Croatia men's national water polo team explained

The Croatia men's national water polo team represents Croatia in international water polo competitions and is controlled by the Croatian Water Polo Federation. They have won gold medals in the Olympics, World and European Championships, FINA World League and Mediterranean Games, making them one of the most successful men's water polo teams in the world. Overall Croatia won 33 medals at competitions.

It was the first Croatian national team to win a gold medal at the Olympics or World Games, the World and European Championships.

Croatia played their 800th game since gaining independence on 20 August 2022 and they won their 517th victory.^[1]

History

After the independence of Croatia the national water polo team competed at its first tournament and also its first finals at 1993 Mediterranean Games, followed by the 1993 European Championships where Croatia won 5th place.

Croatia has since become Olympic champion (2012), triple World champion (2007, 2017, 2024) and European champion (2010). Croatia has also won eight other medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships and was fourth on six occasions. The team holds a record streak of winning 7 medals in a row at World Championships and has reached semi-finals in over 60% of appearances at the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships altogether since 2017. Since the formation of national team Croatia has qualified for every big tournament. It is the first Croatian national team in any Olympic team sport that has won gold medals at all three big competitions. Croatia has also won World League (2012) and Mediterranean Games (2013). The only competition Croatia has yet to win is World Cup where the national team won silver medal in 2010.

The team has been awarded with Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport in 1996. So far two International Swimming Hall of Fame inductees have been members of Croatia national team – Perica Bukić as a player and Ratko Rudić as a coach.

Croatia played their 800 game since gaining independence on 20 August 2022. and they won their 517 victory which makes 64,62% of victories.^[1]

Results

Medals

Updated after 2024 World Championships

Competition				Total
Olympic Games	1	3	0	4
World Championship	3	1	4	8
World Cup	0	1	1	2
World League	1	3	3	7
European Championship	2	3	1	6
Europa Cup	1	1	0	2
Summer Universuade	0	1	0	1
Mediterranean Games	1	1	1	3
Total	9	14	10	33

Champions   Runners-up   Third place   Fourth place  

Summer Olympics

See main article: Croatia men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics.

Year[2]	Round	Position
1992	Couldn't participate in qualification
1996	Final		8	5	0	3	71	58	+13
2000	Quarterfinal	7th	8	5	1	2	68	56	+12
2004	Preliminary Round	10th	6	2	0	4	47	42	+5
2008	Quarterfinal	6th	7	4	0	3	71	49	+22
2012	Final		8	8	0	0	73	42	+31
2016	Final		8	5	0	3	66	62	+4
2020	Quarterfinal	5th	8	5	0	3	99	82	+17
2024	Final		8	4	0	4	88	86	+2
Total	Qualified: 8/8		65	41	1	23	641	505	+126

Record against other teams at the Summer Olympics

National team
Australia	2	2	0	1	29	25	+4
China	1	1	0	0	16	4	+12
Egypt	1	1	0	0	12	1	+11
Germany	1	1	0	0	13	5	+8
Greece	3	3	0	0	25	16	+9
Hungary	2	1	0	1	16	17	−1
Italy	5	4	0	1	45	35	+10
Kazakhstan	2	2	0	0	40	15	+25
Montenegro	3	1	0	1	26	20	+6
Netherlands	1	1	0	0	11	7	+4
Romania	1	1	0	0	11	6	+5
Russia	1	0	0	1	8	9	−1
Serbia	3	2	0	2	43	44	-1
Serbia and Montenegro	3	1	1	1	20	21	−1
Spain	4	1	0	3	30	34	−4
Ukraine	1	1	0	0	16	8	+8
United States	6	2	0	4	45	42	+3
Total	17 teams

World Championships

Year	Round	Position
1994	Semi-final	4th	7	4	0	3	87	57	+30
1998	Second Round	9th	8	4	2	2	94	46	+48
2001	Second Round	8th	8	4	0	4	70	52	+18
2003	Second Round	9th	6	3	1	2	49	39	+10
2005	Semi-final	4th	7	4	0	3	59	44	+15
2007	Final		6	6	0	0	62	40	+22
2009	Semi-final		6	5	0	1	63	35	+28
2011	Semi-final		6	5	0	1	72	42	+30
2013	Semi-final		7	6	0	1	89	44	+45
2015	Final		6	5	0	1	68	45	+23
2017	Final		6	6	0	0	70	47	+23
2019	Semi-final		6	5	0	1	77	37	+40
2022	Semi-final	4th	7	4	1	2	81	66	+15
2023	Classification round	9th	6	3	0	3	93	57	+36
2024	Final		7	4	2	1	107	63	+44
Total	Qualified: 15/15		99	68	6	27	1141	710	+431

