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 | 58 2 (15 December 2023) [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 hadn't 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, long suffered from lack of investment, could not demonstrate its domination against its Serbian arch-rival.
Win Draw Lose Fixture
7 April Friendly | Greece | 1–1 | Croatia | Athens, Greece |
12:00 |
| Report |
| Stadium: Georgios Kamaras Stadium Referee: Lotta Vuorio (Finland) |
10 April Friendly | Greece | 2–1 | Croatia | Athens, Greece |
11:00 UTC+3 |
| Report | 42' | Stadium: Georgios Kamaras Stadium |
22 September Nations League B Gr 2 | Croatia | 2–1 | Romania | Varaždin, Croatia |
20:15 | Report |
| Stadium: Stadion Varteks Referee: Maria Marotta (Italy) Assistant referees: Fourth official: Deborah Bianchi (Italy) |
26 September Nations League B Gr 2 | Slovakia | 4–0 | Croatia | Senec, Slovakia |
18:00 | Report |
| Stadium: NTC Senec Referee: Alexandra Collin (France) Assistant referees: Fourth official: Emeline Rochebiliere (Italy) |
27 October 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Finland | 3–0 | Croatia | Helsinki |
17:45 | Report | Stadium: Bolt Arena, Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (Switzerland) |
31 October 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Croatia | 0–2 | Finland | Šibenik |
18:00 | Report |
| Stadium: Stadion Šubićevac, Referee: Teresa Oliveira (Portugal) |
1 December 2023 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Croatia | 2–0 | Slovakia | Velika Gorica |
18:00 |
| Report | Stadium: Stadion Radnik Attendance: 347 Referee: Hristiyana Guteva (Bulgaria) |
5 December 2023 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Romania | 0–1 | Croatia | Bucharest |
19:00 (20:00 EET) | Report | Stadium: Stadionul Arcul de Triumf Referee: Rasa Grigonė (Lithuania) |
23 February 2023–24 UEFA Nations League play-offs | Croatia | 0–3 | Norway | Osijek, Croatia |
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. |
Position | Staff |
---|---|
Head Coach | Nenad Gračan |
Assistant Coach | Jure Perković |
Assistant Coach | Nenad Glušica |
Assistant Coach | Helena Hercigonja-Moulton |
Goalkeeping Coach | Blaž Bugarin |
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Danijela Vidović | 5 June 2003 | 0 | 0 | Rijeka | Slovakia, 26 September 2023 |
DF | Janja Čanjevac | 8 August 1999 | 9 | 0 | Hajduk | Slovakia, 26 September 2023 |
MF | Mia Došen | 25 September 2003 | Parkside | Slovakia, 26 September 2023 | ||
MF | Helena Spajić | 8 February 2000 | 25 | 0 | Dinamo Zagreb | Finland, 31 October 2023 |
MF | Fatjesa Gegollaj | 5 November 2001 | Al-Ula | Finland, 31 October 2023 | ||
MF | Ella Ljuština | 10 May 2002 | 11 | 1 | Zürich | Romania, 5 December 2023 |
MF | Antea Batarilo | 2 October 2005 | Romania, 5 December 2023 | |||
FW | Selma Kajdić | 3 May 1996 | 2 | 0 | Dornbirn | Slovakia, 26 September 2023 |
FW | Jelena Đorđić | 27 January 2002 | First Vienna | Romania, 5 December 2023 | ||
FW | Nika Petarić | 2 June 2002 | 2 | 0 | Dinamo Zagreb | Romania, 5 December 2023 |
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 | |
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 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
Total | 0/15 | — | 0/8 | 55 | 14 | 6 | 35 | 64 | 148 |
Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 23 February 2021 after the match against Romania.
Matches | |
---|---|
First match | – |
Biggest win | – |
Biggest defeat | – |
UEFA Women's Nations League | Finals record | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | LG | GP | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | RK | Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | |
2023–24 | B | 2 | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 23rd | 2024 | Did not qualify | |||||||||
Total | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | Total | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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 | Sandra Žigić | 94 | 10 | 2005–2019 |
3 | Kristina Nevrkla | 87 | 4 | 2008– |
4 | Izabela Lojna | 82 | 12 | 2010– |
5 | Maja Joščak | 77 | 20 | 2006–2019 |
Doris Bačić | 0 | 2011– | ||
7 | Leonarda Balog | 68 | 1 | 2009– |
8 | Kristina Šundov | 59 | 8 | 2003–2020 |
9 | Violeta Baban | 58 | 8 | 2002–2016 |
10 | Ana Jelenčić | 47 | 1 | 2011– |
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Maja Joščak | 20 | 77 | 0.26 | 2006–2019 |
2 | Ivana Rudelić | 18 | 46 | 0.38 | 2015– |
3 | Katarina Kolar | 16 | 40 | 0.4 | 2006–2014 |
4 | Iva Landeka | 14 | 102 | 0.14 | 2006–2022 |
5 | Marina Koljenik | 13 | 35 | 0.37 | 1994–2007 |
6 | Ljiljana Jakšić | 12 | 22 | 0.55 | 1995–2005 |
Izabela Lojna | 81 | 0.15 | 2010– | ||
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 | ||
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football matches. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), 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 Vatreni (Blazers) and Kockasti.
