Nickname(s) | Lavice (The Lionesses) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Croatian Football Federation (HNS) | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Nenad Gračan | ||
Captain | Doris Bačić | ||
Most caps | Iva Landeka (102) | ||
Top scorer | Maja Joščak (20) | ||
FIFA code | CRO | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 59 2 (13 December 2024) [1] | ||
Highest | 44 (July 2003 – June 2005) | ||
Lowest | 65 (November 2010; July 2011) | ||
First international | |||
Slovenia 3–2 Croatia (Ižakovci, Slovenia; 28 October 1993) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Croatia 8–2 Slovenia (Kecskemét, Hungary; 27 May 2001) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Romania 10–0 Croatia (Bucharest, Romania; 2 October 2004) | |||
Website | hns-cff.hr |
The Croatia women's national football team represents Croatia in international women's football matches. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Croatia. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colours reference two national symbols: the Croatian checkerboard and the country's tricolour. They are colloquially referred to as the Lavice ('Lionesses'). So far, the Lavice have not qualified for any major tournament.
After winning independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, the newly established Croatian Football Federation immediately moved toward creating separate national football teams to represent the country, which included the establishment of the women's team. Three years after the men's team debut, the women's team of Croatia officially marked their international debut, playing against neighbouring Slovenia in a friendly on 28 October 1993, where Croatia lost 2–3 away.
Since its inception, the women's team of Croatia has suffered from the lack of coverage from the increasingly successful men's side. Most of Croatia's female footballers, unlike the male ones, are made up of only amateur or part-timers, and thus they are not adequately trained. As for the result, while the men's team has been largely competitive and qualified for several UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup, the women's team is unable to repeat the same as the men's one, and has a tendency of being finished near bottom or bottom of the qualifications for UEFA Women's Championship and FIFA Women's World Cup.
The Croatia women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Lavice".[ citation needed ]
Like the men's counterparts, the Croatian women's team also maintained a rivalry with its neighbour Serbia. However, unlike the men's, the women's team of Croatia, which has long suffered from lack of investment, could not demonstrate its domination against its Serbian arch-rival.
Win Draw Lose Fixture
23 February 2023–24 UEFA Nations League play-offs | Croatia | 0–3 | Norway | Osijek, Croatia |
Report | Stadium: Opus Arena Referee: Abigail Byrne (England) |
27 February 2023–24 UEFA Nations League play-offs | Norway | 5–0 (8–0 agg.) | Croatia | Stavanger |
Stadium: Viking Stadion Referee: Veronika Kovarova (Czech Republic) | ||||
Note: Norway won 8–0 on aggregate, and therefore both teams remained in their respective leagues. |
5 April Euro 2025 qualifying | Wales | 4–0 | Croatia | Wrexham |
Report | Stadium: Racecourse Ground Referee: Zuzana Valentová (Slovakia) |
9 April Euro 2025 qualifying | Croatia | 1–0 | Ukraine | Zaprešić |
Report | Stadium: Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium Referee: Zulema González (Spain) |
31 May UEFA Euro 2025 qualifying | Kosovo | 0–1 | Croatia | Podujevo, Kosovo |
17:00 | Report | Rudelić 58' | Stadium: Zahir Pajaziti Stadium Referee: Kristina Georgieva (Bulgaria) |
4 June UEFA Euro 2025 qualifying | Croatia | 2–0 | Kosovo | Karlovac, Croatia |
Rudelić 15' Marković 74' | Report | Stadium: Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek Referee: Michaela Pachtová (Czech Republic) |
12 July Euro 2025 qualifying | Croatia | 0–3 | Wales | Karlovac, Croatia |
Report | Stadium: Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek |
16 July Euro 2025 qualifying | Ukraine | 2–0 | Croatia | Skopje, North Macedonia |
19:00 | Report | Stadium: Petar Miloševski Training Centre |
25 October 2024 Euro 2025 qualifying play-off | Croatia | 1–1 | Northern Ireland | Varaždin, Croatia |
18:00 CEST (UTC+01:00) | Lojna 4' (pen.) | Report | Lojna 90+2' (o.g.) | Stadium: Stadion Varteks |
29 October 2024 Euro 2025 qualifying play-off | Northern Ireland | 1–0 (a.e.t.) (2–1 agg.) | Croatia | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
20:00 CEST (UTC+01:00) |
| Report | Stadium: Windsor Park |
Position | Staff |
---|---|
Head Coach | Nenad Gračan |
Assistant Coach | Jure Perković |