Record against other teams at the World Championships

National team
Australia	6	5	0	1	49	43	+6
Brazil	4	4	0	0	52	22	+30
Canada	5	5	0	0	68	26	+42
China	3	3	0	0	49	7	+42
Germany	1	0	0	1	3	7	−4
Greece	4	2	0	2	51	49	+2
Hungary	5	2	1	3	50	56	−6
Italy	4	1	1	2	32	34	−2
Japan	2	2	0	0	26	9	+17
Kazakhstan	1	1	0	0	19	4	+15
Montenegro	4	4	0	0	40	21	+19
Netherlands	2	2	0	0	23	13	+10
New Zealand	3	3	0	0	75	8	+67
Romania	3	3	0	0	25	18	+7
Russia	6	3	0	3	51	38	+13
Serbia	4	2	0	2	37	41	−4
Serbia and Montenegro	2	0	1	1	10	11	−1
Slovakia	1	1	0	0	12	3	+9
South Africa	2	2	0	0	32	5	+27
Spain	2	0	0	2	10	17	−7
United States	6	5	0	1	56	43	+13
Total	21 teams

World Cup

Year	Round	Position
1993	Could not qualify[3]
1995	Preliminary Round	6th	5	2	0	3	25	31	−6
1997	Preliminary Round	8th	5	1	0	4	30	40	−10
1999	did not qualify
2002	Preliminary Round	8th	4	0	1	3	26	32	−6
2006	Semi-final	4th	6	2	1	3	54	56	−2
2010	Final		6	5	0	1	74	43	+31
2014	Semi-final		6	4	0	2	43	37	+6
2018	Quarterfinal	5th	6	4	1	1	84	41	+43
2023	did not qualify
Total	Qualified: 6/8		38	18	3	17	336	280	+56

Record against other teams at the World Cup

National team
Australia	1	1	0	0	6	3	+3
China	1	1	0	0	14	4	+10
Greece	2	1	1	0	12	11	+1
Hungary	3	0	0	3	17	30	−13
Iran	1	1	0	0	23	2	+21
Italy	2	0	0	2	9	13	−4
Kazakhstan	1	1	0	0	14	7	+7
Montenegro	1	1	0	0	6	5	+1
Netherlands	1	1	0	0	9	7	+2
Romania	1	1	0	0	10	7	+3
Russia	2	1	0	1	17	19	−2
Serbia	3	1	0	2	21	28	−7
Serbia and Montenegro	3	1	0	2	18	18	0
Spain	5	0	1	4	33	45	−12
United States	5	3	0	2	43	40	+3
Total	15 teams

World League

Wins/Defeats after penalty shootout counted as wins/defeats.

• marks instances of not qualifying for the super final due to "host rule".

Year	Round	Position
2002	did not qualify for the Super Final		12	2	0	10
2003	did not compete
2004
2005	Group Round	4th	14	8	0	6
2006 *	did not qualify for the Super Final		11	7	0	4
2007			8	3	0	5
2008 *			6	3	0	3
2009	Final		12	9	0	3
2010	Semi-final		12	8	0	4
2011	Semi-final		11	10	0	1
2012	Final		10	10	0	0
2013 *	did not qualify for the Super Final		6	4	0	2
2014			4	1	0	3
2015	Final		14	12	0	2
2016	did not qualify for the Super Final		6	4	0	2
2017	Semi-final		12	10	0	2
2018	Quarterfinal	5th	10	7	0	3
2019	Final		13	9	0	4
2020	did not qualify for the Super Final		5	2	0	3
2022			5	3	0	2
Total	Participated: 18/20 Qualified for the Super Final: 9/18		170	112	0	59

European Championships

Year	Round	Position
1993	Preliminary round	5th	7	5	0	2	72	58	+14
1995	Semi-final	4th	7	2	2	3	78	58	+20
1997	Semi-final	4th	8	5	1	2	60	44	+16
1999	Final		8	6	0	2	71	59	+12
2001	Semi-final	4th	8	3	2	3	63	57	+6
2003	Final		8	6	0	2	66	55	+11
2006	Preliminary round	7th	8	4	2	2	90	72	+18
2008	Semi-final	4th	8	4	1	3	81	69	+12
2010	Final		7	6	0	1	71	44	+27
2012	Preliminary round	9th	7	4	0	3	80	66	+14
2014	Quarterfinal	5th	7	3	2	2	64	54	+10
2016	Quarterfinal	7th	7	4	0	3	88	50	+38
2018	Semi-final		6	5	0	1	76	41	+35
2020	Semi-final	4th	6	4	0	2	75	53	+22
2022	Final		6	5	1	0	73	41	+42
2024	Final		6	4	0	2	66	54	+12
Total	Qualified: 16/16		108	70	11	33	1174	875	+310

