Water polo in Croatia
Water polo is a popular sport in Croatia . Alongside handball and soccer, it is one of the most successful national sports. In the recent past you could win the 2007 World Championship and 2012 the gold medal at the Olympic Games .
One of the most famous players worldwide is Miho Bošković , not to forget the coach and in Croatia a legend Ratko Rudić .
1st League
The following clubs played in the first division until the 2007/08 season:
- VK Jug CO
- VK Mladost Zagreb
- VK Šibenik NCP
- VK Mornar BS
- VK POŠK
- VK Primorye EB
- VK Jadran SD
- VK Medveščak
The mode was designed so that after the 8 clubs in the league played back and forth, the top four play a playoff for the champions, also in a mini-league each against everyone, and the last four play out in a mini-league against each other play the relegation. Champion 2008 became VK Jug CO .
Regional league
Since the 2008/09 season there has been a national league, the "Adrialiga" Jadranska Liga . All eight clubs from the first division take part. In addition, the league is supplemented with a club from Slovenia (Koper) and the three top clubs from Montenegro (Budva, Herceg Novi, Kotor). However, the final placement in the league does not determine who will participate in the European competitions next year. Five clubs from Croatia are currently allowed to compete in Europe, four from Montenegro and two or three from Slovenia. If the league were to decide on the number of participants, only five teams would be allowed to compete in a European competition. You lose a total of six starting places.
Successes of Croatia
The Croatian national team plays an important role in water polo. There are always gripping duels against the national team from Hungary, which, so to speak, have a kind of leading role on the world stage. In 2007 at the World Cup in Melbourne, after extra time in the final, they were able to defeat this opponent.
Furthermore, there were always games with the national team from Serbia-Montenegro against which one often looked bad, and even after the collapse of these two republics, the individual national teams from Serbia and Montenegro are always tough. If you take a closer look at the last few years, you will see that in all major competitions, and also the top positions, did not take place without these four national teams.
Croatia won the 2010 European water polo championship in its own country. They defeated Serbia in the semifinals and the Italians for the second time in this tournament in the final.