Croatia national under-19 football team

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 ('Young Blazers'). 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.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Croatia women's national under-19 football team.

Croatia U19
Nickname(s)Mladi Vatreni (The Young Blazers)
AssociationCroatian Football Federation (HNS)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachSiniša Oreščanin
Most capsTeo Kardum (28)
Top scorerNikola Kalinić (11)
FIFA codeCRO
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Malta 0–4 Croatia 
(Ta' Qali, Malta; 24 November 1993)
Biggest win
 Croatia 10–0 Andorra 
(Croatia; 5 November 1997)
Biggest defeat
 Croatia 0–7 Turkey 
(Antaly, Turkey; 22 November 1994)
U-19 European Championship
Appearances5 (first in 1998)
Best resultThird place 1998 and 2010
Websitehns-cff.hr

Recent results and fixtures

2022
16 November 2022 (2022-11-16) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 11 Croatia  6–0  Faroe Islands Zagreb, Croatia
12:00
  • Rukavina 38'
  • Brajković 39', 55', 60'
  • Johannessen 53' (o.g.)
  • Gajzler Yellow card 68'
  • Brkljača 82'
 Report
  • Lógv Yellow card 73'
 Stadium: Športski centar Rudeš
Attendance: 100
Referee: Igor Stojchevski (North Macedonia)
Assistant referees: Daniel Vasilevski (North Macedonia)
Assistant referees: James Muscat (Malta
Fourth official: Philip Farrugia (Malta
19 November 2022 (2022-11-19) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 11 Croatia  1–2  Finland Zagreb, Croatia
12:00
  • Prpić 24'
  • Gubijan Yellow card 62'
  • Bodetić Yellow card 72'
 Report
Stadium: Športski centar Rudeš
Attendance: 200
Referee: Robert Ian Jenkins (Wales)
Assistant referees: Harry Hendricks (Wales)
Assistant referees: Daniel Vasilevski (North Macedonia)
Fourth official: Igor Stojchevski (North Macedonia)
22 November 2022 (2022-11-22) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 11 Israel  0–3  Croatia Zagreb, Croatia
12:00
Report
Stadium: Športski centar Rudeš
Attendance: 150
Referee: Igor Stojchevski (North Macedonia)
Assistant referees: Daniel Vasilevski (North Macedonia)
Assistant referees: Harry Hendricks (Wales)
Fourth official: Robert Ian Jenkins (Wales)

2023
12 February 2023 (2023-02-12) Friendly torunament China  0–2  Croatia Poreč, Croatia
12:00 Report
  • Vrbančić 43'
  • Kavelj 87'
 Stadium: SRC Veli Jože
15 February 2023 (2023-02-15) Friendly torunament Croatia  4–1  Latvia Poreč, Croatia
12:00
  • Batur 39' (pen.)
  • Antunović 77' (pen.)
  • Rukavina 79', 83'
 Report
  • Lizunovs 54'
 Stadium: SRC Veli Jože
22 March 2023 (2023-03-22) 2023 Euro elite qualif Gr 4 Czech Republic  3–1  Croatia Fão, Portugal
12:00
Report
  • Gubijan Yellow card 18'
  • Matić 29'
  • Rukavina Yellow card 65'
  • Šotiček Yellow card 88'
 Stadium: Complexo Desportivo CF Fão
Attendance: 100
Referee: Oleksii Derevinskyi (Ukraine)
Assistant referees: Oleksandr Berkut (Ukraine)
Assistant referees: Andre Filipe Nogueira Dias (Portugal)
Fourth official: Carlos Andre Fernandes Macedo (Portugal)
25 March 2023 (2023-03-25) 2023 Euro elite qualif Gr 4 Croatia  1–1  Sweden Vizela, Portugal
14:00
Report
Stadium: Estádio do FC Vizela
Attendance: 104
Referee: Evangelos Manouchos (Greece)
Assistant referees: Konstantinos Nikolaidis (Greece)
Assistant referees: Andre Filipe Nogueira Dias (Portugal)
Fourth official: Carlos Andre Fernandes Macedo (Portugal)
28 March 2023 (2023-03-28) 2023 Euro elite qualif Gr 4 Croatia  0–3  Portugal Barcelos, Portugal
18:00
  • Babić Yellow card 50'
  • Krivak Yellow card 74'
  • Gubijan Yellow card 90+1'
 Report
Stadium: Cidade de Barcelos
Attendance: 2012
Referee: Robert Jones (England)
Assistant referees: Wade Smith (England)
Assistant referees: Konstantinos Nikolaidis (Greece)
Fourth official: Evangelos Manouchos (Greece)
6 September 2023 (2023-09-06) Friendly Slovakia  3–1  Croatia Dunajská Streda, Slovakia
16:30
  • Rýzek Yellow card 42'
  • Masaryk 44'
  • Hranica 58'
  • Zahradnik 90'
  • Vrbančić 4'
 Stadium: MOL Aréna
9 September 2023 (2023-09-09) Friendly Slovakia  1–3  Croatia Dunajská Streda, Slovakia
11:00
  • Holicek 60'
  • Praženka Yellow card 61'
  • Zahradnik Yellow card 67'
  • Gec 50', 52'
  • Vrbančić Yellow card 61'
  • Koščević 85'
 Stadium: MOL Aréna
11 October 2023 (2023-10-11) Friendly torunament Croatia  2–2  Estonia Zaprešić, Croatia
12:30
  • Matković 6', 18'
  • Vrbančić Yellow card 41'
 Report
  • Cekredzi 32', 60'
  • Hoim Yellow card 36'
  • Kolobov Yellow card 75'
  • Kalimullin Yellow card 81'
 Stadium: Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium
Referee: Mario Stanić (CRO)
14 October 2023 (2023-10-14) Friendly torunament Croatia  1–1  Greece Zaprešić, Croatia
12:30
  • Vrbančić 87'
 Report
Stadium: Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium
17 October 2023 (2023-10-17) Friendly torunament Croatia  3–4  Bulgaria Zaprešić, Croatia
11:00
Report
Stadium: Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium
15 November 2023 (2023-11-15) 2024 Euro qualif Gr 9 Armenia  v  Croatia Armenia
Report
18 November 2023 (2023-11-18) 2024 Euro qualif Gr 9 Croatia  v  Faroe Islands Croatia
Report
21 November 2023 (2023-11-21) 2024 Euro qualif Gr 9 Croatia  v  Israel Croatia
Report

