List of Croatia international footballers born outside Croatia

This is a list of the Croatian soccer players who played for the Croatia senior national football team, born outside Croatia. Most of them are born in the former Yugoslavia countries, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina, or outside Yugoslavia they're born in Germany. ^[1] In this list are included naturalized players and born abroad.

Players in bold are currently playing for the Croatia national football team or active, in brackets there are their caps. The list is updated as 5 September 2025.

Australia

• Joey Didulica 2004–2006 (4) (0) ^[2]
• Anthony Šerić 1998–2006 (16) (0) ^[3]
• Josip Šimunić 2001–2013 (105) (3) ^[4]

Austria

• Franjo Ivanović 2025– (5) (2) ^[5]
• Mateo Kovačić 2013– (110) (5) ^[6]
• Luka Sučić 2021– (17) (0) ^[7]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Austria-Hungary

• Miroslav Brozović 1940–1944 (17) (0) ^[8]
• Mirko Kokotović 1941–1944 (15) (2) ^[9]
• Antun Pogačnik 1941 (1) (0)
• Sulejman Rebac 1956 (1) (2) ^[10]
• Aleksandar Živković 1940 (1) (0)

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

• Florijan Matekalo 1940 (4) (1)

SFR Yugoslavia

• Mladen Bartulović 2006–2009 (2) (0) ^[11]
• Mario Bazina 2002 (1) (0) ^[12]
• Stanko Bubalo 1999–2000 (2) (0) ^[13]
• Ante Budimir 2020– (33) (6) ^[14]
• Nino Bule 1999–2004 (3) (0) ^[15]
• Vedran Ćorluka 2006–2018 (103) (4) ^[16]
• Darko Dražić 1990–1991 (2) (0) ^[17]
• Sejad Halilović 1994 (1) (0) ^{[18] [19]}
• Mato Jajalo 2014–2015 ^{[20] [21]}
• Nikica Jelavić 2009–2014 (36) (6) ^[22]
• Vedran Ješe 2006–2008 (2) (0) ^[23]
• Krunoslav Jurčić 1997–2000 (21) (0) ^[24]
• Goran Jurić 1997–1999 (15) (0)
• Marin Leovac 2014– (5) (0) ^[25]
• Dejan Lovren 2009–2022 (78) (5) ^[26]
• Mato Neretljak 2001–2006 (10) (1) ^[27]
• Željko Pavlović 1996–2001 (7) (0)
• Mladen Petrić 2001–2013 (45) (13) ^{[28] [29]}
• Mladen Romić 1992 (3) (0) ^[30]
• Mario Stanić 1995–2003 (49) (7) ^[31]
• Mario Tokić 1998–2006 (28) (0) ^[32]
• Stjepan Tomas 1998–2006 (49) (1) ^[33]
• Boris Živković 1999–2007 (39) (2) ^[34]

Born after Bosnia's Independence from Yugoslavia

• Jakov Filipović 2017– (3) (0) ^[35]
• Nikola Katić 2017 (1) (0) ^{[36] [37]}
• Mirko Marić 2017– (1) (0) ^{[38] [39]}
• Petar Sučić 2024– (10) (1) ^{[40] [41]}
• Ivan Šunjić 2017– (1) (0) ^{[37] [42]}
• Josip Šutalo 2022– (26) (0) ^[43]

Brazil

• Eduardo da Silva 2004–2014 (64) (29) ^[44]
• Sammir 2012–2014 (7) (0) ^{[45] [46] [47] [48]}

Germany

West Germany

• Ivo Iličević 2010–2013 (9) (1) ^[49]
• Niko Kovač 1996–2008 (83) (14) ^[50]
• Robert Kovač 1999–2009 (84) (0) ^[51]
• Ivan Klasnić 2004–2011 (41) (12) ^[52]
• Marijo Marić 2002–2004 (8) (1) ^[53]
• Tomislav Marić 2002–2003 (9) (2) ^[54]
• Robert Prosinečki 1994–2002 (49) (10) ^[55]
• Filip Tapalović 2002 (3) (0) ^[56]
• Vladimir Vasilj 1998–2002 (2) (0) ^[57]

Born after German reunification

• Antonio Čolak 2020– (3) (0) ^[58]
• Igor Matanović 2024– (5) (1) ^[59]
• Marco Pašalić 2023– (8) (1) ^[60]
• Mario Pašalić 2014– (77) (11) ^[61]
• Marin Pongračić 2020– (14) (0) ^[62]
• Josip Stanišić 2021– (24) (0) ^{[63] [64]}

Kosovo

SFR Yugoslavia

• Ardian Kozniku 1994–1998 (7) (2) ^{[65] [66]}
• Kujtim Shala 1990 (1) (0) ^[67]

Montenegro

SFR Yugoslavia

• Dževad Turković 1994–1995 (6) (0) ^[68]

Serbia

Austria-Hungary

• Svetozar Džanić 1941 (1) (0) ^[69]

Slovenia

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

• Antun Lokošek 1944 (1) (1) ^[70]

SFR Yugoslavia

• Srebrenko Posavec 2006 (1) (0) ^[71]
• Gregor Židan 1990 (1) (0) ^{[72] [73]}

Switzerland

• Ivan Rakitić 2007–2019 (106) (15) ^{[74] [75]}

United States of America

• Zvonko Jazbec 1940 (3) (1) ^[76]

Records

This section is only about players born outside Croatia. Players in bold are currently active.

