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Croatia U17
Nickname(s)Mali Vatreni (The Young Blazers)
AssociationCroatian Football Federation (HNS)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachRobert Jarni
Most capsMilan Badelj (28)
Top scorerNikola Kalinić (15)
FIFA codeCRO
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Croatia 1–0 Hungary 
(Donji Miholjac, Croatia; 26 April 1993)
Biggest win
 Croatia 11–0 Andorra 
(Donji Tavankut, Serbia; 29 September 2004)
Biggest defeat
 Croatia 0–5 Norway 
(Tallinn, Estonia; 25 October 2006)
 Croatia 0–5 England 
(Pula, Croatia; 28 September 2016)
European Championship
Appearances9 (first in 1996)
Best resultThird place, 2001
World Cup
Appearances3 (first in 2001)
Best resultQuarter-finals, 2015
Websitehns-cff.hr

The Croatia national under-17 football team represents Croatia in international football matches for players 17 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 Mali vatreni ('Little Blazers'). So far, the Mali vatreni qualified for nine UEFA European Under-17 Championships. Croatia's greatest success in the tournament was third place in 2001. The team also finished fourth in 2005. Croatia also participated in three FIFA U-17 World Cups since its independence, in 2001, 2013 and 2015, being eliminated in quarter-finals in 2015, its biggest success so far in this tournament.

Recent results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2022

14 December 2022 (2022-12-14) Friendly Croatia  2–0  Montenegro Medulin, Croatia
13:00
  • Rimac 38'
  • Vlašić 63'
 Report Stadium: Arena Hospitality Group No. 7
16 December 2022 (2022-12-16) Friendly Croatia  3–1  Montenegro Medulin, Croatia
11:00
  • Skelin 66'
  • Milišić 70'
  • Rimac 77'
 Report
Stadium: Arena Hospitality Group No. 8

