2014 was a year of anticipation for Croatian sports fans.
It was a year that saw Croatians wait over six months to open up the World Cup against hosts Brazil in one of the most anticipated openers in football history. And although the Vatreni fell short in Sao Paulo, the consensus knows it wasn’t due to lack of effort.
It was a year that saw the future of Croatian basketball, Bojan Bogdanović, Mario Hezonja and Dario Šarić, defeat Argentina in group stage before losing to France in the Round of 16 at the FIBA World Championships.
Luka Modrić finally shined with Real Madrid after having a terrible first season in the Spanish capital, winning a record 10th Champions League title for the club. And we learned that Croatian-American Stipe Miocic could hold his own in the UFC Heavyweight division, losing a controversial decision to former champion Junior dos Santos.
But when it comes to Croatian sports in 2014, 26 year-old Marin Čilić takes top prize.
To what many thought would be a phenomenal career without any major championships in the era of Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djoković, Čilić finally grabbed his first major title this year in New York, quieting critics in the process. He did it with pristine form, only dropping three sets the entire tournament. Čilić defeated Tomas Berdych and tennis legend Roger Federer in straight sets before duplicating the effort in the Final versus Ken Nishikori. It was only the second time a Croatian man had won a tennis grand slam (Ivanišević: 2001 Wimbledon).
But where does Čilić’s title rank amongst Croatia’s greatest sporting achievements?
In no particular order, all of the following achievements should rank above 2014 Čilić:
-3rd place finish at 1998 World Cup
-Davor Šuker Golden Boot (most goals) at 1998 World Cup
-2nd place basketball finish (behind American Dream Team) at 1992 Olympics
-Goran Ivanišević wins 2001 Wimbledon crown as a Wild Card
-CroCop wins 2006 Pride World Grand Prix Open-Weight championship
At only 4.5 million people, Croatia has a spectacular sports resume in the past 20 years. Čilić now ranks amongst the elite, but what is Croatia’s #1 sports accomplishment of all time?
For me there’s no question: 1998 World Cup 3rd place.
How would you rank them CroatianSports.com nation?
No reply to any of my points? Man I’m disappointed.
@Ziva/Stat boy,
Regarding Halilovic, no circumstances changed. You spent too much time working for the UN in Bosnia that you developed some very stupid logic. Simple as that. Anyone who was in the know would have known Halilovic’s intention’s were always to play for CRO.
vaš Ante B sounds eerily similar to vaš McDonald’s.
Thanks Nik!
Slavonac
Well said instead of topics like unemployment etc people want to focus on Mamic and Suker. As if they are responsible for that. Lol. Just read and shake your head at some of these comments. These guys did nothing wrong but certain people will do anything to put down anything associated with Croatia. You see it on this site constantly. Man the attacks on a Simunic was sad.
you are the only one who makes sense on this site from politics to sports. You are not bias and just say it and back it up. Keep it up.
No insult at all. This is a message board. I don’t take anything personally here. All good fun.
Dude, most people here see your value, knowledge and very often great perspectives. I think many people also wait to read your “after the game” reviews. You are funny and make hilarious names for people but you have become a tad too anti Corluka, Kranjcar, Pletikosa’s wife….I think it’s ok sometimes and I think the Suker and Mamic topic is also ok sometimes but man, I think the horse was dead a kind time ago….I say this with respect…dosadan tko proljev…
When you talk about pkayers, their positions and performances or even our culture, I think everyone here appreciate’s your comments but from my point of you, you’re too smart a guy to stoop to complaining and criticizing 24/7…it’s not even funny anymore!
I hope you’re not insulted, I always respect you dude, I know you’re a good Hrvat and person!
Sretna Nova!
Sve Najbolje!!!
I don’t hate on anyone. It’s not my style.
I don’t disagree with anything you are saying about the political class. I just find the likes of Mamic and Puppet Suker to be no better and no worse than them. I don’t find Mamic and Puppet Suker to be patriots or nationalistic (in the good sense and not the liberal negative view of the word). The Suspension Joey thing was a small thing. The cro media is liberal, no way they were going to defend him. But, my whole issue with that is that nobody with savez and none of his teammates came to his defense. Nobody. Dude was on an island.
If you and I were teammates on a soccer team and even if we didn’t get along off the field, I would have your back if you would have been in the same situation as Suspension Joey.