Players

Current squad

The following is the squad named for the international tournament to be played in Zaprešić and Lučko, Croatia, from 11 to 17 October 2023.[1]

Caps and goals as of 11 October 2023, after the match against Estonia.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Borna Buljan (2005-04-05) 5 April 2005 1 0 Croatia Hajduk Split
12 1GK Eugen Ciban (2005-03-04) 4 March 2005 1 0 Croatia Rudeš
2 2DF Filip Krušelj (2005-03-30) 30 March 2005 1 0 Croatia Slaven Belupo
3 2DF Patrik Majdandžić (2005-03-31) 31 March 2005 7 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
4 2DF Rocco Žiković (2005-01-21) 21 January 2005 1 0 Austria FC Liefering
6 2DF Ante Kavelj (2005-08-26) 26 August 2005 1 0 Croatia Hajduk Split
14 2DF Ivan Cvetko (2005-11-23) 23 November 2005 6 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
21 2DF Matija Ruškovački (2005-05-24) 24 May 2005 1 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
22 2DF Roko Perković (2005-05-08) 8 May 2005 4 0 Croatia Osijek
5 3MF Vito Čaić (2005-04-01) 1 April 2005 10 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
7 3MF Vilim Gec (2005-01-07) 7 January 2005 1 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
8 3MF Lovro Zvonarek (2005-05-08) 8 May 2005 6 3 Germany Bayern II
10 3MF Luka Vrbančić (2005-07-04) 4 July 2005 7 1 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
16 3MF Marin Prekodravac (2005-03-03) 3 March 2005 7 0 Croatia Osijek
18 3MF Branko Pavić (2006-11-07) 7 November 2006 1 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
20 3MF Borna Graonić (2005-01-31) 31 January 2005 1 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
3MF Fabijan Krivak (2005-02-24) 24 February 2005 7 0 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb
9 4FW Lorenzo Travaglia (2005-01-12) 12 January 2005 1 0 Croatia NK Istra 1961
11 4FW Roko Brajković (2005-07-03) 3 July 2005 9 5 Croatia Hajduk Split
17 4FW Zlatan Koščević (2005-02-12) 12 February 2005 2 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
19 4FW Anton Matković (2006-02-19) 19 February 2006 1 2 Croatia Osijek
4FW Luka Kapulica (2005-01-18) 18 January 2005 0 0 Croatia Gorica