Record against other teams at the European Championships

National team
Austria	1	1	0	0	26	2	+24
France	3	3	0	0	38	21	+17
Germany	8	4	2	2	76	66	+10
Greece	10	7	3	0	91	73	+18
Hungary	12	2	1	9	108	128	−20
Italy	9	5	1	3	66	62	+4
Montenegro	5	2	0	3	46	49	−3
Netherlands	3	3	0	0	40	13	+27
Romania	4	2	0	2	43	35	+8
Russia	5	3	1	1	44	36	+8
Serbia	3	1	1	1	30	32	−2
Serbia and Montenegro	4	1	0	3	30	32	−2
Slovakia	6	5	0	1	64	37	+27
Slovenia	3	3	0	0	37	16	+21
Spain	9	6	1	2	80	73	+7
Turkey	1	1	0	0	16	3	+13
Ukraine	3	3	0	0	34	19	+15
Total	17 teams

Europa Cup

Year	Round	Position
2018	Final		8	7	0	1
2019	Final		7	5	0	2
Total	Participated: 2/2 Qualified for the Super Final: 2/2		15	12	0	3

Mediterranean Games

Year	Round	Position
1993	Final
1997	Final
2001	Preliminary Round	5th
2005	Semi-final	4th	5	2	0	3
2009	Semi-final	4th	5	3	0	2
2013	Final		4	4	0	0
2018	did not participate
2022
Total	Participated: 6/8		14	9	0	5

Team

Current squad

Roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Player statistics

+ Most appearances
Player	Matches		Active on Nat'l Team?
	417
	285
	176
	167
	148
	129
	128
	120
	117
	108	, HG
	97
	90	, SC
	89
	83
	86
	80
	79
	68	, HG
	58
	57
	52
	52
	37
	35
	33
	30
	22
	20

+ Top scorers
Name	Goals	Average
	369	3.42	,
	197		,
	158
	135	0.77
	113	0.27
	100		,
	86	1.02

Head coaches

• Duško Antunović (1991–1993)
• Bruno Silić (1993–1998)
• Neven Kovačević (1998–2001)
• Veselin Đuho (2002–2003)
• Zoran Roje (2003–2005)
• Ratko Rudić (2005–2012)
• Ivica Tucak (2012–)

Notable players

• Milivoj Bebić^[4]
• Zdravko Ježić
• Zdravko Kovačić
• Renco Posinković
• Karlo Stipanić

Naturalized players

Andrey Belofastov (Ukraine), Xavier García (Spain)^[5] Konstantin Kharkov (Russia), Nikolay Bonev (Bulgaria)

Statistics

Record against other teams

As of 10 August 2024 after game against Hungary in Olympic Games 2024

NO FRIENDLY fixtures.

