For tiny Croatia, ‘it’s fantastic’
DREAM COMES TRUE Coach Dalic lauds team’s effort as Croatia stand on the verge of achieving something special
The modern Croatian team was formed in 1990, just a year before the country gained independence. Only six years later, they participated in their first major tournament — Euro 1996 where they lost to Germany in the quarter-finals.
The success of Euro 1996 marked the beginning of an era of what is known as ‘golden In the ensuing years, Croatia qualified for World Cup finals in 2002, 2006 and 2014 but could not progress beyond group stage. In European Championships, they made the quarter-finals in 2008 and round of 16 in 2016. generation’ that culminated in Croatia bagging the third place in the 1998 World Cup in France, the best debut by any country after Portugal had finished third in 1966.
The icing on the cake for Croatia in the 1998 World Cup was their star Davor Suker walking away with the Golden Boot award for scoring six goals. The ongoing World Cup has now seen emergence of another golden generation with players like Luka
Modric, Mario
Mandzukic and Ivan
Rakitic performing admirably in taking their team to the final. Croatia have done even better in tennis than football. In 2005, they won the Davis Cup, the team competition, which features 160 counties and could be considered the World Cup of tennis. They also finished runners-up in 2016.
Goran Ivanisevic was their first big tennis star and won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon in 2001, scripting a fairytale ending as a wild card entrant. Iva Majoli was the first to achieve Grand Slam singles success for Croatia when she stunned Martina Hingis to win the women's singles title at the French Open in 1997. Current star Marin Cilic clinched men’s singles crown at the US Open in 2014.
Among doubles players, Mate Pavic is their most decorated tennis player from the country winning as many as three Grand Slam doubles titles. He also holds the distinction of becoming the first player from Croatia to rise to No 1 in ATP rankings. Since declaring independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,Croatiahaswon11 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals in seven summer Olympics. Besides tennis, handball and water polo, their sportspersons have done well in weightlifting, athletics, shooting and rowing. Croatia are placed 49th in the all-time medals table for all Summer Olympic Games. What is remarkable about the current team is the kind of energy its players have put in despite being among teams with a high average age (average age of the side is 29.7).
Three of Croatia’s players
RECORD IN WORLD CUP
1998- Third
2002- Group stage (23rd) 2006- Group stage (22nd) 2010- Did not qualify 2014- Group stage (19th) LUKA MODRIC, Croatia skipper They have a highly successful water polo programme with the men’s team winning gold in 2012 London Olympics and silver medals in 1996 Atlanta and 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The country won the world championships in 2002 and 2017 and many medals in European Championships, World Cup and World League. — Modric, Rakitic, Perisic — are above 30. But as it was witnessed in the semi-final against England (which had an average age of 25.7), when it comes to fitness and energy levels, they can do better than their younger rivals.
RECORD IN EUROS
1996- Quarter-finals 2000- Did not qualify 2004- Group stage (14th) 2008- Quarter-finals 2012- Group stage
2016- Round of 16 Croatia made a grand start in their Olympic campaign when their men’s team won the gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, their second appearance at the Summer Olympics as an independent start, despite poor preparation due to factionalism in the team. Having inherited the handball traditions of Yugoslavia, they regained the gold in 2004 Olympics Games after winning the World Championships in 2003. They have won other medals in Olympics, World Championships, European Championships and Mediterranean Games.