Croatia has the best fans. We just do. End of story.
But I want to take this time to ask you guys: What is the best Croatian match you have ever attended? Or best experience; both pre and post game?
We always talk about the team and the players – but not the fans – unless we’re in trouble or getting fined, of course.
I’ve personally been to three in my life: 2 friendlies and a Euro 2016 group stage match. The first game that Croatia ever played on North American soil in 2017 was pretty cool. It was on home turf for me in Los Angeles and the tailgate before the game was incredible. There must have been 4,000 Croatians compared to the 60,000 Mexicans.
But nothing can compare to Croatia vs. Spain at EURO 2016 in Bordeaux. You have Croatians from all over the world coming together, drinking, singing for 12 hours straight. Flares are going off and you can barely see fans across the plaza because of all the smoke. On top of that, Vatreni beat Spain 2-1 behind a Subašić penalty save and last minute Perišić goal to top the group. I don’t think I got to bed until 4AM.
What’s your best in-person Croatia game/experience?
Bought tickets to see them play England and will purchase the third place match IF they play Serbia. ZDS!
Ante is racist like the Coronavirus
😉
ante. my comments are not going through. meanwhile fake post like the one above are getting through….
fake^^
My favorite moment was when super Sammy first started for us in a match you can just see the pride in his eyes and a passion that day I was proud to say I was Croatian.
Basketball/jungle ball Is one of the most athletic / physically literate demanding sports there is and cro has plenty of talent there but most kids growing up their focus on soccer not just cause of great genetics but our excellent achievements in such a short period of time as an independent nation / euro 96/France 98 started it off- my younger cousins as well as many young cros thrived on that and used it as motivation as we know can spark a nation ! …wel’ll let those mongaloid looking cetniks have a lil more talent then us there for now as footy is the #1 world sport and any cetnik would trade there accomplishments in crnac jungle ball for the Repka’s international accomplishments in football. Hey, I ain’t racist- I got colour TV but soccer is more team oriented then most to all team sports b-ball included and that’s why those cetniks no matter there individual talent will never go far in a major tourney (also they never produced a suker, boban, prosinecki is half half like djokovic but I’ll mention him cause he represented us) Modric, Rakitic, perisic, mandzo ..no world class attacking mid/ forwards- those douchebags can’t come together as a team and only produce somewhat decent defenders- b-ball could be the easiest sport where you acquire one or 2 superstars and your 3/4 of a way to nba championship already -Lebron/wade/bosh- ok that’s 3 but wasnt wade already there and they weren’t on the doorstep of a title then – they acquire those 2 and there champions – 5 player starting lineup in that sport is not like hockey where u can buy a championship with acquiring superstars or soccer- baseball even (if anyone watches it lol) respect the hell out of the athleticism needed for jungle ball and want our hrvati to dominate any sport we can as we’re athletic monsters with barely any infrastructure.
Isn’t waterpolo only trained in few places in Croatia, mainly Dubrovnik? And we rule at that beating the whopps for the gold in 2012 Olympics – handball we’ve been unlucky – still great talent -but again our infrastructure is definitely terrible compared to other euro nations- for our constant accomplishments from judo and skiing to footy we all know how bad it is and yet the talent keeps coming through the pipelines like a young Luka Modric kicking a ball against a wall in war torn zadar- infrastructure or not – can’t put a price on world class talent/skills and genetics – could only imagine how much dominant we would be at all sports if proper investments were put forth ! World would be scared shitless of us !!
Bog hrvati
What would have occurred in Croatian Sports today?
Rebic’s Milan would have destroyed Ronaldo’s Juventus. Rebic would have scored twice and knocked Ronaldo on his ass with his patented trackback skills.
Watching Rebic trackback on an unsuspecting forward, is like watching Lawrence Taylor sack Theismann from the blind side.
@Maminjo-lmao, was so drunk I forgot that game.
Good news:I lost my virginity after that game in Malta.
Bad news:It happened in a Maltese jail cell.
Oddly enough, Croatia still produces NBA caliber players.
That Spurs prospect (Šamanić) is doing well in the G League, and there is even some other big talent we have on one of our junior teams that will be NBA bound in a couple years.
