Germany Calls Up 5 Croatian Talents To Youth National Team

Written by Croatian Football Scout 2 (@crotalentscout2 on X)

Niko Iličević, Filip Pavić, Marko Soldić, David Balukčić, and Gabriel Minutillo, all of Croatian descent, have been invited to Germany’s U-15 national team. Some of them have already played for Croatia at the youth level, but their futures remain uncertain.

One of the standout names is Niko Iličević (14), an attacking talent from Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite being just 14, he’s already playing three years up with the club’s U-17 team and is considered one of the best players on his team and in the nation. He’s also the nephew of Ivo Iličević, a former Croatian international who chose to represent Croatia over Germany.

Filip Pavić (14), a Bayern Munich player, is a talented center-back and defensive midfielder who has already been called up by Croatia’s U-15 national team for friendlies last year, but now Germany has extended an invitation.

Marko Soldić (14), a Nürnberg player, is a versatile midfielder who can play multiple roles across the midfield and attack.

David Balukčić (14) from Stuttgart and Gabriel Minutillo (14) from Bayer Leverkusen have also been called up. Minutillo, whose mother is Croatian, has even been invited to Italy’s U- 15 national team, making his international future even more up in the air.

Beyond the German-based talents, Croatian prospects are emerging all over the world. One name that stands out is William Cvek, an Australian-born Croatian developing in Barcelona’s La Masia academy. He wears the number 10, a number reserved for top talents, showing just how highly rated he is.

Recognizing this growing pool of talent abroad, HNS recently appointed Zoran Vulić as a scout for diaspora players. While it’s a step in the right direction, there’s still a lot left to be done. Despite their talent, many Croatian players abroad haven’t even been contacted by HNS, let alone considered for a call-up. This includes Leon Babić (15) from St. Gallen (Switzerland), Ivan Scander (15) from Marseille (France), Marin Babaja (16) from FC Zürich (Switzerland) and many more.

With so many Croatian players developing abroad, HNS needs to step up. While domestic talent will always be important, they can’t afford to ignore the diaspora. If they don’t start prioritizing these players, it’s only a matter of time before more Croatians start choosing to represent other countries.

(@crotalentscout2 on X)