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.
They are Croatia's most successful national team, having won more titles than all other Croatian national teams.
It was the first Croatian national team in any sport to win a gold medal at the Olympics or World Games, the World and European Championships.
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 ), double World champion (2007 , 2017 ) 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 6 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.
Results
Medals
Updated after 2019 World Aquatics Championships
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
Summer Olympics
World Championships
World Cup
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[ 1]
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 6
4
0
2
Total
Participated: 16/18
154
102
0
52
European Championships
LEN Europa Cup
Year
Round
Position
2018 Final 8
7
0
1
2019 Final 7
5
0
2
Total
Participated: 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
Total
Participated: 6/7
14
9
0
5
Team
Current squad
Roster for the 2020 Men's European Water Polo Championship .[ 3]
Head coach: Ivica Tucak [ 4]
No
Name
Pos.
L/R
Date of birth
Height
Weight
Caps
Club
1
Marko Bijač GK
R
(1991-01-12 ) 12 January 1991 (age 33) 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)
88 kg (194 lb)
Pro Recco
2
Marko Macan DF
R
(1993-04-26 ) 26 April 1993 (age 31) 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
109 kg (240 lb)
VK Jug
3
Loren Fatović W
R
(1996-11-16 ) 16 November 1996 (age 28) 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
84 kg (185 lb)
VK Jug
4
Luka Lončar CF
R
(1987-06-26 ) 26 June 1987 (age 37) 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
106 kg (234 lb)
VK Jug
5
Maro Joković W
L
(1987-01-10 ) 10 January 1987 (age 37) 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
96 kg (212 lb)
Olympiacos
6
Luka Bukić W
R
(1994-04-30 ) 30 April 1994 (age 30) 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
90 kg (200 lb)
HAVK Mladost
7
Ante Vukičević W
R
(1993-02-24 ) 24 February 1993 (age 31) 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
95 kg (209 lb)
CN Marseille
8
Andro Bušlje (C)DF
R
(1986-01-04 ) 4 January 1986 (age 38) 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)
115 kg (254 lb)
Pro Recco
9
Lovre Miloš W
R
(1994-04-05 ) 5 April 1994 (age 30) 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
94 kg (207 lb)
7
HAVK Mladost
10
Josip Vrlić CF
R
(1986-04-25 ) 25 April 1986 (age 38) 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
130 kg (290 lb)
HAVK Mladost
11
Hrvoje Benić D
R
(1992-04-26 ) 26 April 1992 (age 32) 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
100 kg (220 lb)
VK Jug
12
Xavier García W
L
(1984-01-05 ) 5 January 1984 (age 40) 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
92 kg (203 lb)
VK Jug
13
Ivan Marcelić GK
R
(1994-02-18 ) 18 February 1994 (age 30) 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
106 kg (234 lb)
HAVK Mladost
Player statistics
bold – not retired from national team
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Top scorers
Template:Static column begin
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Head coaches
Notable players
Naturalized players
Andrey Belofastov (Ukraine), Xavier García (Spain)[ 5]
Statistics
Record against other teams
As of 24 January 2020
NO FRIENDLY fixtures.
Key
Positive total balance (more wins)
Neutral total balance (equal W/L ratio)
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
Australia
19
16
0
3
2
2
0
0
7
6
0
1
2
1
0
1
8
7
0
1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Austria
1
1
0
0
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
1
1
0
0
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
8
7
0
1
1
1
0
0
4
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
0
1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Canada
7
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
0
0
China
6
6
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
2
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
2
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Egypt
1
1
0
0
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
10
9
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
0
0
3
3
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
Georgia
1
1
0
0
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
Germany
26
20
2
4
1
1
0
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
12
11
0
1
9
5
2
2
0
0
0
0
—
—
—
—
2
2
0
0
Great Britain
1
1
0
0
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
37
24
4
9
3
2
0
1
3
1
0
2
2
1
1
0
14
9
0
5
11
8
3
0
2
1
0
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hungary
36
9
2
25
2
1
0
1
8
4
1
3
3
0
0
3
11
3
0
8
12
1
1
10
0
0
0
0