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up within the last twelve months and remain eligible for future selections.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Ante Vuković (2004-08-10) 10 August 2004 4 0 Italy Pisa v.  Latvia, 15 February 2023
GK Toni Silić (2004-05-07) 7 May 2004 0 0 Croatia Dugopolje v.  Israel, 22 November 2022
DF Viktor Damjanić (2005-11-03) 3 November 2005 0 0 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb v.  Slovakia, 9 September 2023
DF Filip Markanović (2005-01-13) 13 January 2005 0 0 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb v.  Slovakia, 9 September 2023
DF Dominik Prpić (2004-05-19) 19 May 2004 5 1 Croatia Hajduk Split v.  Israel, 22 November 2022
DF Lukas Buić (2004-04-05) 5 April 2004 2 0 Croatia Rijeka v.  Israel, 22 November 2022
MF Marin Žgomba (2005-05-30) 30 May 2005 2 0 Croatia Istra 1961 v.  Latvia, 15 February 2023
MF Šimun Hrgović (2004-03-20) 20 March 2004 3 0 Croatia Hajduk v.  Latvia, 15 February 2023
MF Marko Brkljača (2004-07-15) 15 July 2004 13 3 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb v.  Israel, 22 November 2022
FW Noah Pesch (2005-05-18) 18 May 2005 2 0 Germany Bayer 04 Leverkusen II v.  Slovakia, 9 September 2023
FW Matej Momčilovski (2005-01-18) 18 January 2005 0 0 Croatia Gorica v.  Slovakia, 9 September 2023
FW Marko Batur (2004-06-26) 26 June 2004 1 1 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb v.  Latvia, 15 February 2023
FW Jere Vrcić (2004-09-30) 30 September 2004 3 0 Croatia Hajduk v.  Israel, 22 November 2022

Competitive record

  Champions  
  Runners-up  
  Third place  
  Fourth place  
  Tournament played fully or partially on home soil  

Prior to 1990, Croatian players played for the Yugoslavia Under-18 team. Although the Croatian team was formed in the early 1990s after the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Under-18 team had to wait for UEFA to officially accept Croatian Football Federation's membership bid in order to be included in UEFA-governed competitions. Croatia's membership was accepted in June 1993 and the first continental competition Croatia's under-18 team took part in was the qualification for the 1994 European Under-18 Championship. In 2001 UEFA changed the player eligibility dates and from 2002 onwards the continental championship is known as UEFA European Under-19 Championship. The tournament is held every year and serves as the qualifying tournament for FIFA U-20 World Cup which is held every two years.

Croatia's Under-18/19 team managed to qualify for the European championship on four occasions. In 1998 and 2010 they won third place which earned them a place at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship and 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

UEFA European Under-19 Championship record
UEFA European Under-19 Championship record Qualifications record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad GP W D L GF GA Year
England 1948 Part of  Yugoslavia
Netherlands 1949
Austria 1950
France 1951
Spain 1952
Belgium 1953
West Germany 1954
Italy 1955
Hungary 1956
Spain 1957
Luxembourg 1958
Bulgaria 1959
Austria 1960
Portugal 1961
Romania 1962
England 1963
Netherlands 1964
West Germany 1965
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1966
Turkey 1967
France 1968
East Germany 1969
Scotland 1970
Czechoslovakia 1971
Spain 1972
Italy 1973
Sweden 1974
Switzerland 1975
Hungary 1976
Belgium 1977
Poland 1978
Austria 1979
East Germany 1980
West Germany 1981
Finland 1982
England 1983
Soviet Union 1984
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1986
Czechoslovakia 1988
Hungary 1990
Germany 1992 Not a UEFA member
England 1993
Spain 1994 Did not qualify 4211124 1994
Greece 1995 200219 1995
France 1996 210134 1996
Iceland 1997 421171 1997
Cyprus 1998 Third place3/8421185Squad 4310141 1998
Sweden 1999 Did not qualify 5401168 1999
Germany 2000 Group stage8/8300338Squad 4400101 2000
Finland 2001 Did not qualify 210123 2001
Norway 2002 320164 2002
Liechtenstein 2003 311122 2003
Switzerland 2004 6501134 2004
Northern Ireland 2005 62131110 2005
Poland 2006 632113620062006 elite
Austria 2007 633013620072007 elite
Czech Republic 2008 632111720082008 elite
Ukraine 2009 31117620092009 elite
France 2010 Third place3/8411274Squad 660012220102010 elite
Romania 2011 Did not qualify 621381020112011 elite
Estonia 2012 Group stage6/8311142Squad 642015520122012 elite
Lithuania 2013 Did not qualify 633015520132013 elite
Hungary 2014 31119520142014 elite
Greece 2015 623186 2015
Germany 2016 Group stage8/8300327Squad 6510132 2016
Georgia (country) 2017 Did not qualify 6411143 2017
Finland 2018 311155 2018
Armenia 2019 6222109 2019
Northern Ireland 2020 Tournament and elite qualifying round cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 321052 2020
Romania 2021 Tournament and qualifying round cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
Slovakia 2022 Did not qualify 6312135 2022
Malta 2023 6213129 2023
Northern Ireland 2024 To be determined 000000 2024
Romania 2025 To be determined 2025
Wales 2026 2026
Israel 2027 2027
Total Third place 5/70 17 4 3 10 24 26 135 74 31 30 280 144

Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 28 March 2023 after the match against  Portugal.