Again, this is a sports site so we comment more about sports than politics.
Ziva- so, you just admit this and yet find it strange Mamic and Suker are in charge?
“And the funny thing about Josipovic is that a majority of the voting public is going to re-elect him. At some point the people in Cro are only to blame.”
The same media that are anti Simunic, Thompson and “Za Dom Spremni” also promote and sell Josipovic’s ideology, leaving out the anti Croatian parts of him and his teams actions BUT for some reason you think the people are to blame for this but they aren’t to blame for the health of Croatian soccer?
its always been corrupt, nothing new…that’s why I’m surprised this has become such a huge topic rather than the unemployment situation or recession going onto 7 straight years!
I read what many of you write here but often don’t comment because I know I can’t change a thing. I then watch as many start with the insults, name calling and accusations that people are dumb because they don’t know or understand the Mamic situation and I think to myself….I live in Vancouver, I have a job, a family and responsibilities in life….do I really have to argue some guys issues on this site and start insulting people and acting as if I’m superior because I think I know something better than the next guy does?
The media is part of the Josipovic coalition to berate Croatianism and denounce any type of Patriotism, although I was disappointed with Simunic’s ban, I later thought to myself…”he did no wrong”…maybe he should have known but it was Jovanovic that reported him, not FIFA! Our media did little to help Simunic, in fact they hurt him…which could have changed things if they immediately played it out as no big deal!
We should get on track and support out team! Mamic and Suker will go and some other person will do things to piss us all off! You Ziva should try not to hate on some of our guys as much as you do, you never seem satisfied about anything…why is that?
Idol Donovan???????? Huh
I got nothing wrong with Halilovic……circumstances changed. He was sold and the club that purchased said they didn’t want him in the roster if he wasn’t go to play. That has been confirmed.
And the funny thing about Josipovic is that a majority of the voting public is going to re-elect him. At some point the people in Cro are only to blame.
@Slavonac
josipovic father was based at Goli Otok, enough said, how many Hrvati were tortured and killed under his rule
ziva, ziva, feel sorry for you, same crap from you everytime regarding mamic and suker, you keep repeating yourself hoping people buy your garbage, get over it, also no jersey whatsoever but I am sure you have one of your idol Donovan
stick to what you know regarding halilovice, oops you got that wrong as well.
@slavonac you are on fire, great posts and keep it coming
Everyone already knows about Josipovic’s dad.
http://www.maxportal.hr/seselj-podrzavam-ivu-josipovica-njegov-otac-je-ubijao-fratre-na-sirokom-brijegu/
Pretty funny interview on Bujica from last month.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RJVDeHtgJ6U
These are the kinds of people / smrad that support SDP.
Btw- I’m pretty sure Jovanovic was fired a few months ago but with that said there are still tons of these anti Croatians all over Croatia that don’t want any association with Croatia and being Za Dom Spreman!
There is a strong Croatian presence in Germany and many who want to rid the Croatian government of the crap pro Yugo BS. Simunic is apparently collaborating with them and some legal avenues to expose the udbasi….apparently Josipovic’s father was one of them and quite high ranked as well!
For the record, Dasovic is NOT Ziva…hahaha!!!
Ziva- call me ignorant but I’m not sure exactly what Suker is responsible for? He may be a gambler, a loser and has done things to help himself and his friends, who hasn’t done that in Croatia?
Suker is a weirdo, he’s also looking to better his own life…what exactly has he done that makes him such a bad guy? I haven’t seen him do good, I don’t know what his role is?
Another guy who doesn’t get it. You must have a Puppet Suker jersey.
enought with Mamic and Suker, they are not the problem, get over it and move on
Of course Josipovic and Jovanovic are bigger problem, more Josipovic. But this is a sports site so we bitch about the sporting characters.
There is no doubt the current political elite is anti-Hrvatstvo. But, people like Mamic are not any better. They masquerade as patriots when it benefits them. People like him make it so easy not to give a shit about the repka. how about his Puppet Suker scalping World Cup tickets…..
@Slavonac and Not myreal name.
excellent post guys, you nailed it,
at the end of the day josipovic and jovanovic are the real problems, as you mention Slavonac we are in danger of becoming like Belgiium
@ Ante B
That’s a late candidate for post of the year.