2023

8 February 2023 (2023-02-08) Friendly Croatia  1–2  South Korea Poreč, Croatia
12:30
  • Ivković 32'
 Report
  • Yoon Doyong 63'
  • Kim Seongyu 81'
 Stadium: Zelena laguna
11 February 2023 (2023-02-11) Friendly Denmark  4–4  Croatia Poreč, Croatia
12:30
  • Chiakha 16'
  • Bidstrup 27'
  • Jensen 49', 87'
 Report
  • Ćalušić 35', 64'
  • Babić 82'
  • Majić 90'
 Stadium: Zelena laguna
22 March 2023 (2023-03-22) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 7 Croatia  0–0  Norway Sarpsborg, Norway
13:00
  • Reitan-Sunde Yellow card 6'
  • Thorstensen Yellow card 76'
  • Egeli Yellow card 82'
 Report
Stadium: Sarpsborg Stadium
Attendance: 217
Referee: Marek Radina (CZE)
Assistant referees: Martin Leska (CZE)
Assistant referees: Pavlos Georgiou (CYP)
Fourth official: Kyriakos Athanasiou (CYP)
25 March 2023 (2023-03-25) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 7 Belgium  0–1  Croatia Fredrikstad, Norway
13:00
  • Mirisola Yellow card 34'
 Report
  • Matković Yellow card 44'
  • Živković Yellow card 67'
  • Kujundžić Yellow card 70' 90+4' (pen.)
  • Lalić Yellow card 75'
 Stadium: Fredrikstad Stadion
Attendance: 152
Referee: Edgars Maļcevs (LVA)
Assistant referees: Mārtiņš Svipsts (LVA)
Assistant referees: Christer Jørgensen (NOR)
Fourth official: Marius Lien (NOR)
28 March 2023 (2023-03-28) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 7 Slovenia  1–2  Croatia Fredrikstad, Norway
17:00
  • Sojer Yellow card 77' 84'
 Report
  • Zebić 54'
  • Rimac 57'
  • Sušak Yellow card 78'
 Stadium: Fredrikstad Stadion
Attendance: 80
Referee: Kyriakos Athanasiou (CYP)
Assistant referees: Pavlos Georgiou (CYP)
Assistant referees: Christer Jørgensen (NOR)
Fourth official: Marius Lien (NOR)
18 May 2023 (2023-05-18) 2023 Euro Gr D Croatia  0–1  England Balmazújváros, Hungary
20:00
  • Levak Yellow card 13'
 Report
Stadium: Balmazújvárosi Városi Sportpálya
Attendance: 700
Referee: David Smajc (SVN)
Assistant referees: David Gabrovec (SVN)
Assistant referees: Bartosz Heinig (POL)
Fourth official: David Dickinson (SCO)
21 May 2023 (2023-05-21) 2023 Euro Gr D Croatia  1–2   Switzerland Debrecen, Hungary
16:30
  • Levak 32' Yellow card 58'
  • Utrobičić Yellow card 45+2'
  • Ivančić Yellow card 89'
 Report
  • Xhemalija 9' Yellow card 11'
  • Tswa Yellow card 49'
  • Akahomen 83'
 Stadium: Nagyerdei Stadion
Attendance: 710
Referee: Jamie Robinson (NIR)
Assistant referees: Adam Jeffrey (NIR)
Assistant referees: Mehmet Tugral (TUR)
Fourth official: Atilla Karaoglan (TUR)
24 May 2023 (2023-05-24) 2023 Euro Gr D Netherlands  1–1  Croatia Balmazújváros, Hungary
15:00
  • Bal Yellow card 16' 53'
 Report
  • Puljić 66'
  • Lalić Yellow card 74'
  • Ivančić Yellow card 84'
  • Majić Yellow card 89'
 Stadium: Balmazújvárosi Városi Sportpálya
Attendance: 458
Referee: Radoslav Gidzhenov (BUL)
Assistant referees: Andreu Simarro (AND)
Assistant referees: David Gabrovec (SVN)
Fourth official: David Smajc (SVN)
15 August 2023 (2023-08-15) 2023 Telki Cup Croatia  2–1  Iceland Telki, Hungary
  • Ćutuk 13'
  • Mikić 30'
 Report
  • Porri 90+1'
 Stadium: Globall Football Park
17 August 2023 (2023-08-17) 2023 Telki Cup Croatia  1–0  Hungary Telki, Hungary
  • Matić 23'
 Report
  • Porri 90+1'
 Stadium: Globall Football Park
19 August 2023 (2023-08-19) 2023 Telki Cup Croatia  5–1  Uzbekistan Telki, Hungary
  • Mićić 21', 57'
  • Matić 48'
  • Ora 80'
  • Ćutuk 83'
 Report
  • Anvarov 56'
 Stadium: Globall Football Park
26 September 2023 (2023-09-26) Friendly Croatia  3–2  Bosnia and Herzegovina Oriovac, Croatia
16:30
  • Čutuk 38', 56'
  • Matić 64'
 Report
  • Alajbegović 36' (pen.)
  • Gostimirović 90'
 Stadium: Igralište NK Oriolik
28 September 2023 (2023-09-28) Friendly Bosnia and Herzegovina  0–3  Croatia Domaljevac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
12:00 Report
  • Čović 17'
  • Tomić 33'
  • Ćutuk 79'
 Stadium: Stadion Jelas
3 November 2023 (2023-11-03) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 9 Kosovo  0–4  Croatia Karlovac, Croatia
12:00
  • Paci Yellow card 55'
 Report
  • Čović 44'
  • Čutuk Yellow card 40' 48'
  • Zebić 62'
  • Barić 80'
 Stadium: Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek
Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (NOR)
Assistant referees: Jørgen Rønning Valstadsve (NOR)
Assistant referees: Pascal Hirzel (SUI)
Fourth official: Alessandro Dudic (SUI)
6 November 2023 (2023-11-06) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 9 Croatia  6–0  Faroe Islands Karlovac, Croatia
13:00
  • Matić 13', 90'
  • Milišić Yellow card 34'
  • Marić Yellow card 49'
  • Durdov 60'
  • Čović 70'
  • Kostelac 81'
  • Ahmeti 88'
 Report
Stadium: Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek
Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (NOR)
Assistant referees: Jørgen Rønning Valstadsve (NOR)
Assistant referees: Deniss Ševcenko (LVA)
Fourth official: Edgars Maļcevs (LVA)
9 November 2023 (2023-11-09) 2023 Euro qualif Gr 9 Croatia  1–5  England Karlovac, Croatia
13:00
  • Čutuk 52'
  • Milišić Yellow card 53'
  • Baković Yellow card 90+4'
 Report
  • Moore 15', 54', 79'
  • Mfuni Yellow card 15'
  • Mheuka 30'
  • Derry 69'
  • Noble Yellow card 84'
 Stadium: Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek
Referee: Edgars Maļcevs (LVA)
Assistant referees: Deniss Ševcenko (LVA)
Assistant referees: Jørgen Rønning Valstadsve (NOR)
Fourth official: Mohammad Usman Aslam (NOR)

