European Football Championship 2016 / Croatia
This article covers the Croatian national team at the 2016 European Football Championship in France . It was Croatia's fifth participation and since Croatia qualified as a separate team for the first time in 1996, the Croatians have only missed the finals once (2000).
qualification
Croatia completed the qualification for the European Championship in Group H . After the preliminary round at the 2014 World Cup , Niko Kovač had led the Croatians into the qualification, but the Croatian federation broke up with him shortly before the end of the qualification. The qualification started well for the Croatians. Just like the Italians, they won the first three games, then scored 1-1 in the away game in Italy and then took over the sole lead with a 5-1 win against Norway, as Italy only achieved a 2-2 in Bulgaria. As a swastika was engraved in the grass in the next game between the Croatians and Italy, which ended 1-1, UEFA withdrew the point from the Croatians. With a 0-0 win in Azerbaijan and a 2-0 defeat in Norway, they gave up the table lead again, whereupon Kovač was dismissed. Under his successor Ante Čačić , they were able to secure second place with two wins in the last two games. They had scored the most goals in the group and conceded the fewest goals, but with four points behind the Italians they were only second, but also qualified, while the Norwegians failed in the play-offs of the group third. The two coaches used a total of 26 players, of which only Ivan Rakitić and Danijel Subašić , who had replaced the record goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa , who retired after the World Cup, as regular goalkeeper, were used in all ten games. Ten players were able to enter the goalscorer list, as top scorer Ivan Perišić with six goals, who also scored the decisive 1-0 for qualification in the last game. No newcomer was used in a qualifier. In the first game against Italy Ivica Olić made his 100th and record international Darijo Srna in the last qualifier his 125th international match.
In the FIFA world rankings , the Croatians, who fell to 16th place after the preliminary round of the World Cup, could not improve during qualification, they even fell three places.
Games
All results from a Croatian point of view.
date | Venue | opponent | Result | Goal scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|
09/09/2014 | Maksimir Stadium , Zagreb | Malta | 2: 0 (0: 0) | 1-0 Luka Modrić (46th), 2-0 Andrej Kramarić (81st) |
10/10/2014 | Vasil Levski National Stadium , Sofia ( BGR ) | Bulgaria | 1: 0 (1: 0) | 1: 0 Nikolaj Bodurow (36th / own goal) |
October 13, 2014 | Gradski vrt stadium , Osijek | Azerbaijan | 6: 0 (4: 0) | 1-0 Andrej Kramarić (11th), 2-0, 3-0 Ivan Perišić (34th, 45th), 4-0 Marcelo Brozović (45th + 1 ′), 5-0 Luka Modrić (56th / penalty ), 6: 0 Rəşad Sadıqov (61st / own goal) |
11/16/2014 | Giuseppe Meazza Stadium , Milan ( ITA ) | Italy | 1: 1 (1: 1) | 0: 1 Antonio Candreva (11th), 1: 1 Ivan Perišić (15th) |
03/28/2015 | Maksimir Stadium , Zagreb | Norway | 5: 1 (1: 0) | 1-0 Marcelo Brozović (30th), 2-0 Ivan Perišić (53rd), 3-0 Ivica Olić (65th), 3-1 Alexander Tettey (80th), 4-1 Gordon Schildenfeld (87th), 5: 1 Danijel Pranjić (90. + 4 ′) |
06/12/2015 | Poljud Stadium , Split | Italy | 1: 1 (1: 1) | 1: 0 Mario Mandžukić (11th), 1: 1 Antonio Candreva (36th / penalty) |
09/03/2015 | Tofiq Bəhramov Stadium , Baku ( AZE ) | Azerbaijan | 0-0 | |
09/06/2015 | Ullevaal Stadium , Oslo ( NOR ) | Norway | 0: 2 (0: 0) | 0: 1 Jo Inge Berget (51st), 0: 2 Vedran Ćorluka (69th / own goal) |
10/10/2015 | Maksimir Stadium , Zagreb | Bulgaria | 3: 0 (2: 0) | 1-0 Ivan Perišić (2nd), 2-0 Ivan Rakitić (42nd), 3-0 Nikola Kalinić (81st) |
13/10/2015 | Ta 'Qali Stadium , Attard ( MLT ) | Malta | 1: 0 (1: 1) | 1-0 Ivan Perišić (25th) |
table
Pl. | country | Sp. | S. | U | N | Gates | Diff. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Italy | 10 | 7th | 3 | 0 | 16: 7 | +9 | 24 |
2. | Croatia | 10 | 6th | 3 | 1 | 20: 5 | +15 | 20th |
3. | Norway | 10 | 6th | 1 | 3 | 13:10 | +3 | 19th |
4th | Bulgaria | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9:12 | −3 | 11 |
5. | Azerbaijan | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6th | 7:18 | −11 | 6th |
6th | Malta | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8th | 3:16 | −13 | 2 |
As of October 13, 2015 |
preparation
After the end of the qualification, the Croatians won 3-1 against EM participants Russia on November 17th in Rostov-on-Don . On March 23, the Croatians met Israel , who could not qualify for the European Championship, in Osijek and won 2-0, three days later they were 1-1 against European Championship participants Hungary in Budapest . Shortly before the European Championship, they won test matches on May 27 in Koprivnica against Macedonia 1-0 and on June 4 against San Marino in Rijeka 10-0 - the Croatians' highest international win to date. The realized Nikola Kalinić with the gates of 8: 0, 9: 0 and 10: 0 in the 59th, 73rd and 84 minutes "flawless" hat trick . Mario Mandžukić also scored three goals , while Marko Pjaca scored the 1-0 with his first international goal.