Assistant Coach | Nenad Glušica |
Assistant Coach | Helena Hercigonja-Moulton |
Goalkeeping Coach | Blaž Bugarin |
Players with at least 20 appearances -> List of Croatia women's international footballers
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | Doris Bačić | 23 February 1995 | 77 | 0 | Napoli |
12 | GK | Ana Filipović | 4 July 2003 | 0 | 0 | Dinamo Zagreb |
12 | GK | Ana Ristovski | 0 | 0 | ||
3 | DF | Ana Jelenčić | 8 June 1994 | 47 | 1 | Servette |
5 | DF | Kristina Nevrkla | 17 June 2003 | 88 | 4 | Osijek |
DF | Janja Čanjevac | 8 August 1999 | 9 | 0 | Hajduk Split | |
12 | DF | Nina Varga | 0 | 0 | ||
12 | DF | Tijan Sally Mckenna | 0 | 0 | ||
15 | DF | Maria Kunštek | 6 November 1998 | 28 | 0 | Växjö DFF |
4 | DF | Lucia Orkić | 22 June 2005 | Bergheim | ||
12 | DF | Lucia Ivona Duras | 0 | 0 | ||
DF | Barbara Živković | 15 February 2005 | Osijek | |||
22 | MF | Izabela Lojna | 11 May 1992 | 81 | 12 | Osijek |
11 | MF | Ivana Slipčević | 23 August 1998 | 11 | 0 | FC Ingolstadt |
13 | MF | Helena Spajić | 8 February 2000 | 25 | 0 | Dinamo Zagreb |
7 | MF | Petra Pezelj | 28 October 1998 | 41 | 2 | Unattached |
22 | MF | Maja Joščak | Osijek | |||
6 | MF | Tea Krznarić | 9 August 2004 | 14 | 0 | St. Pölten |
10 | MF | Anela Lubina | 18 December 1995 | 43 | 2 | Osijek |
9 | FW | Ivana Rudelić | 25 January 1992 | 44 | 17 | Basel |
FW | Ana Maria Marković | 9 November 1999 | 12 | 1 | Braga | |
11 | FW | Petra Mikulica | 2 February 2005 | Grasshopper | ||
17 | FW | Karla Jedvaj | 16 November 2000 | 13 | 0 | SPG FC Blau-Weiß Linz/Union Kleinmünchen |
17 | FW | Antea Guvo | 0 |
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Danijela Vidović | 5 June 2003 | 0 | 0 | Donat | Slovakia, 26 September 2023 |
GK | Laura Fiket | 5 June 2002 | 0 | 0 | Unattached | Kosovo, 4 June 2024 |
GK | Carlotta Sesjak | 24 April 2006 | 0 | 0 | SGS Essen II | Ukraine, 16 July 2024 |
GK | Victoria Šafradin | 23 April 2005 | 0 | 0 | Virginia Cavaliers | Ukraine, 16 July 2024 |
GK | Nika Radolović | 22 April 2008 | 0 | 0 | Istra 1961 | Northern Ireland,29 October 2024 |
DF | Leonarda Balog | 5 February 1993 | 65 | 1 | St. Pölten | Ukraine, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Lucia Domazet | 17 June 2003 | 10 | 0 | Eintracht Frankfurt II | Norway, 5 April 2024 |
DF | Antonia Dulčić | 4 February 1997 | 24 | 0 | Hajduk Split | Northern Ireland,29 October 2024 |
DF | Tea Vračević | 25 April 2006 | St. Pölten | Northern Ireland,29 October 2024 | ||
MF | Fatjesa Gegollaj | 5 November 2001 | Al-Ula | Ukraine, 9 April 2024 | ||
MF | Ivana Kirilenko | 21 June 2000 | 8 | 0 | Osijek | Ukraine, 9 April 2024 |
MF | Veronika Terzić | 16 February 2000 | Sarajevo | Ukraine, 9 April 2024 | ||
MF | Mia Došen | 25 September 2003 | Parkside Rangers | Slovakia, 26 September 2023 | ||
MF | Ružica Krajinović | 10 May 2002 | 7 | 0 | Sturm Graz | Ukraine, 16 July 2024 |
MF | Ella Ljuština | 10 May 2002 | 11 | 1 | Grasshopper | Ukraine, 16 July 2024 |
MF | Antea Batarilo | 2 October 2005 | Austria Wien | Ukraine, 16 July 2024 | ||
MF | Matea Bošnjak | Split | Northern Ireland,29 October 2024 | |||
MF | Bianca Galić | 14 May 1999 | Central Coast Mariners | Northern Ireland,29 October 2024 | ||
FW | Nika Petarić | 2 June 2002 | 2 | 0 | Dinamo Zagreb | Romania, 5 December 2023 |
FW | Selma Pajazetović [note 1] | 3 May 1996 | 2 | 0 | SCR Altach | Slovakia, 26 September 2023 |
FW | Paula Vidović | 16 June 2003 | FC Ingolstadt | Kosovo, 4 June 2024 | ||
FW | Andrea Glibo | 5 April 2002 | 5 | 0 | St. Pölten | Ukraine, 16 July 2024 |
FW | Andrea Iljkić | 6 October 2004 | 0 | 0 | LSU Tigers | Ukraine, 16 July 2024 |
FW | Jelena Đorđić | 27 January 2002 | USV Neulengbach | Northern Ireland,29 October 2024 | ||
|
Champions
Runners-up
Third place
Fourth place
Tournament played fully or partially on home soil
FIFA Women's World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1991 | Part of Yugoslavia | ||||||||||||||||
1995 | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||||
1999 | |||||||||||||||||
2003 | Did not qualify | 2/5 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 11 | |||||||||
2007 | 2/4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 11 | ||||||||||
2011 | 6/6 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 27 | ||||||||||
2015 | 4/6 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 20 | ||||||||||
2019 | 5/5 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 20 | ||||||||||
2023 | 4/6 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 18 | ||||||||||
2027 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
Total | 0/9 | — | 0/6 | 52 | 12 | 9 | 31 | 49 | 107 |
Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 6 September 2022 after the match against Lithuania.