2024

20 March 2024 (2024-03-20) 2023 Euro elite qualif Gr 5 Croatia  v  Germany
23 March 2024 (2024-03-23) 2023 Euro elite qualif Gr 5 Portugal  v  Croatia
26 March 2024 (2024-03-26) 2023 Euro elite qualif Gr 5 Republic of Ireland  v  Croatia

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification matches against Kosovo, Faroe Isladns and England, played on 3, 6 and 9 November 2023 respectivelly.[1]

Caps and goals as of 9 November 2023, after the match against England.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Antonio Rajić (2007-03-04) 4 March 2007 (age 16) 6 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
1GK Adrian Hrvojević (2007-03-24) 24 March 2007 (age 16) 1 0 United States Chicago FC United
2DF Marko Zebić (2007-01-08) 8 January 2007 (age 17) 12 2 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
2DF Lovro Kitin (2007-02-03) 3 February 2007 (age 16) 5 0 Croatia Rijeka
2DF Luka Tomić (2007-03-21) 21 March 2007 (age 16) 6 1 Croatia Istra 1961
2DF Noa Mikić (2007-01-27) 27 January 2007 (age 16) 8 1 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
2DF Noa Godec (2007-05-18) 18 May 2007 (age 16) 2 0 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb
2DF Duje Milišić (2007-05-20) 20 May 2007 (age 16) 9 1 Croatia Hajduk Split
2DF Ljubo Puljić (2007-05-31) 31 May 2007 (age 16) 4 0 Germany Bayern II
2DF Rafael Markulin (2007-08-22) 22 August 2007 (age 16) 0 0 Croatia Rudeš
3MF Tomas Baković (2007-03-29) 29 March 2007 (age 16) 8 0 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
3MF Matija Subotić (2007-12-18) 18 December 2007 (age 16) 1 0 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb
3MF Davor Bistre (2008-03-31) 31 March 2008 (age 15) 3 0 Croatia Hajduk Split
3MF Petar Zvonimir Kostelac (2008-03-17) 17 March 2008 (age 15) 5 1 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb
3MF Patrice Čović (2007-06-25) 25 June 2007 (age 16) 5 3 Germany Hertha BSC II
3MF Dukan Ahmeti (2007-10-26) 26 October 2007 (age 16) 3 1 Croatia Istra 1961
4FW Ivan Barić (2007-05-03) 3 May 2007 (age 16) 4 1 Croatia Osijek
4FW Duje Matić (2007-02-17) 17 February 2007 (age 16) 9 6 Croatia Hajduk Split
4FW Mislav Ćutuk (2007-01-25) 25 January 2007 (age 16) 8 9 Croatia Dinamo Zagreb
4FW Bruno Durdov (2007-12-11) 11 December 2007 (age 16) 7 1 Croatia Hajduk Split
4FW Patrik Marić (2007-07-27) 27 July 2007 (age 16) 8 0 Croatia Slaven Belupo
4FW Dražen Jaman (2008-01-16) 16 January 2008 (age 16) 4 0 Croatia Osijek