The Belarus women's national football team represents Belarus in international women's football. The team is governed by the Football Federation of Belarus.
The Croatia national under-21 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players 21 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 Mladi vatreni. So far, the Mladi vatreni qualified for five UEFA European Under-21 Championships, namely in 2000, 2004, 2019, 2021 and 2023. Croatia was unable to pass the group stage until the 2021 Euro when it was eliminated in the quarter-finals, its greatest accomplishment in the European competition so far.
The Iceland women's national football team represents Iceland in international women's football. They are currently ranked as the 14th best women's national team in the world by FIFA as of August 2023. On 30 October 2008, the national team qualified to the 2009 UEFA Women's Championship, the first major football tournament Iceland ever took part in, having previously competed in the 1995 UEFA Women's Championship which was a home and away knockout competition. At the 2013 UEFA Women's Championship, they took their first point in a major championship, following a draw against Norway in the opening game.
The Greece women's national football team represents Greece in international women's football. The only international tournament the team took place in were the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Automatically qualified as hosts, Greece lost all three matches in their group without scoring a goal.
The Czech Republic women's national football team is the women's association football team of the Czech Republic.
The Malta women's national football team represents the Malta Football Association in international women's football matches sanctioned by UEFA.
The Slovenia women's national football team represents Slovenia in international women's football and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia, the governing body for football in Slovenia. The team played its first official match in 1993, two years after the country gained independence from Yugoslavia. Before that, Slovenian players played for the Yugoslavia national team.
The Serbia women's national football team represents Serbia in international women's football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia.
The Azerbaijan women's national football team represents Azerbaijan in international women's football. They are currently 79th in the FIFA Women's World Rankings. Azerbaijan has never qualified for any international tournament. The majority of Azerbaijan's home matches are held at the national stadium, Tofiq Bahramov Stadium.
The Croatia national under-17 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players 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 Mali vatreni. So far, the Mali vatreni qualified for nine UEFA European Under-17 Championships. Croatia's greatest success in the tournament was third place in 2001. The team also finished fourth in 2005. Croatia also participated in three FIFA U-17 World Cups since its independence, in 2001, 2013 and 2015, being eliminated in quarter-finals in 2015, its biggest success so far in this tournament.
The Croatia national under-19 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players 19 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 Mladi vatreni. So far, the Mladi vatreni qualified for five UEFA European Under-19 Championships, namely in 1998, 2000, 2010, 2012 and 2016. Croatia won third place two times, namely in 1996 and 2010, its greatest success in the tournament so far.
The Georgia women's national football team represents Georgia in international football. Georgia took part in the world cup qualification group 7 for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, but withdrew after two matches, against Yugoslavia (0–11) and Turkey (0–1). After this, Georgia did not take part in qualification until the European Championships in 2009. Then, Georgia were placed in a group with Turkey, Northern Ireland and Croatia. Georgia finished last, with no points.
The Slovakia women's national football team represents Slovakia in international women's association football.
The Austria national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Austria and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association.
The Croatia national under-20 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players 20 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 Mladi vatreni. So far, the Mladi vatreni qualified for three FIFA U-20 World Cups, namely in 1999, 2011 and 2013. The team's greatest accomplishment is passing the group stage at the 1999 and 2013 tournaments.
The Croatia women's national under-19 football team represents Croatia in international women's football matches for players aged 19 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 hadn't qualified for UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship, and consequently for FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, as the European Championship serves as the qualifier for the World Cup.
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 hadn't 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.
The Croatia national under-16 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players 16 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 Mali vatreni. The Mali vatreni participate in the UEFA Under-16 Development Tournaments which are organised annually in several UEFA member countries. Croatia won four of the Development Tournaments: 2014 in Switzerland, 2018 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 2019 and 2022 in Croatia.
The Croatia national under-15 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players 15 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 Mali vatreni. The Mali vatreni participate in the UEFA Under-15 Development Tournaments, ending up as runners-up in the 2023 tournament in Croatia, its first competition in the tournament so far. Other than that, the team competes in Vlatko Marković International Tournament established by the HNS in 2019. The team won the tournament three times, in 2021, 2022 and 2023.