Matches | |
---|---|
First match | – |
Biggest win | – |
Biggest defeat | – |
UEFA Women's Championship record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | Rnk | |
1969 | Part of Yugoslavia | ||||||||||||||||||
1979 | |||||||||||||||||||
1984 | |||||||||||||||||||
1987 | |||||||||||||||||||
1989 | |||||||||||||||||||
1991 | |||||||||||||||||||
1993 | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||||||
1995 | Did not qualify | 2/4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 18 | – | ||||||||||
1997 | 4/4 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 23 | ||||||||||||
2001 | 4/4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 19 | ||||||||||||
2005 | 3/5 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 22 | ||||||||||||
2009 | 3/4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 6 | ||||||||||||
2013 | 5/5 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 26 | ||||||||||||
2017 | 4/5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 15 | ||||||||||||
2022 | 4/5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 19 | ||||||||||||
2025 | 3/4 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 11 | [a] | 25th | ||||||||||
2029 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||||
Total | 0/10 | — | 0/9 | 55 | 14 | 6 | 35 | 64 | 148 | 25th |
Matches | |
---|---|
First match | – |
Biggest win | – |
Biggest defeat | – |
UEFA Women's Nations League | Finals record | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Lg | Gp | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | Rnk | Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | |
2023–24 | B | 2 | 2nd | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 18 | * | 23rd | 2024 | Did not qualify | ||||||||
2025 | B | 4 | To be determined | 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
Total | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 23rd | Total | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Promoted at end of season | |
No movement at end of season | |
Relegated at end of season | |
* | Participated in promotion/relegation play-offs |
Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks; correct as of 5 December 2023 after the match against Romania.
Matches | |
---|---|
First match | Croatia 2–1 Romania (Varaždin, Croatia; 22 September 2023) |
Biggest win | Croatia 2–0 Slovakia (Velika Gorica, Croatia; 1 December 2023) |
Biggest defeat | Slovakia 4–0 Croatia (Senec, Slovakia; 26 September 2023) |
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Iva Landeka | 102 | 14 | 2006–2022 |
2 | Kristina Nevrkla | 97 | 4 | 2008– |
3 | Sandra Žigić | 94 | 10 | 2005–2019 |
4 | Izabela Lojna | 90 | 14 | 2010– |
5 | Doris Bačić | 86 | 0 | 2011– |
6 | Maja Joščak | 79 | 20 | 2006– |
7 | Leonarda Balog | 72 | 1 | 2009– |
8 | Kristina Šundov | 59 | 8 | 2003–2020 |
9 | Violeta Baban | 58 | 8 | 2002–2016 |
10 | Ana Jelenčić | 57 | 1 | 2011– |
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ivana Rudelić | 20 | 53 | 0.38 | 2015– |
Maja Joščak | 79 | 0.25 | 2006– | ||
3 | Katarina Kolar | 16 | 40 | 0.4 | 2006–2014 |
4 | Izabela Lojna | 14 | 90 | 0.16 | 2010– |
Iva Landeka | 102 | 0.14 | 2006–2022 | ||
6 | Marina Koljenik | 13 | 35 | 0.37 | 1994–2007 |
7 | Ljiljana Jakšić | 12 | 22 | 0.55 | 1995–2005 |
8 | Sandra Žigić | 10 | 94 | 0.11 | 2005–2019 |
9 | Violeta Baban | 8 | 58 | 0.14 | 2003–2020 |
Kristina Šundov | 59 | 0.14 | 2002–2016 | ||
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The Croatia women's national under-17 football team represents Croatia in international women's football matches for players aged 17 or under. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Croatia. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colours reference two national symbols: the Croatian checkerboard and the country's tricolour. They are colloquially referred to as the Lavice ('Lionesses'). So far, the Lavice have not qualified for UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, and consequently for FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, as the European Championship serves as the qualifier for the World Cup.
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This article lists various football records in relation to the Croatia national football team.