style="background: #CCFFCC;" width="20" Positive total balance (more wins) Negative total balance (more losses) Wins/Defeats after penalty shootout counted as wins/defeats. National team Total Olympic Games World Championship World Cup World League European Championship Europa Cup Mediterranean Games Qualifications data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" Argentina< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Australia< -- TOT --> 23 18 0 5< -- OG --> 3 2 0 2 9 8 0 1 2 1 0 1 8 7 0 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Austria< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 0 0 0 0 Belarus< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 1 0 0 Brazil< -- TOT --> 8 7 0 1< -- OG --> 1 1 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Canada< -- TOT --> 8 8 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 0 0 China< -- TOT --> 7 7 0 0< -- OG --> 1 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Egypt< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 France< -- TOT --> 13 12 0 1< -- OG --> 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 5 5 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Georgia< -- TOT --> 3 3 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 1 0 0 Germany< -- TOT --> 27 21 2 4< -- OG --> 1 1 0 0 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 12 11 0 1 9 5 2 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — 2 2 0 0 Great Britain< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 1 0 0 Greece< -- TOT --> 42 26 6 10< -- OG --> 4 3 0 1 5 1 1 3 2 1 1 0 14 9 0 5 13 9 4 0 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hungary< -- TOT --> 41 12 2 27< -- OG --> 4 3 0 1 9 4 1 4 3 0 0 3 11 3 0 8 14 3 1 10 0 0 0 0 — — — — 0 0 0 0 Iran< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Italy< -- TOT --> 45 25 2 18< -- OG --> 7 5 0 2 6 3 1 2 2 0 0 2 14 8 0 6 12 7 1 4 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 Japan< -- TOT --> 7 7 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Kazakhstan< -- TOT --> 11 11 0 0< -- OG --> 4 4 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 4 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Macedonia< -- TOT --> 4 4 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Malta< -- TOT --> 3 3 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Moldova< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 1 0 0 Montenegro< -- TOT --> 31 20 0 11< -- OG --> 8 7 0 1 4 3 0 1 1 1 0 0 9 3 0 6 7 4 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Netherlands< -- TOT --> 14 14 0 0< -- OG --> 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 4 0 0 5 5 0 0 1 1 0 0 — — — — 0 0 0 0 < -- TOT --> 3 3 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Poland< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 1 0 0 Puerto Rico< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 0 0 Romania< -- TOT --> 18 15 0 3< -- OG --> 2 2 0 0 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 3 0 1 4 2 0 2 1 1 0 0 — — — — 3 3 0 0 Russia< -- TOT --> 35 23 1 11< -- OG --> 1 1 0 0 7 4 0 3 2 1 0 1 18 13 0 5 6 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 0 0 1 Serbia *< -- TOT --> 48 18 8 27< -- OG --> 7 4 1 2 8 4 1 3 7 2 1 4 11 2 0 9 9 2 1 6 3 3 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Slovakia< -- TOT --> 9 8 0 1< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 1 0 0 Slovenia< -- TOT --> 6 6 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 South Africa< -- TOT --> 6 6 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Spain< -- TOT --> 43 19 2 22< -- OG --> 7 2 0 5 5 0 0 5 5 0 1 4 11 6 0 5 9 6 1 2 2 2 0 0 4 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 Turkey< -- TOT --> 10 10 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 6 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Switzerland< -- TOT --> 1 1 0 0< -- OG --> 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 1 1 0 0 Ukraine< -- TOT --> 4 4 0 0< -- OG --> 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — — 0 0 0 0 < -- TOT --> 37 25 0 12< -- OG --> 9 4 0 5 8 7 0 1 7 5 0 2 13 9 0 4 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 0 0 0 Total (36) 515 344 19 152 includes games against / FR Yugoslavia

Biggest wins

double digit goal difference

Biggest losses

Non-senior competitions

World Youth Championship

U-18

Year	Round	Position
2012	Semi-final	4th
2014	Quarterfinal	8th
2016	Champions	1st

World Junior Championship

U-20

Year	Round	Position
1991
1993
1995
1997	Final
1999
2001	Final
2003	Quarterfinal	7th
2005	Final
2007	Semi-final
2009	Final
2011	Quarterfinal	6th
2013	Final
2015

European Youth Championship

U-17

Year	Round	Position
2003	Semi-final
2005	Final
2007	Semi-final
2008	Semi-final
2009	Final
2011	Final
2013	Qualified
2015 *	Semi-final	4th

• incorporated in the 1st European Games

European Junior Championship

U-19

Year	Round	Position
2004	Final
2006	Semi-final	4th
2008	Quarterfinal	5th
2010	Semi-final
2012	Semi-final
2014	Semi-final
2024	Champions

Awards

• Croatian team of the year: 1999, 2017, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017

See also

• Croatia men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
• Yugoslavia men's national water polo team
• List of Olympic champions in men's water polo
• List of men's Olympic water polo tournament records and statistics
• List of world champions in men's water polo

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pobjeda u jubilarnoj 800. utakmici Barakuda: Hrvatska trijumfom nad Francuzima otvorila turnir u Beogradu . sportske.jutarnji.hr . 20 August 2022 . 21 August 2022 .
2. mnt . dmy .
3. Qualification for the tournament was determined by placing in the 1992 Olympics tournament. Since the Croatian team couldn't had participated in the 1992 Olympic water polo tournament due to the dissolution of Yugoslavia, it couldn't qualify for the 1993 World Cup.
4. FINA Water Polo Player of the Year in 1982, 1984 and 1985. Scored 28 goals in one game which is a world record for water polo game (final score: Yugoslavia 62–0 Guatemala). First water polo player in history to sign a 6 digit contract.
5. Web site: Stigla potvrda iz MOO-a: Javier Garcia s Hrvatskom na Olimpijskim igrama u Riju.