Notmy Realname- I agree, he’s one of a kind!
I think everyone has a right to opinion, Ante B makes a few good points regarding Mamic while my friend also makes good points. The difference is, my friend doesn’t pretend he knows all details and sell stories as if they were true. I’m not saying Ante does, but several people have convicted Kovac, Suker, Mamic on several speculations….me included in this!
PS…today I’m gonna have lunch with a few old friends, one of the Nick Dadovic…aka Ziva…hahaha….I’m gonna look him straight in the eye and ask him if he’s the real Ziva Istina (I know he’s not but for some of you here, I’ll do it)!
A good business acumen that is defined by conflict of interest, bribery, fear and astronomical outrageous transfer fees is the exact opposite of what an actual good business acumen is. Therefore nothing is solved.
There is only one velika Hrvatina that is worth mentioning and that is pokojni Stjepan Spajic tzv. Rodo. Unlike Zdravko Mamic who PRAISES jugoslavija on SERBIAN tv and happily admits he knows all of Zvezda’s and Partizan’s songs, pokojni Spajic shows the camera to where the zito grows. Zdravko Mamic is also a war profiteer. So he cussed out Jovanovic which proves that even a broken watch is right two times a day. The way you try to side step that is almost art. The only acumen you also have in front of you is to take a look at the prazne tribine at Maksimir. No facts can fill that stadium despite how hard you try. The guy even lied on NU2 hoping that people wouldn’t catch him.
Since we’re on the topic, I too have a friend who shits rainbows and squirts Sprite from his asshole.
Ovac za sisanje? I guess that’s better than being kurac od ovce like you.
Sretna Nova Godina svim pravim Hrvatima i dinamovcima!
Bog i Hrvati
Za Dom Spremni
-vas Ante B.
You can be a big hrvati and still an asshole…………
Mamic is scum. So threatening and manipulating young kids to sign lifetime personal service contracts is ok? Some guys are ok with it because they came from very modest backgrounds (Modric), but it still doesn’t make it right.
How about we get rid of Mamic, Puppet Suker, Josipovic and Jovanovic. At least the commie Jospipovic was legally elected by an idiot and lazy population. Puppet Suker was installed as a savez head by Mamic. Hardly anything democratic.
Ivica,
Should be an easy answer to your question. Curious to see what people choose and where their priorities lie.
@ Slavonac, I know your friend. He’s an awesome, down to earth guy and doesn’t pretend to be a big shot and name drop, unlike the Chicago zet, aka Ziva, even though JG knows much more than him.
Say what you wish, but Zdravko Mamic has superb business acumen. I have a friend who supports Hajduk and runs “bijela noc” in ZG and he only speaks very highly of Zdravko Mamić. In fact, he told me that Mamić gave him 5,000EUR to support the festivities and that he would gladly attend, but he knows that he will be harrassed thus declines. For those of you who do not know, the eldest Mamic brother (there are three of them) played for HAjduk, back in the day. Zdravko’s a passionate man, but has embarrassing public outbursts at times which the media exploits. He’s also a big Hrvatina, and the Yugo controlled media picks on him for that. Sure, in the past, there was a conflict of interest with his management agency and him being VP of Dinamo, but this isn’t the west and that’s how things are done here. So, consider that “solved”.
People who rag on him, like Ante B, are ovci za šišanje.
I guess there should be a poll on this site related to this discussion:
a) Would you rather remove Suker and Mamic from their HNS positions?
OR
b) Would you rather remove Josipovic and Milanovic from their presidential & parliamentary positions?
I remember Croatia before the recession hit in ’08. It was full of promise and hope…….But Today Croatia is a dystopia run by corrupt commie forces.
It seems the only place an honest man can find salvation is with a “Motika” out in the fields.
….as per all our hate towards Suker. The guy had taken this job as a volunteer and doesn’t make a dime in his position, something I didn’t know until today. He has his personal issues but again, people have targeted him when there’s much more important issues to tackle. His only goal is to get a job with FIFA….
I’m not arguing on behalf of Mamic but from what I’m listening to and reading, Croatia has been in a recession for approximately 7 years. Unemployment is at 20% and the government has proven to be very pro Yugo….Mamic is a different type of issue but not nearly as fucked up as the pro Yugo ministers that spend more time on reporting Simunic than doing anything good for Croatians…I see this as a much bigger issue!
