Croatia

Croatia qualified for their 16th EHF EURO in a row after exciting matches in qualification group 5. Croatians secured second place after two strong victories against Greece and Belgium and two well-fought duels against the Netherlands, ending in a draw and a defeat.

Croatia have never missed the EHF EURO and after three bronze and silver medals, they are still dreaming about the only gold missing in their collection. Finishing eighth at the EHF EURO 2022 and ninth at the 2023 IHF Men's World Championship prompted new coaching changes.

Hrvoje Horvat was replaced by former Croatian player Goran Perkovac, who was part of the squad that won a bronze medal at their first-ever appearance at the EHF EURO 1994. Perkovac introduced new additional young players to the team with an expansion of the base while keeping the core the same – the backcourt line of Domagoj Duvnjak, Igor Karacic and Luka Cindric.

Croatia hope to present a new style while bringing back their famous 3-2-1 defence into the mix and two young goalkeepers Matej Mandic and Dominik Kuzmanovic will welcome their first major competition in the main role.

Looking for another solid performance, with the first goal set to be in the main round, Croatia will try to overcome Spain at the start of the competition and later beat Austria and Romania. However, the hopes are high as the last EHF EURO 2022 marked their worst placement in 20 years.

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Player Cumulative Statistics Roster
#	Player	MP	Goals	Shots	%	7m	YC	RC	2 Min	TP
{{item.playerInfo.shirtNumber}}	{{item.playerInfo.person.lastName}}, {{item.playerInfo.person.firstName}}	{{item.statistics.matchesPlayed}}	{{item.statistics.goals}}	{{item.statistics.shots}}	{{item.statistics.shotEfficiency}}	{{item.statistics.goals7M}}/{{item.statistics.shots7M}}	{{item.statistics.warningsCount}}	{{item.statistics.disqualifications}}	{{item.statistics.twoMinPenaltiesCount}}	{{item.statistics.minutesPlayed}}
	TOTAL		{{totalGoals}}	{{totalShots}}	{{totalShotsEfficiency}}	{{total7mGoals}}/{{total7mShots}}	{{totalWarnings}}	{{totalDisqualifications}}	{{totalTwoMinPenalties}}

#	Goalkeeper	MP	Saves	Shots	%	7m
{{item.playerInfo.shirtNumber}}	{{item.playerInfo.person.lastName}}, {{item.playerInfo.person.firstName}}	{{item.statistics.matchesPlayed}}	{{item.statistics.goalKeeperSaves}}	{{item.statistics.goalKeeperShotsReceived}}	{{item.statistics.goalKeeperSavesEfficiency}}	{{item.statistics.goalKeeperSaves7M}}/{{item.statistics.goalKeeperReceivedShots7M}}
	TOTAL		{{totalSaves}}	{{totalShotReceives}}	{{totalSaveEfficiency}}	{{total7mSaves}}/{{total7mShotsReceives}}

Matches DATE • TIME (CET) Results Round Group

Wed Jan 24, 2024 20:30, Cologne (GER)

Germany

Croatia

Final Tournament I

Mon Jan 22, 2024 15:30, Cologne (GER)

Croatia

Iceland

Final Tournament I

Sat Jan 20, 2024 18:00, Cologne (GER)

Hungary

Croatia

Final Tournament I

Thu Jan 18, 2024 18:00, Cologne (GER)

France

Croatia

Final Tournament I

Tue Jan 16, 2024 18:00, Mannheim (GER)

Croatia

Romania

Final Tournament B

Sun Jan 14, 2024 20:30, Mannheim (GER)

Croatia

Austria

Final Tournament B

Fri Jan 12, 2024 20:30, Mannheim (GER)

Spain

Croatia

Final Tournament B

Sun Apr 30, 2023 18:00, Rijeka (CRO)

Croatia

Belgium

Qualifiers Phase 2 5

Wed Apr 26, 2023 17:00, Chalkida (GRE)

Greece

Croatia

Qualifiers Phase 2 5

Sun Mar 12, 2023 20:15, Osijek (CRO)

Croatia

Netherlands

Qualifiers Phase 2 5

Wed Mar 08, 2023 19:30, HZ Eindhoven (NED)