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Iran
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Italy
42
23
2
17
6
5
0
1
5
2
1
2
2
0
0
2
14
8
0
6
11
6
1
4
0
0
0
0
3
1
0
2
1
1
0
0
Japan
5
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Kazakhstan
9
9
0
0
2
2
0
0
2
2
0
0
1
1
0
0
4
4
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Macedonia
4
4
0
0
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
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Moldova
1
1
0
0
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
25
16
0
9
4
3
0
1
3
3
0
0
1
1
0
0
9
3
0
6
6
4
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
Netherlands
14
14
0
0
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
New Zealand 3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Poland
1
1
0
0
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
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
0
0
Romania
17
14
0
3
1
1
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
35
23
1
11
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 *
43
13
4
26
5
2
1
2
6
2
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
9
8
0
1
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
6
6
0
0
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
5
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
2
0
0
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Spain
37
17
2
18
5
1
0
4
3
0
0
3
5
0
1
4
11
6
0
5
7
5
1
1
2
2
0
0
4
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
Turkey
10
10
0
0
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
1
1
0
0
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
4
4
0
0
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
United States 35
24
0
11
7
3
0
4
8
7
0
1
7
5
0
2
13
9
0
4
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
0
0
0
0
Total (36)
464
308
17
139
* includes games against Serbia and Montenegro / FR Yugoslavia
Biggest wins
double digit goal difference
Olympic Games
World Championship
World Cup
World League
European Championship
Europa Cup
Mediterranean Games
Qualifications
+12 vs. China (16–4) 2008 +11 vs. Egypt (12–1) 2004
+34 vs. New Zealand (35–1) 1994 +19 vs. South Africa (19–0) 2013
+17 vs. New Zealand (21–4) 2013
+16 vs. New Zealand (19–3) 1998
+15 vs. Canada (19–4) 2005
+15 vs. Kazakhstan (19–4) 1998
+11 vs. Brasil (17–6) 1998
+11 vs. Japan (18–7) 2011
+10 vs. Canada (13–3) 2003
+10 vs. China (15–5) 2009
+10 vs. Japan (16–6) 2017
+10 vs. Russia (13–3) 2007
+23 vs. South Africa (25–2) 2018 +21 vs. Iran (23–2) 2010
+13 vs. South Africa (16–3) 2018
+10 vs. China (14–4) 2010
+21 vs. South Africa (22–1) 2010 +19 vs. Turkey (20–1) 2013
+17 vs. Brasil (20–3) 2012
+16 vs. Kazakhstan (20–4) 2019
+16 vs. Kazakhstan (19–3) 2017
+14 vs. Turkey (17–3) 2013
+13 vs. Spain (19–6) 2006
+13 vs. Turkey (19–6) 2016
+13 vs. Turkey (16–3) 2016
+11 vs. Netherlands (18–7) 2017
+10 vs. Brasil (17–7) 2005
+10 vs. China (15–5) 2011
+10 vs. China (14–4) 2015
+10 vs. France (16–6) 2017
+10 vs. Kazahstan (15–5) 2018
+10 vs. Netherlands (17–7) 2017
+10 vs. Russia (14–4) 2018
+10 vs. Turkey (13–3) 2015
+24 vs. Austria (26–2) 1995
+21 vs. Turkey (23–2) 2018
+20 vs. Malta (22–2) 2016
+15 vs. France (20–5) 2016
+13 vs. Turkey (16–3) 2010
+12 vs. Netherlands (16–4) 2012 +11 vs. Slovenia (19–8) 2006
+10 vs. Slovakia (15–5) 2008
+15 vs. France (20–5) 2018
+12 vs. Netherlands (16–4) 2018 +11 vs. Malta (16–5) 2018
+13 vs. Turkey (17–4) 2013
+11 vs. Greece (14–3) 2009
+20 vs. Georgia (23–3) 1999
+17 vs. Puerto Rico (18–1) 2004 +12 vs. Romania (12–0) 2004
Biggest losses
Olympic Games
World Championship
World Cup
World League
European Championship
Europa Cup
Mediterranean Games
-7 vs. Serbia (4–11) 2015
-6 vs. Hungary (4–10) 2005 -5 vs. Spain (6–11) 1994
-6 vs. Serbia (7–13) 2010
-5 vs. Hungary (6–11) 1997 -5 vs. Russia (5–10) 1997
-5 vs. Spain (2–7) 1995
-9 vs. Hungary (6–15) 2007 -8 vs. Greece (5–13) 2008
-7 vs. Brasil (10–17) 2015
-7 vs. Serbia (6–13) 2016
-6 vs. Hungary (5–11) 1995 -5 vs. Hungary (11–16) 2006
-9 vs. Italy (5–14) 2005 -6 vs. Serbia (8–14) 2009
Non-senior competitions
Awards
See also
Notes
^ 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.
References
External links
Croatia squads
Croatia squads – Summer Olympics
Croatia squads – World Aquatics Championships
Croatia squads – FINA World Cup
Croatia squads – European Championship
Current teams Defunct teams
Men's water polo tournament winners
Note: demonstration sport years indicated in italics
2002
2003
2005
2007
2008 *
2009
2010
2012
2013 *
2014
2016
2018
2018
1993
2001
2005
2013
Australia
Austria
Belarus
Brazil
Canada
Egypt
Georgia
Great Britain
Iran
Japan
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Netherlands
New Zealand
Poland
Puerto Rico
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Switzerland
Ukraine