Most capped players

#	Player	Period	Caps	Goals	Birthplace
1	Mateo Kovačić	2013–	110	5	Austria
2	Ivan Rakitić	2007–2019	106	15	Switzerland
3	Josip Šimunić	2001–2013	105	3	Australia
4	Vedran Ćorluka	2006–2018	103	4	Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)
5	Robert Kovač	1999–2009	84	0	Germany (then   West Germany)
6	Niko Kovač	1996–2008	83	14	Germany (then   West Germany)
7	Dejan Lovren	2009–2022	78	5	Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)
8	Mario Pašalić	2014–	76	11	Germany
9	Eduardo Da Silva	2004–2014	64	29	Brazil
10	Robert Prosinečki	1994–2002	49	10	Germany (then   West Germany)
	Mario Stanić	1995–2003	49	7	Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)
	Stjepan Tomas	1998–2006	49	1	Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)

Top goalscorers

#	Player	Goals	Birthplace
1	Eduardo Da Silva	29	Brazil
2	Ivan Rakitić	15	Switzerland
3	Niko Kovač	14	Germany (then   West Germany)
4	Mladen Petrić	13	Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)
5	Ivan Klasnić	12	Germany (then   West Germany)
6	Mario Pašalić	11	Germany
7	Robert Prosinečki	10	Germany (then   West Germany)
8	Mario Stanić	7	Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)
9	Nikica Jelavić	6	Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)
	Ante Budimir		Bosnia and Herzegovina (then part of SFR Yugoslavia)

Stats by country of birth

Country	Total
Bosnia and Herzegovina	35
Germany	14
Australia	3
Austria	3
Slovenia	3
Brazil	2
Kosovo	2
Montenegro	1
Serbia	1
Switzerland	1
United States	1

References

1. Davis, James (2002-04-28). "Turkey's world challenge born in Germany". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
2. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Joey Didulica". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
3. "Ante Šerić - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
4. "Josip Šimunić - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
5. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Franjo Ivanović (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2025-03-24.
6. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mateo Kovačić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
7. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Luka Sučić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
8. "Miroslav Brozović - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
9. Mirko Kokotović on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=10872
10. Sulejman Rebac on https://eu-football.info/_manager.php?id=1076
11. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mladen Bartulović". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
12. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mario Bazina". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
13. "Stanko Bubalo - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
14. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ante Budimir". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
15. "Nino Bule - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
16. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Vedran Ćorluka". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
17. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Darko Dražić (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
18. He switched to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996
19. "Sead Halilović - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
20. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mato Jajalo (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
21. He switched to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2016
22. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Nikica Jelavić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
23. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Vedran Ješe". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
24. Krunoslav Jurčić on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=9933
25. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Marin Leovac". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
26. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Dejan Lovren". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
27. Mato Neretljak on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=14905
28. He also played for the Switzerland under-17 and under-21 national team
29. "Mladen Petrić - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
30. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mladen Romić (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
31. Mario Stanić on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=19934
32. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mario Tokić (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
33. Stjepan Tomas on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=21155
34. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Boris Živković (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
35. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Jakov Filipović". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
36. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Nikola Katić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
37. He switched to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024
38. He also played for Bosnia and Herzegovina under-17, under-18 and under-19 national team
39. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mirko Marić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
40. He also played for Bosnia and Herzegovina under-19 and under-21 national team
41. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Petar Sučić (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
42. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ivan Šunj". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
43. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Josip Šutalo (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
44. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Eduardo da Silva". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
45. He also played for Brazil under-17 and under-18 national football team
46. "Sammir é convocado para a Seleção Sub-17". www.furacao.com (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2014-03-07. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
47. "Sammir é convocado para a Seleção Brasileira Sub-18". www.furacao.com (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2014-03-07. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
48. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Sammir". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
49. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ivo Iličević". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
50. Niko Kovač on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=11165
51. Robert Kovač on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=11167
52. Ivan Klasnić on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=10699
53. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Marijo Marić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
54. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Tomislav Marić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
55. Robert Prosinečki on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=17077
56. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Filip Tapalović". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
57. Vladimir Vasilj on https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=21976
58. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Antonio Čolak". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
59. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Igor Matanović (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
60. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Marco Pašalić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
61. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mario Pašalić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
62. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Marin Pongračić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
63. He also played for Germany under-19 national team
64. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Josip Stanišić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
65. He also played 2 unhofficial matches for Kosovo. https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/15736/Ardian_Kozniku.html
66. "Ardian Kozniku - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
67. "Kujtim Shala - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
68. "Dževad Turković - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
69. Born in Manđelos, in 1917, last year Vojvodina was still under Austro-Hungarian administration, he was an ethnic Serb who was unlucky to find himself playing in Građanski Zagreb at time of the start of the war. Under Ustashe regime, Serbs became the target of a genocidal policy which meant to exterminate one third, expel another third, and convert the remaining one. He had already become one of main players of the club, which was the most successful Croatian club and symbol of national pride, and has made three appearances for the Yugoslavia national team in its last games before the war started and Yugoslavia was dismembered and divided among Nazi Germany and its allies, one of them being Independent State of Croatia (NDH). He had already made three appearances as well for the team of the Banovina of Croatia, but when he received the call from NDH to play against Germany in Vienna in June 1941, it was a match of extreme symbolical importance as it was to be the debut of Croatia as independent state. And so it was, Croatia got defeated 1:5 and Džanić played. With the country in full-scale war, and living in Zagreb with very limited chances of escape, turning down the call was not even an option. However, despite his efforts in hiding dissatisfaction with the Nazi policies, Croatian authorities found out that he was secretly a member of the KPJ and executed him on June 18, 1941. This makes this inclusion in this list very special and controversial. He played in what was the most important game of Croatia until then, just to be brutally executed three days after.
70. "Anton Lokošek - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
71. "Srebrenko Posavec - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
72. He switched to Slovenia in 1992
73. "Gregor Židan - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
74. He also played for the Switzerland under-21 national team
75. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ivan Rakitić". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
76. "Zvonko Jazbec - national football team player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2018-09-30.