of volleyball competition in Croatia. It is organized by the Croatian Volleyball Federation. It was founded in 1992.- Croatian Volleyball League and Cup winners - Men :...
- Croatian 1A Volleyball League
National sports teams
Some of Croatia's more successful national teams include:- Croatia national football teamCroatia national football teamThe Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
- Croatia national handball teamCroatia national handball teamThe Croatian national handball team is a handball team that represents Croatia in the international matches and has been playing since the country's independence in the early 1990s...
- Croatia national basketball teamCroatia national basketball teamThe Croatian national basketball team represents Croatia at international tournaments. It is organized by the Croatian Basketball Federation...
- Croatia Davis Cup teamCroatia Davis Cup teamThe Croatia Davis Cup team represents Croatia in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Croatian Tennis Association.Croatia won the Davis Cup in 2005...
- Croatia national water polo team
- Croatia women's national volleyball teamCroatia women's national volleyball teamThe Croatia women's national volleyball team represents Croatia in international women's volleyball competitions and friendly matches. The team's biggest successes came in 1995, 1997 and 1999 when Croatia won the silver medals at the European Championships.-Olympic Games:* 1996 — did not...
- Croatia national cricket team
- Croatia national beach handball teamCroatia national beach handball teamThe Croatia national beach handball team is the national team of Croatia. It is governed by the Croatian Handball Federation and takes part in international beach handball competitions.-Results:* 2004 Beach Handball World Championships: 4th...
- Croatia women's national beach handball teamCroatia women's national beach handball teamThe Croatia women's national beach handball team is the national team of Croatia. It is governed by the Croatian Handball Federation and takes part in international beach handball competitions.-Results:* 2004 Beach Handball World Championships: 4th...
Achievements
| × | International | International | Club | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football | World Cup FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body... 3rd (1998) |
European Championship UEFA European Football Championship The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current... Quarter Finals (1996 & 2008) |
Champion's League Quarterfinals Hajduk Split vs Ajax (1994/95) |
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Inter-Cities Fairs Cup The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials... Champion (Dinamo Zagreb Dinamo Zagreb GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten... ) |
| Handball Team handball Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team... |
World Championship World Men's Handball Championship The World Championship in team handball for men has been organized by the International Handball Federation since 1938.- History :In 1938, the first indoor handball world championship was played in the Deutschlandhalle in Berlin, Germany on 5 February and 6 February... Champion |
European Championship European Men's Handball Championship The European men's handball championship is the official competition for senior men's national handball teams of Europe, and takes place every two years. In addition to crowning the European champions, the tournament also serves as a qualifying tournament for the World Championship... 2nd (2) |
Champion's League EHF Champions League The EHF Champions League is the most important professional club handball competition in Europe . The competition was started in the 1956–57 season, and is administered by the European Handball Federation.The most successful teams are from Germany and Spain... Champion (3) |
Cup Winners' Cup EHF Cup Winner's Cup The EHF Cup Winners' Cup is the official competition for men's and women's clubs of Europe that won their national cup, and takes place every year. From 2012/13 the men's competition will be merged with EHF Cup to EHF European Cup. -Winners:-By Country:... 2nd |
| Basketball | World Championship FIBA World Championship The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body... 3rd |
Eurobasket Eurobasket The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and... 3rd (2) |
Euroleague Euroleague Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is... Champion (5) |
NLB League NLB League Liga ABA, also known as Adriatic League, until September 2011 known as the NLB Liga ABA for sponsorship reasons, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.The league exists alongside scaled-down national... Champion |
| Water Polo Water polo Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a... |
World Championship Water polo world championship The FINA World Water Polo Championship is an international water polo tournament, currently held every two years as part of the FINA World Aquatics Championships. Currently the reigning champions are Italy in men's and Greece in women's competition.-History:... Champion |
European Championship European Water Polo Championship The European Water Polo Championship is a sport competition for national water polo teams, currently held biannually and organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation , the governing European aquatics federation. There are both men's and women's competitions.The first European Water Polo... Champion |
LEN Euroleague LEN Euroleague The LEN Euroleague and the Women's Champions' Cup are the premier European water polo club competitions run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation... Champion (13) |
LEN Cup LEN Cup The LEN Cup is a second-tier European water polo club competition run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation for those clubs who did not qualify for the LEN Euroleague. The cup was inaugurated in 1992... Champion (2) |
| Tennis | Davis Cup Davis Cup The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By... Champion |
World Team Cup World Team Cup The World Team Cup is the international team championship of the Association of Tennis Professionals . The tournament has been contested annually since 1978 and is generally considered to be second most prestigious men's team competition in tennis after the Davis Cup.Every year, the eight nations... Champion |
N/A | N/A |
Olympic Games
Croatia has participated in the following Summer Olympic Games to date:- Croatia at the 1992 Summer OlympicsCroatia at the 1992 Summer OlympicsCroatia competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time as an independent nation at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Previously, Croatian athletes had competed for Yugoslavia at the Olympic Games.-Medalists:-Athletics:...