Matches
First match  Croatia 2–5 Republic of Ireland 
(Ayia Napa, Cyprus; 19 July 1998)
Biggest win  Portugal 0–5 Croatia 
(Bayeux, France; 24 July 2010)
Biggest defeat  Croatia 2–5 Republic of Ireland 
(Ayia Napa, Cyprus; 19 July 1998)
 Netherlands 3–0 Croatia 
(Ludwigsburg, Germany; 17 July 2000)

Head-to-head record

Key
  More wins than losses
  As many wins as losses
  Fewer wins than losses

Correct as of 17 October 2023, after the match against  Bulgaria.

Opponent Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
 Albania 3 2 0 1 3 1 +2 066.67
 Andorra 1 1 0 0 10 0 +10 100.00
 Armenia 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 100.00
 Australia 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 100.00
 Austria 9 4 3 2 13 8 +5 044.44
 Azerbaijan 6 2 3 1 14 6 +8 033.33
 Belarus 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 100.00
 Belgium 6 2 2 2 11 8 +3 033.33
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12 6 6 0 21 7 +14 050.00
 Brazil 2 0 0 2 1 5 −4 000.00
 Bulgaria 5 3 1 1 10 6 +4 060.00
 China 5 4 0 1 8 3 +5 080.00
 Cyprus 3 2 1 0 9 2 +7 066.67
 Czech Republic 12 1 4 7 17 27 −10 008.33
 Denmark 1 0 0 1 2 5 −3 000.00
 England 6 1 2 3 8 10 −2 016.67
 Estonia 6 3 1 2 9 7 +2 050.00
 Faroe Islands 3 2 1 0 13 2 +11 066.67
 Finland 4 3 1 0 9 5 +4 075.00
 France 9 0 2 7 4 17 −13 000.00
 Georgia 5 3 0 2 7 4 +3 060.00
 Germany 5 0 1 4 7 14 −7 000.00
 Gibraltar 2 2 0 0 14 0 +14 100.00
 Greece 3 0 3 0 4 4 +0 000.00
 Hungary 16 7 6 3 31 19 +12 043.75
 Iceland 6 5 1 0 17 7 +10 083.33
 India 1 1 0 0 5 0 +5 100.00
 Indonesia 1 1 0 0 7 1 +6 100.00
 Israel 2 2 0 0 5 0 +5 100.00
 Italy 11 4 2 5 14 17 −3 036.36
 Japan 4 2 0 2 5 11 −6 050.00
 Kazakhstan 3 3 0 0 8 0 +8 100.00
 Latvia 4 3 1 0 10 3 +7 075.00
 Liechtenstein 1 1 0 0 6 0 +6 100.00
 Lithuania 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 100.00
 Macedonia[lower-alpha 1] 4 2 2 0 10 3 +7 050.00
 Malta 4 4 0 0 18 1 +17 100.00
 Mexico 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 000.00
 Montenegro 6 4 1 1 10 4 +6 066.67
 Moldova 2 2 0 0 7 0 +7 100.00
 Netherlands 5 1 2 2 3 6 −3 020.00
 New Zealand 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 100.00
 Northern Ireland 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 100.00
 Norway 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 033.33
 Philippines 1 1 0 0 9 0 +9 100.00
 Poland 5 2 0 3 5 4 +1 040.00
 Portugal 7 1 1 5 8 10 −2 014.29
 Qatar 5 3 0 2 12 2 +10 060.00
 Romania 5 2 1 2 7 8 −1 040.00
 Russia 3 1 2 0 5 3 +2 033.33
 San Marino 2 2 0 0 11 1 +10 100.00
 Saudi Arabia 1 1 0 0 4 3 +1 100.00
 Scotland 5 3 2 0 8 2 +6 060.00
 Serbia 7 2 2 3 9 11 −2 028.57
 Slovakia 17 10 5 2 36 19 +17 058.82
 Slovenia 27 17 4 6 43 26 +17 062.96
 South Korea 1 0 1 0 1 1 +0 000.00
 Spain 4 1 1 2 4 7 −3 025.00
 Sweden 6 1 5 0 8 6 +2 016.67
  Switzerland 7 2 4 1 7 5 +2 028.57
 Turkey 10 2 4 4 8 18 −10 020.00
 Ukraine 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 000.00
 United States 1 0 0 1 3 4 −1 000.00
 Uzbekistan 1 0 1 0 1 1 +0 000.00
 Wales 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 100.00
65 teams played 306 143 79 84 573 356 +217 046.73

See also

Notes
  1. The team changed the name to North Macedonia national team in 2019, following the Prespa Agreement. However, Croatia have yet to play a game against them under the new name.

References
  1. "Siniša Oreščanin objavio popis igrača za međunarodni turnir u Zaprešiću i Lučkom" [Siniša Oreščanin published the list of players for the international tournament in Zaprešić and Lučko]. Croatian Football Federation (in Croatian). Zagreb. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
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