Manager: Otto Baric
Star Players: Dado Pršo, Igor Tudor, Jerko Leko
Honours: None
Qualification: 2nd Group 8, Play-off v. Slovenia (2-1 agg)

Croatia were embroiled in a three way battle for Euro 2004 and only forced their way into the playoffs after a crucial last-game win over section winners Bulgaria.

Drawn against play-off specialists Slovenia, Ermin Šiljak cancelled out Dado Pršo’s early goal as the two sides drew the first leg in Zagreb 1-1 - Baric’s men had an uphill task facing them.

But in a strong team performance, Pršo was the hero again as the Monaco forward pounced to score the only goal of the game, enabling Croatia to qualify for the European Championships for only the second time.

European Championship Record

Year

Year

1996: Quarter-Finals

2004: Qualified

2000: Did not qualify

 

The Matches

Date

Opponents

Venue

Comp

KO

13 Jun 04

Switzerland

Leiria

ECF

1700

17 Jun 04

France

Leiria

ECF

1945

21 Jun 04

England

Lisbon (Luz)

ECF

1945

The Squad

Player

Club

Posn

Caps

Goals

Tomislav Butina

Club Brugges (Bel)

G

-

-

Stipe Pletikosa

Shakhtar (Ukr)

G

-

-

Josip Šimunic

Hertha Berlin (Ger)

D

-

-

Boris Zivkovic

VfB Stuttgart (Ger)

D

-

-

Robert Kovac

Bayern Munich (Ger)

D

-

-

Dario Šimic

Milan (Ita)

D

-

-

Stjepan Tomas

Fenerbahçe (Tur)

D

-

-

Igor Tudor

Juventus (Ita)

D

-

-

Marko Babic

Bayer Leverkusen (Ger)

M

-

-

Niko Kovac

Hertha Berlin (Ger)

M

-

-

Jerko Leko

Dynamo Kyiv

M

-

-

Ivica Mornar

Portsmouth (Eng)

M

-

-

Giovanni Rosso

Maccabi Haifa (Isr)

M

-

-

Darijo Srna

Shakhtar (Ukr)

M

-

-

Marijo Maric

Kärnten

F

-

-

Ivica Olic

CSKA Moscow (Rus)

F

-

-

Dado Pršo

Monaco (Fra)

F

-

-

Milan Rapaic

Ancona (Ita)

F

-

-