- Croatia at the 1996 Summer OlympicsCroatia at the 1996 Summer OlympicsCroatia competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States.-Medalists:|Patrik Ćavar-Athletics:Men's 1,500 metres* Branko Zorko* 14th placeMen's Discus Throw* Dragan Mustapić...
- Croatia at the 2000 Summer OlympicsCroatia at the 2000 Summer Olympics-Medalists:-Men's Competition:Men's 100 metres* Dejan Vojnović* Round 1 — 10.50 Men's 1,500 metres* Branko Zorko* Round 1 — 03:46.16 Men's 400 m Hurdles* Darko Juričić...
- Croatia at the 2004 Summer OlympicsCroatia at the 2004 Summer OlympicsCroatia competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The team included 81 athletes in 14 sports, 30 members of expert teams, six Olympic Mission members, as well as three doctors and seven physiotherapists, organized by the Croatian Olympic Committee.The flag of Croatia at the opening...
- Croatia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Croatia has participated in the following Winter Olympic Games to date:
- Croatia at the 1992 Winter OlympicsCroatia at the 1992 Winter OlympicsCroatia competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time as an independent nation at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France...
- Croatia at the 1994 Winter OlympicsCroatia at the 1994 Winter OlympicsCroatia competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway with three athletes in two sports.-Alpine skiing:Men-Cross country skiing:Men-References:*...
- Croatia at the 1998 Winter OlympicsCroatia at the 1998 Winter Olympics-Cross-country skiing:* Antonio Rački** 10 km classical: no result-Alpine skiing:* Janica Kostelić** downhil: 25th place, 1.31.97 ** slalom: no result** giant slalom: 24th place, 2.59.39 ** superveleslalom: 26th place, 1.19.77...
- Croatia at the 2002 Winter OlympicsCroatia at the 2002 Winter OlympicsCroatia competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States. Janica Kostelić won four medals , a record for the most medals ever won by a woman skier at a single Olympics...
- Croatia at the 2006 Winter OlympicsCroatia at the 2006 Winter Olympics-Medalists:- Alpine skiing :MenWomenNote: In the men's combined, run 1 is the downhill, and runs 2 and 3 are the slalom. In the women's combined, run 1 and 2 are the slalom, and run 3 the downhill.- Biathlon :- Bobsleigh :...
- Croatia at the 2010 Winter OlympicsCroatia at the 2010 Winter OlympicsCroatia participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Croatian delegation consisted of nineteen athletes in four sports.- Medalists :- Alpine Skiing :Croatia qualified ten alpine skiers...
Future sporting events
Croatia is in the process of rapidly modernising and expanding its sporting arenas, as it prepares to host the 2009 World Men's Handball Championship2009 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2009 World Men's Handball Championship took place in Croatia from 16 January–1 February, in the cities of Split, Zadar, Osijek, Varaždin, Poreč, Zagreb and Pula. Croatia was selected from a group of four potential hosts which included the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania.The opening game and...
. The nation's arenas are primarily used for handball and basketball games.
The country also competed for hosting the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship
2012 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2012, will be the 14th European Championship for national football teams sanctioned by UEFA. The final tournament will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012...
in a joint bid with Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, planning a similar process of building and modernization of the nation's four largest football stadiums (in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
and Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
), but the bid failed due to certain elements in both countries.
See also
- Football in CroatiaFootball in CroatiaFootball in Croatia, called nogomet, is the most popular team sport in the country and is led by the Croatian Football Federation. It is played in four official components; the domestic league consists of three hierarchical echelons, and a single national team represents the entire state...
- Croatian Rowing FederationCroatian Rowing FederationThe Croatian Rowing Federation is the governing body of rowing in Croatia. It organizes the Croatian representation at international competitions and the Croatian national championships.The federation was formed on November 4, 1939 in Zagreb...
- Ice hockey in CroatiaIce hockey in Croatia-Prior to World War II:On November 9, 1935 the Association for Skating and Ice Hockey was founded in Zagreb, although ice hockey in Croatia had been inherent for some 30 years, considering that dr Franjo Bučar, the father of Croatian sport, had founded skating section in 1894.First game on natural...
- Croatia national American football team