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 Ivan Bosančić (2007-06-24) 24 June 2007 (age 16) 1 0 Croatia Hajduk Split v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 28 September 2023
MF Andro Sokač (2007-09-20) 20 September 2007 (age 16) 4 0 Croatia Slaven Belupo v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 28 September 2023
MF Petar Pfeifer (2007-01-03) 3 January 2007 (age 17) 4 0 Croatia Lokomotiva Zagreb v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 28 September 2023

Competative record

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

UEFA European Under-17 Championship record

Until the 1997 tournament, players born on or after 1 August the year they turned 17 years were eligible to compete. Since the 1998 tournament, the date limit has been moved back to 1 January.[2] In 2001/2002 the competition was renamed the European Under-17 Championship, but the eligibility rules did not change.

UEFA European Under-17 Championship record Qualifications record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad GP W D L GF GA Year
Italy 1982 Part of  Yugoslavia
West Germany 1984
Hungary 1985
Greece 1986
France 1987
Spain 1988
Denmark 1989
East Germany 1990
Switzerland 1991
Cyprus 1992 Not a UEFA member
Turkey 1993
Republic of Ireland 1994 Did not qualify 4 1 2 1 7 6 1994
Belgium 1995 2 1 0 1 3 1 1995
Austria 1996 Quarter-finals 8/16 4 2 0 2 4 8 Squad 3 3 0 0 7 0 1996
Germany 1997 Did not qualify 2 1 1 0 2 1 1997
Scotland 1998 Quarter-finals 7/16 4 1 1 2 3 4 Squad 3 2 1 0 9 1 1998
Czech Republic 1999 Group stage 15/16 3 0 1 2 1 4 Squad 2 2 0 0 11 0 1999
Israel 2000 Did not qualify 3 1 1 1 3 4 2023
England 2001 Third place 3/16 6 4 0 2 9 7 Squad 2 2 0 0 7 1 2000
Denmark 2002 Did not qualify 3 2 1 0 8 3 2002
Portugal 2003 6 4 0 2 14 7 2003
France 2004 3 1 1 1 3 4 2004
Italy 2005 Fourth place 4/8 5 2 1 2 13 11 Squad 6 4 1 1 20 8 2005
Luxembourg 2006 Did not qualify 3 1 1 1 2 1 2006
Belgium 2007 3 1 0 2 8 11 2007
Turkey 2008 6 4 1 1 13 1 2008
Germany 2009 6 5 0 1 11 4 2009
Liechtenstein 2010 6 4 1 1 9 5 2010
Serbia 2011 6 2 4 0 6 3 2011
Slovenia 2012 3 1 0 2 5 6 2012
Slovakia 2013 Group stage 5/8 3 1 2 0 2 1 Squad 6 5 1 0 15 8 2013
Malta 2014 Did not qualify 3 1 0 2 1 3 2014
Bulgaria 2015 Quarter-finals 7/16 5 3 2 0 5 1 Squad 6 5 1 0 18 2 2015
Azerbaijan 2016 Did not qualify 6 2 1 3 11 11 2016
Croatia 2017 Group stage 14/16 3 0 1 2 2 6 Squad Qualified as hosts
England 2018 Did not qualify 6 2 3 1 10 4 2018
Republic of Ireland 2019 6 3 2 1 10 6 2019
Estonia 2020 Tournament and elite qualifying round cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 3 3 0 0 9 3 2020
Cyprus 2021 Tournament and qualifying round cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
Israel 2022 Did not qualify 3 1 0 2 3 2 2022
Hungary 2023 Group stage 12/16 3 0 1 2 2 4 Squad 6 3 2 1 6 5 2023
Cyprus 2024 To be determined 3 2 0 1 11 5 2024
Albania 2025 To be determined 2025
Estonia 2026 2026
Latvia 2027 2027
Total Third place 9/41 36 13 9 14 41 46 120 69 25 26 242 116

Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 9 November 2023 after the match against  England.