Squad
A provisional squad with 27 players was presented by national coach Ante Čačić on May 16, 2016, which was then reduced to 23 players. The final roster was named on May 31.
The players came from 17 clubs in seven countries. Champions and cup winners Dinamo Zagreb had the most with four players. Two other players also played in Croatia, the rest in other European countries.
No. | position | Surname | society | birth date |
International matches |
Länderspiel- gates |
debut | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 | goalkeeper | Danijel Subašić | AS Monaco | Oct. 27, 1984 | 22nd | 0 | 2009 | 4th | ||||
12 | goalkeeper | Lovre Kalinić | HNK Hajduk Split | Apr 3, 1990 | 4th | 0 | 2014 | |||||
1 | goalkeeper | Ivan Vargić | HNK Rijeka | 15th Mar 1987 | 2 | 0 | 2014 | |||||
11 | Defense | Darijo Srna | Shakhtar Donetsk | May 1, 1982 | 131 | 22nd | 2003 | 4th | 1 | |||
5 | Defense | Vedran Ćorluka | Moscow locomotive | Feb. 5, 1986 | 89 | 4th | 2006 | 4th | ||||
21st | Defense | Domagoj Vida | Dynamo Kiev | Apr 29, 1989 | 39 | 1 | 2010 | 3 | 1 | |||
3 | Defense | Ivan Strinić | SSC Naples | 17th July 1987 | 36 | 0 | 2010 | 3 | ||||
13 | Defense | Gordon Schildenfeld | Dinamo Zagreb | 18 Mar 1985 | 28 | 1 | 2009 | 2 | ||||
2 | Defense | Šime Vrsaljko | US Sassuolo Calcio | Jan. 10, 1992 | 19th | 0 | 2011 | 2 | 1 | |||
6th | Defense | Tin Jedvaj | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | Nov 28, 1995 | 3 | 0 | 2014 | 1 | ||||
10 | midfield | Luka Modrić | real Madrid | Sep 9 1985 | 91 | 11 | 2006 | 3 | 1 | |||
7th | midfield | Ivan Rakitić | FC Barcelona | 10 Mar 1988 | 77 | 11 | 2007 | 4th | 1 | |||
4th | midfield | Ivan Perišić | Inter Milan | Feb. 2, 1989 | 48 | 13 | 2011 | 4th | 2 | 1 | ||
8th | midfield | Mateo Kovačić | real Madrid | May 6, 1994 | 27 | 1 | 2013 | 2 | ||||
19th | midfield | Milan Badelj | AC Florence | Feb 25, 1989 | 21st | 1 | 2010 | 4th | 1 | |||
14th | midfield | Marcelo Brozović | Inter Milan | Nov 16, 1992 | 18th | 4th | 2014 | 3 | 1 | |||
15th | midfield | Marko Rog | Dinamo Zagreb | July 19, 1995 | 3 | 0 | 2014 | 1 | 1 | |||
18th | midfield | Ante Ćorić | Dinamo Zagreb | Apr 14, 1997 | 2 | 0 | 2016 | |||||
17th | attack | Mario Mandžukić | Juventus Turin | May 21, 1986 | 67 | 24 | 2007 | 3 | ||||
16 | attack | Nikola Kalinić | AC Florence | May 1, 1988 | 29 | 11 | 2008 | 2 | 1 | |||
9 | attack | Andrej Kramarić | TSG 1899 Hoffenheim | June 19, 1991 | 12 | 4th | 2014 | 3 | ||||
20th | attack | Marko Pjaca | Dinamo Zagreb | May 6, 1995 | 9 | 1 | 2014 | 3 | ||||
22nd | attack | Duje Čop | Málaga CF | Feb. 1, 1990 | 4th | 0 | 2015 | 1 |
Coach: Ante Čačić
Players who were only in the preliminary roster
position | Surname | society | birth date |
International matches |
Länderspiel- gates |
debut |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
goal | Dominik Livaković | NK Zagreb | Jan. 9, 1995 | 0 | 0 | |
Defense | Duje Ćaleta-Car | Red Bull Salzburg | 17 Sep 1996 | 0 | 0 | |
midfield | Alen Halilović | Sporting Gijón | June 18, 1996 | 9 | 0 | 2013 |
midfield | Domagoj Antolić | Dinamo Zagreb | June 30, 1990 | 3 | 0 | 2014 |
Finals
Venues (green = won, yellow = draw), quarters (blue) |
In the draw for the six final groups on December 12, 2015, Croatia was only placed in Pot 2, so there was a risk that they would face hosts France, defending champions Spain or world champions Germany in the group stage. Ultimately, they were drawn to group D with Spain. Other opponents are the Czech Republic and Turkey, so this group is seen as balanced. Against Spain, the Croatians played the last group game at the last European Championship and lost 1-0 in the last meeting before the European Championship. They could only win the first game against each other in 1994. In between there was a draw and two defeats - all in friendly games. Against the Czechs there was a win and a draw in two friendly games, whereby the draw in the final of the King Hassan II Tournament in 1996 led to the tournament victory on penalties. Against the Turks there were two wins and four draws in six games, one of which was lost in the quarter-finals of the European Championship 2008 on penalties . The Croatians took the lead in the 119th minute, but had to accept the equalizer in stoppage time. The last time they met each other in the play-off games of qualifying for the Euro 2012 , the Croatians prevailed 3-0 and 0-0.