Shame that we can’t seem to invest in our basketball program, like we do in football, handball, waterpolo, tennis, etc.
But honestly, we don’t really invest too much money in any sports. We’re one of the lowest investing nations in Europe I believe (shocking, considering the results).
Not sure what we’re doing so right in the other sports that we’re not doing for basketball.
Speaking of the good ‘Ol days .. remember when we used to be good at soccer AND basketball.
Back in the day while fellow Hrvat Rudy Tomjanovic was scouting the big east tournament at MSG, during the dark days of a post Petrović era, I asked him to support our HKS. He said “they weren’t interested!!”
I guess who needs a hall of fame coach when you can be just plain mediocre on your own:
https://www.nba.com/rockets/rudy-tomjanovich-named-inductee-basketball-hall-fames-class-2020
I have been binging on early 90’s basketball when both Croatia and NYC were still relevant!!
Remember that BS CSR interview with Hezonja ?!
Corny as “swinging door” no handle punk big timing CSR interview?
So glad you skipped Croatia duty to work on your NBA game to warm the bench for years.
That silver run in ‘92 put Croatia on the world map.
Dražen Petrović is the greatest Croatian sportsmen of all time.
Been to 3 games so far. Against Italy in Milan where we tied 1-1 for Euro qualifying when the fans delayed the game. Saw us play Argentina in London in a friendly.
The best game I have been to though was my first game. Hrvatska/England in 2007 at Wembley when we knocked them out of Euro 2008. I was sitting row 14 at the corner flag where Petric scored the winner.
March 2018 1-0 against Mexico in Dallas. Meaningless match that was not particularly entertaining, but there was something extremely gratifying about being one of a very small number of Croats in a crowd of 79,000.
Or the time you chanted Za Dom Spremni! with Big Joe?!
Seriously though that would be right near the top if I was at every major match.
@BZ
What about the time you got arrested in Malta?
@Susak
Haha.
I love the look on regular Americans when they see what true passion and pride is.
They’re always so mortified and frightened, it’s awesome. They have no idea. Always trying to rationalize the behavior.
1)My fave was a qualifier against Italy for euro 2016 in Split. A few of us got shit-faced the night before the game, then stumbled over to Poljud and spray painted some shit on the field.
2)Euro 2016, vs Czech Republic. We got so drunk we ended up throwing some flares on the field, mid-game.
3)A friendly vs Estonia in Estonia! Got so drunk the night before the game we snuck into the stadium & played rugby on the field.
My boyz and I are legendz!
Seen them play live 5 times. A World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Zagreb, against Italy and Spain at Euro 2012 in Poland, and friendlies against Peru (Miami), and Mexico (Dallas). The best atmosphere by far was the game against Italy in Poznan. The whole city centre was covered in checkers. Singing and drinking all day long. They even had a blow up doll with an Italian jersey on that they were passing around and pretty much having their way with. On the way to the stadium, our fans were banging on the roof of the tram to the point where it started to break apart and chunks of the roof were flying off. It was great seeing the look on my American wife’s face whom I dragged to Poland for this since none of my friends could go. Sat 8 rows behind Buffons net and when Mandzukic scored, flares came raining down from every angle. Yes they are a pain in the ass and stop the games, but a cool experience in person.
Back when u didn’t have to social distance
Thanks for sharing guys
This was my year to go to Scotland and look what happens
Fuck covid
Love it! Thanks Pog. Sticky, humid French trams. I know exactly what youćre talking about. So gross.
Good job Ante!
Coming up with some good ones during these times.
Croatia Japan 1998
Being packed on a smoky tram into Nantes was one of the hottest experiences of my life. Must’ve been about 35° outside that day.
I was sweating from my fucking legs like I was in a steam room on that tram.
Ciro famously said afterwards that Suker lost 5kg on the pitch that day.
One of the lasting visuals I have is of 2 fans on the way out, a Hrvat and a Jap exchanging jerseys. Japanese were class as always. Remember shaking my head a few times at the size difference between our fans. Pretty damn easy to spot us even though we were outnumbered like 5 to 1.
It just felt so new and not widely known which gave it so much of its charm. Such a different era. So many fans I talked to and saw in ’98 had nothing but a ticket. Unreal support!