Netherlands

Croatia

Qualifiers Phase 2 5

Sun Oct 16, 2022 13:45, Hasselt (BEL)

Belgium

Croatia

Qualifiers Phase 2 5

Wed Oct 12, 2022 18:00, Varazdin (CRO)

Croatia

Greece

Qualifiers Phase 2 5

EHF competition history

Final Tournament Wed Jan 24, 2024

Qualifiers Phase 2 Sun Apr 30, 2023

Qualification Europe - Phase 2 Sat Apr 16, 2022

Final Tournament Wed Jan 26, 2022

Group Matches Sun Jun 27, 2021

Final Tournament Sun Jan 26, 2020

Qualifiers Sun Jun 16, 2019

Qualification Europe - Phase2 Play Off Thu Jun 14, 2018

Final Tournament Fri Jan 26, 2018

Final Tournament Sun Jan 31, 2016

Qualification 2 Sun Jun 14, 2015

Final Tournament Sun Jan 26, 2014

Qualification 2 Sat Jun 15, 2013

Final Tournament Sat Jan 19, 2013

Final Tournament Sun Jan 29, 2012

Qualification 2 Sun Jun 12, 2011

Final Tournament Fri Jan 28, 2011

Final Round Sun Jan 31, 2010

Qualification Sun Jun 21, 2009

Final Round Sun Jan 27, 2008

Final Round Sun Feb 05, 2006

Final Round Sun Feb 06, 2005

Olympic Games Sun Aug 22, 2004

Final Round Sun Feb 01, 2004

Play Off Sat Jun 21, 2003

Final Round Sun Feb 02, 2003

Play Off Sun Jun 09, 2002

Finals Sun Jan 27, 2002

Play Off Sat Jun 09, 2001

Finals Sun Jan 28, 2001

Finals Sat Jan 29, 2000

Finals Wed Jun 09, 1999

Qualification Sun Nov 29, 1998

Finals Sat Jun 06, 1998

Qualification Sat Nov 29, 1997

Finals Tue May 27, 1997

Finals Sun Aug 04, 1996

Finals Fri May 31, 1996

Qualification Sat Dec 02, 1995

Finals Sun May 21, 1995

Finals Sun Jun 12, 1994

Qualification Wed Jan 12, 1994

Key Players

Domagoj Duvnjak

Centre Back

At the age of 35, Domagoj Duvnjak remains a key player for Croatia and is by far the most-capped Croatian player at EHF EURO 2024, with 242 international matches and 747 goals under his belt at the start of the tournament. Duvnjak was an All-star Team member at EHF EURO 2014 and the 2013 and 2017 World Championships, and MVP at EHF EURO 2020. He has won three EHF EURO silver medals (in 2008, 2010 and 2020) and two bronzes (2012 and 2016), in addition to bronze at the London 2012 Olympic Games, World Championship silver in 2009 and bronze in 2013. Duvnjak was named IHF World Handball Player of the Year in 2013 and best Bundesliga player in 2012/13. His club career has been spent entirely at THW Kiel since 2014, when he joined the club after five seasons in Hamburg; he recently announced a contract extension until 2025.

Ivan Martinovic

Right Back

Ivan Martinovic made his debut for the Croatian national team in qualification for the EHF EURO 2020, and is fast-becoming a star for the squad - scoring 154 goals in just 35 matches for Croatia so far. Martinovic was born in Vienna, and started playing handball at Fivers. He joined MT Melsungen from TSV Hannover-Burgdorf in 2022. Martinovic’s role models are Ivano Balic and team captain Domagoj Duvnjak, and his brother Marin and sister Kristina are also handball players playing for Austria.

Head Coach

Goran Perkovac

Goran Perkovac took over as the Croatia head coach in February 2023, replacing Hrvoje Horvat. Perkovac previously led the Swiss and Greek national teams, and has also coached Pfadi Winterthur, Kadetten Schaffhausen, GWD Minded, TuS N-Lübbecke and Kriens Luzern at club level. Although Perkovac spent most of his playing and coaching career in Switzerland, he was the team captain of Croatia when they won gold at the Atland 1996 Olympic Games; he also won silver at the 1995 IHF Men's World Championship with Croatia, and bronze at the 1988 Olympic Games with Yugoslavia.