Based on what I was told, people are acting as if it’s embarassing to be a proud Croat, they’d prefer Croatians lose their identity and become Belgium!!!
Mamic might be a problem but there are bigger fish to fry than him, at least he’s created a market for Dinamo…maybe if there were more like him the league would be more successful! I say this half serious…I don’t like the guy or his retarded behaviours but I don’t care to focus on him as much as I’d care to get rid of these anti Croatians that take part in Croatia’s future!
@slavonac
Excellent post. Mamic is not to blame for Hajduk. They only have themself to blame. He does a lot of good which many want to ignore. Bigger issue is Josipovic and Jovanovic.
Savez is doing a great job. First place and Kovac is a good coach. Can’t please everyone it seems.
“Unethical but…” enough said.
@ IvicA
I kinda agree with you as well. That was the first big stage appearance by Cro and we took the silver, even took a 1 point lead against the greatest basketball team ever assembled. We got to see Petrovic. Not as big as WC but pretty close when you got Jordan on the same stage. More than anything I think that performance could have been a boost in confidence and motivation for future Cro sports teams and players like Goran, 98′ team, handball, waterpolo, cro cop, and so on..
ivica,
I kind of agree with you. Second place in the 92 Olympics was huge but soccer on the greatest stage will always top another sport.
The one issue I have on the above list is including Cro Mall Cop. I don’t think his win in Tokyo is even in the top 10. His sport is a niche sport.
I would include the handball gold medals in 96 and 04 in that list as well. Huge sport in Cro and that team in 04 was so wing special.
The World Cup is the most iconic sporting event on the planet. It’s the stuff dreams are made out of. And a place where heroes are born.
Thus, our third place achievement was our finest hour.
@Ivica:
I am not a bball guy, but that Olympic run was impressive.
I agree with Ante K, 3rd place at the WC was the best so far.
Am I the only one who thinks ’92 Barcelona when we played the Dream Team for the Gold medal was Croatia’s greatest achievement?
Croatia was a complete unknown then, and Men’s Basketball was the most looked-forward-to event in those Olympics mainly due to NBA stars being able to compete at the Olympics. The Dream Team was stacked with future Hall of Famers in Jordan, Bird, Barkley, Magic, Ewing, Drexler, Pippen, Malone, Stockton, etc.
Even though they blew us out, they blew out every team by much, much more. I remember them blowing out a strong Lithuanian side by over 50 points in that semifinal. It was nuts that we even managed to take the lead on the States in that Finals match.
France ’98 was impressive, but we weren’t that big a surprise, especially since we were already somewhat known from our Euro ’96 quarterfinals appearance (with Germany being lucky to knock us out 2:1 in that tourney). Plus, people were already aware of Croatia as a strong sporting nation since we managed to medal at a few other major sporting events in Waterpolo, Handball, Tennis, and Basketball again.
We were expected to get into the Round of 16, and nobody was really surprised when we beat Romania. The ‘upset’ talk all started when we beat Germany 3:0, and beating the Netherlands for bronze was very impressive as well.
It was huge, but I’d still put it behind the silver we won in Barcelona ’92, simply because of how unknown we were at the time, and the impact that tournament made for Cro as a nation. Plus, we came second to the greatest-ever basketball team. Finishing in second in these tournaments was considered the best possible finish during the Dream Team years in the 90s. It was like winning the tournament itself. I still can’t forget that awesome semifinal match with Russia. That was the Finals match right there.
According to my friend, he says the Kovac brothers don’t take orders from anyone…but that’s his opinion!
I don’t think mamic has any influence on tactics or lineups, I do think he has influence on rosters.
He’s a fturns of R Kovac and says they cannot be bought or told what to do with the NT, that’s his opinion. He said the thought we have of Mamic pulling strings on their NT is bogus. His coment was that Niko made some pretty bad mistakes but Mamic had nothing to do with them.
@ Armada,
All good my man. Didn’t even feel it.
@ Soul Champ
I’m down for that my man.
@ Team CSR
saw this a little while ago, boys….
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-earthquakesa-earthquake-39-quake-strikes-near-san-pedro-calif-wrokee-story.html
you fellas ok?