In the opening game against Turkey, the largely superior Croatians were only able to demonstrate their superiority with one goal. Against the Czechs they were the dominant team for a long time and took the lead 2-0. Towards the end of the game, the Czechs got into the game better and scored the next goal in the 75th minute. After the game was briefly interrupted in the 86th minute after rioting by Croatian spectators, the Croatians completely lost control of the game and then had to accept an equalizer with a converted hand penalty in the long stoppage time. For the game against the Spaniards, who started with two wins, the team was changed in some positions, as both had already qualified for the round of 16, so Luka Modrić , the best player of the opening game, stayed on the bench. The Croatians were already behind after seven minutes, but were then able to make the game more and more evenly balanced and hardly allowed the Spaniards to score any more chances. For their part, they came to several goal opportunities, of which they used two and defeated the defending champion 2-1. So they met Portugal, the third in Group F, as group winners in the round of 16. There were three games against the Portuguese that were all lost. At the European Championships in 1996 both met for the first time and the Croatians lost 3-0. In the following two friendlies , the Croatians also failed to score, but the Portuguese scored one less each.
Again, there was no victory against the Portuguese. The Portuguese coach Fernando Santos had changed his starting eleven compared to the group games in defense and midfield with the intention of neutralizing the Croatian playmakers Luka Modrić and Ivan Rakitić , which the Portuguese also mostly succeeded in doing. However, she could not achieve anything creative herself and so the two teams largely took themselves out of the game. Both goalkeepers did not have to provide proof of work. Only shortly before the end of extra time did the Croatians get a significant chance, but it ended on the post. The counterattack initiated by Renato Sanches led to Cristiano Ronaldo's first shot on goal . Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subašić was able to fend off the shot in his only action, but Ricardo Quaresma , who ran with him, scored the 1-0 winner. The Croatians still had a chance to equalize, but defender Domagoj Vida's shot just missed the target.
Thanks to the European Championship games, Croatia improved by twelve places in the FIFA world rankings .
Group games
Pl. | country | Sp. | S. | U | N | Gates | Diff. | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Croatia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5: 3 | +2 | 7th |
2. | Spain | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5: 2 | +3 | 6th |
3. | Turkey | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2: 4 | −2 | 3 |
4th | Czech Republic | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2: 5 | −3 | 1 |
Sun., June 12, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. in Paris | |||
Turkey | - | Croatia | 0: 1 (0: 1) |
Friday 17th June 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in Saint-Étienne | |||
Czech Republic | - | Croatia | 2: 2 (0: 1) |
Tue., June 21, 2016 at 9:00 p.m. in Bordeaux | |||
Croatia | - | Spain | 2: 1 (1: 1) |
Knockout phase
Round of 16 Sat., June 25, 2016 at 9:00 p.m. in Lens | |||
Croatia | - | Portugal | 0: 1 a.d. (0: 0) |
Individual evidence
- ↑ “Croatia goes to the EURO” , uefa.com
- ↑ FIFA World Ranking (August 14, 2014)
- ↑ FIFA World Ranking (5th November 2015)
- ↑ Croatia - San Marino 10: 0
- ↑ "UEFA EURO 2016 preliminary list Čačić:" With best squad into every match "" , hns-cff.hr
- ↑ "Kramarić and Jedvaj in Croatia" , uefa.com
- ↑ “UEFA EURO 2016 final draw” , uefa.com
- ^ Balance sheet Croatia - Portugal