Matches
First match  France 2–0 Croatia 
(Scheibbs, Austria; 29 April 1996)
Biggest win   Switzerland 2–5 Croatia 
(Santa Croce sull'Arno, Italy; 8 May 2005)
Biggest defeat  Portugal 5–1 Croatia 
(Krems an der Donau, Austria; 6 May 1996)

FIFA U-17 World Cup record

FIFA U-17 World Cup record Qualifications record
Year Round Position GP W D* L GF GA Squad
China 1985 Part of  Yugoslavia
Canada 1987
Scotland 1989
Italy 1991
Japan 1993 Not a FIFA member
Ecuador 1995 Did not qualify UEFA European Under-17 Championship 1995
Egypt 1997 1997
New Zealand 1999 1999
Trinidad and Tobago 2001 Group stage 10/16 3 1 0 2 3 8 Squad 2001
Finland 2003 Did not qualify 2003
Peru 2005 2005
South Korea 2007 2007
Nigeria 2009 2009
Mexico 2011 2011
United Arab Emirates 2013 Group stage 17/24 3 1 0 2 3 5 Squad 2013
Chile 2015 Quarter-finals 7/24 5 2 2 1 7 5 Squad 2015
India 2017 Did not qualify 2017
Brazil 2019 2019
Indonesia 2023 2023
Total Quarter-finals 3/18 11 4 2 5 13 18

Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 1 November 2015 after the match against  Mali.

Matches
First match  Trinidad and Tobago 1–2 Croatia 
(Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; 13 September 2001)
Biggest win  Croatia 2–0 Germany 
(Concepción, Chile; 29 October 2015)
Biggest defeat  Croatia 0–4 Australia 
(Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; 19 September 2001)

Other

Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA
Hungary 2001 Telki Cup Third 3rd 4 1 3 0 7 4
Hungary 2002 Telki Cup Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 10 3
Hungary 2003 Telki Cup Group stage 5th 3 1 0 2 3 5
Hungary 2004 Telki Cup Group stage 6th 3 1 1 1 4 3
Hungary 2005 Telki Cup Runners-up 2nd 4 2 2 0 7 4
Hungary 2006 Telki Cup Sixth 6th 3 0 1 2 1 7
Hungary 2007 Telki Cup Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 3 0
Hungary 2008 Telki Cup Runners-up 2nd 3 2 1 0 6 2
Hungary 2009 Telki Cup Seventh 7th 3 1 1 1 6 4
Hungary 2010 Telki Cup Sixth 6th 3 1 0 2 4 4
Hungary 2011 Telki Cup Semi-finals 4th 3 2 1 0 4 3
Hungary 2012 Telki Cup Runners-up 2nd 3 1 1 1 6 4
Hungary 2013 Telki Cup Third 3rd 3 2 0 1 4 3
Hungary 2015 Telki Cup Runners-up 2nd 3 2 0 1 2 4
Hungary 2017 Telki Cup Champions 1st 3 1 2 0 6 3
Hungary 2018 Telki Cup Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 8 1
Hungary 2019 Telki Cup Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 14 5
Hungary 2022 Telki Cup Runners-up 2nd 3 1 2 0 10 5
Hungary 2023 Telki Cup Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 8 2
Total 6 titles 19/19 60 33 16 11 113 66

Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out; correct as of 19 August 2023 after the match against  Uzbekistan.

Past squads

See also

References

  1. ^ "Robert Jarni objavio popis igrača za mini-turnir u Karlovcu" [Robert Jarni published the list of players for the mini-tournament in Karlovac]. Croatian Football Federation (in Croatian). Zagreb. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  2. ^ "European U-16/U-17 Championship". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 11 October 2017.

External links

Croatia national football team
National under-17 football teams of Europe (UEFA)
Football in Croatia
National sports teams of Croatia
Categories