I never defended Hajduk. They are their own worst enemy. Them blaming Mamic and Dinamo has been an easy excuse over the years that covers up their own sranje. They are paying the price for 15 years of mismanagement.
As for your friend, while I don’t disagree with the info you passed along it also sounds like he is either friends or supportive of Kovac. So, he has his own bias. Hardly a neutral view.
Kum Kovac got his job for one reason…….he is Kumovi with the devil. Hopefully, he justifies his role as coach.
@ Slavonac
Ahh … The lesser of two evils point.
True… But
We need to do better as hnl, Savez and a nation.
This Zagreb acting like the Moscow of Croatia is wack.
I am all in for Rijeka.
Need to develop that city into the švedski grad that it has historically been…pre Tito .
Soul Champ- well, that’s exactly what he does, he audits the Savez and says they have a very healthy organization financially.
Armada- I don’t know if I’d call him an insider but he does have quite the resume and some friendships with people who are directly involved. He’s never said he knows inside info, he says what he knows and what his opinion is.
I was kinda surprised when he stood up for Mamic today. He told me Mamic is a very good business man and in fact last year when a Dinamo youth team won a major tournament that the majority of the players signed a contract with his before the tourney started….there was a lot of interest from many teams and agents….in his opinion, Mamic did what he should have and protected Dinamo’s prospects.
He was on HRT a few weeks back giving an interview, today he told me that if we hate Mamic then we at some point have to choose one of the lesser evils! Josipovic and recently fired Jovanovic are hurting Croatia and Croatians, trying to now rip apart the Savez….believing everything you read isn’t always smart as much of it is political BS!
I believe my friend. He wasn’t protecting Mamic he was simply stating that for a lot of the bad there is also good. Dinamo have paid taxes on approximately $250 million Euros in the past 6 or 7 years, what other teams in Croatia do that?
Hajduk complain and backed out of a game….a game that should have been played…why? Ziva, you might disagree but after listening to this guy he asked me….what has Hajduk done to help themselves in the last 10 years? They complain and yet they’ve done nothing to better themselves…is that Dinamo’s fault, Mamic’s fault?
Croatia’s #1 sports accomplishment of all time?
3rd place in ’98 World Cup.
Happy New Year to All!
No more dividing in the new year.
MAMIC HEROJ !!!!!
ps. anyone else notice how dnevno.hr has been offline (hacked) since about before the election?
http://fizzit.net/vijesti-i-politika/komentari-i-kolumne/5020-hakerski-napad-na-dnevno-hr-napad-na-slobodu-govora
Wonder who could be behind that?! HMMMMM!
Also nice how none of the other commie newspapers have reported on it, at all.
@ Slavonac
The accountants always know the real scoop.
Capone got pinched for tax evasion.
I want to see NK step up his tactics this Spring.
@ Armada
You don’t have a guy in the Savez?
Sve najbolje brate.
I will meet you na Kantridu when the new Stadion opens up.
Full faith I will be able to order you a beer na korzo. No need to invite Ziva.
I love all the “insiders” everyone has on this site….
😉
sretna nova godina decki!
Hahaha…I’m telling you he says it’s not cut and dry how we think here. He works directly with the Savez and is pretty good friends with Robert Kovac and says we read too much BS….some true a me a lot not true!
@Slavonac
So you’re telling us that Ante B and Živa are Udbaši?
I was speaking to a friend from ZG today regarding politics, Mamic, Kovac and some other topics. He’s well connected to the Savez and does their accounting. He tells me they are a very healthy organization, he said that although Mamic is unethical, he does a lot of good for that team of Dinamo and has no influence on the Kovac brothers decisions. He said much of what we read is total garbage and that there is a very strong Yugo presence spreading a lot of BS!
EURO 2016 Champions!
’98
’92
’01
Kostelić
@ Dannyj
First instinct is always the best Brate.
We have a shot to make a deep run. No one in Europe scares me. We have unfinished with Belguim. Holland is in transition. Spain and France have their Croatia payback coming too. Germany will be the Mountain but maybe someone else will beat them.
We finish first in our group and claw back to being a seeded team for the draw and we will be in business.
Next two matches will be EPIC.
in all seriousness i agree with the 3rd place 98
easy euro 2016 champs!!!
oh wait they haven’t done anything, they are mental midgets, they have stds and are fat and have bad hair… does that cover it all?