Croatia men's national water polo team

Croatia
Nickname(s) Barakude (The Barracudas)
Association Croatian Water Polo Federation
Confederation LEN (Europe)
Head coach Ivica Tucak
Asst coach Ivan Asić
Pero Kuterovac
Captain Josip Pavić
FINA code CRO
Olympic Games
Appearances 5 (first in 1996)
Best result 1st (2012)
World Championships
Appearances 9 (first in 1994)
Best result 1st (2007)
World League
Appearances 10 (first in 2002)
Best result 1st (2012)
European Championship
Appearances 12 (first in 1993)
Best result 1st (2010)
Mediterranean Games
Appearances 6 (first in 1993)
Best result 1st (2013)
Croatia men's national water polo team
Medal record
Olympic Games
2012 London Team
1996 Atlanta Team
World Championship
2007 Melbourne Team
2015 Kazan Team
2009 Rome Team
2011 Shanghai Team
2013 Barcelona Team
World Cup
2010 Oradea
2014 Almaty
World League
2012 Kazakhstan
2009 Montenegro
2015 Italy
2010 Serbia
2011 Italy
European Championship
2010 Croatia
1999 Italy
2003 Slovenia
Mediterranean Games
2013 Mersin Team
1993 Languedoc-Roussillon Team
1997 Bari Team

The Croatia men's national water polo team represents Croatia in international water polo competitions and friendly matches. It is governed by the Croatian Water Polo Federation.

Results

Prior to 1992 Croatia men's national water polo team competed as a part of Yugoslavia men's national water polo team.

Croatia men's national water polo team has been placed 4th at international competitions on 12 occasions, the most being achieved at European Championships, but none at the Olympics. Despite this fact, the team has also managed to win 26 medals at international competitions shown in the tables below.

Summer Olympics

Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA GD
Spain 1992 Couldn't participate in qualification
United States 1996Final2nd85037158+13
Australia 2000Quarterfinal7th85126856+12
Greece 2004Preliminary Round10th62044742+5
China 2008Quarterfinal6th74037149+22
United Kingdom 2012Final1st88007342+31
Brazil 2016 Qualified0000000
Japan 2020
Total Qualified: 6/63723113330247+83

Record against other teams at the Summer Olympics

National team Pld W D L PF PA PD
Australia Australia22002114+7
China China1100164+12
Egypt Egypt1100121+11
Germany Germany1100135+8
Greece Greece32012516+9
Hungary Hungary21011617-1
Italy Italy54014535+10
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan2200178+9
Montenegro Montenegro21011312+1
Netherlands Netherlands1100117+4
Romania Romania1100116+5
Russia Russia100189-1
Serbia Serbia1100118+3
Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro31112021-1
Spain Spain41033034-4
Ukraine Ukraine1100168+8
United States United States62044542+3
Total 17 teams

World Championships

Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA GD
Italy 1994Semifinal4th74038757+30
Australia 1998Second Round9th84229446+48
Japan 2001Second Round8th84047052+18
Spain 2003Second Round9th63124939+10
Canada 2005Semifinal4th74035944+15
Australia 2007Final1st66006240+22
Italy 2009Semifinal3rd65016335+28
China 2011Semifinal3rd65017242+30
Spain 2013Semifinal3rd76018944+45
Russia 2015Final 2nd65016845+23
Hungary 2017 Qualification in progress
South Korea 2019
China 2021
Total Qualified: 10/106141317645399+246

Record against other teams at the World Championships

National team Pld W D L PF PA PD
Australia Australia65014943+6
Brazil Brazil44005222+30
Canada Canada55006826+42
China China3300497+42
Germany Germany100137-4
Greece Greece42025149+2
Hungary Hungary52135056-6
Italy Italy41123234-2
Japan Japan2200269+17
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1100194+15
Montenegro Montenegro44004021+19
Netherlands Netherlands22002313+10
New Zealand New Zealand3300758+67
Romania Romania33002518+7
Russia Russia63035138+13
Serbia Serbia31022530-5
Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro20111011-1
Slovakia Slovakia1100123+9
South Africa South Africa2200325+27
Spain Spain20021017-7
United States United States65015643+13
Total 21 teams

European Championships

Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA GD
United Kingdom 1993Preliminary Round5th75027258+14
Austria 1995Semifinal4th72237858+20
Spain 1997Semifinal4th85126044+16
Italy 1999Final2nd86027159+12
Hungary 2001Semifinal4th83236357+6
Slovenia 2003Final2nd86026655+11
Serbia 2006Preliminary Round7th84229072+18
Spain 2008Semifinal4th84138169+12
Croatia 2010Final1st76017144+27
Netherlands 2012Preliminary Round9th74038066+14
Hungary 2014Quarterfinal5th73226454+10
Serbia 2016Quarterfinal7th74038850+38
Total Qualified: 12/1290521028884686+198

Record against other teams at the European Championships

National team Pld W D L PF PA PD
Austria Austria1100262+24
France France22002614+12
Germany Germany84227666+10
Greece Greece96307865+13
Hungary Hungary1111997120-23
Italy Italy95136662+4
Montenegro Montenegro42023334-1
Netherlands Netherlands33004013+27
Romania Romania42024335+8
Russia Russia53114436+8
Serbia Serbia31113032-2
Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro41033032-2
Slovakia Slovakia65016437+27
Slovenia Slovenia33003716+21
Spain Spain75115650+6
Turkey Turkey1100163+13
Ukraine Ukraine33003419+15
Total 17 teams

World League

Year Round Position
Greece 2002Preliminary Round7th
United States 2003 Did not compete
United States 2004
Serbia and Montenegro 2005Group Round4th
Greece 2006 Did not qualify for the Super Final
Germany 2007
Italy 2008
Montenegro 2009Final2nd
Serbia 2010Semifinal3rd
Italy 2011Semifinal3rd
Kazakhstan 2012Final1st
Russia 2013 Did not qualify for the Super Final
United Arab Emirates 2014 Did not qualify for the Super Final
Italy 2015Final2nd
Total Qualified for the Super Final: 7/14

World Cup

Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA GD
Greece 1993 Couldn't qualify[1]
United States 1995Preliminary Round6th52032531-6
Greece 1997Preliminary Round8th51043040-10
Australia 1999 Did not qualify
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 2002Preliminary Round8th40132632-6
Hungary 2006Semifinal4th62135456-2
Romania 2010Final2nd65017443+31
Kazakhstan 2014Semifinal3rd64024337+6
Total Qualified: 6/73214216252239+13

Record against other teams at the World Cup

National team Pld W D L PF PA PD
Australia Australia110063+3
China China1100144+10
Greece Greece21101211+1
Hungary Hungary30031730-13
Iran Iran1100232+21
Italy Italy2002913-4
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1100147+7
Montenegro Montenegro110065+1
Netherlands Netherlands110097+2
Romania Romania1100107+3
Russia Russia21011719-2
Serbia Serbia31022128-7
Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro310218180
Spain Spain50143345-12
United States United States53024340+3
Total 15 teams

Mediterranean Games

Year Round Position Pld W D L
France 1993Final2nd
Italy 1997Final2nd
Tunisia 2001Preliminary Round5th
Spain 2005Semifinal4th5 2 0 3
Italy 2009Semifinal4th5 3 0 2
Turkey 2013Final1st4 4 0 0
Spain 2017 TBD
Total Participated: 6/614 9 0 5

Non-senior competitions

World Youth Championship

U-18

Year Round Position
Australia 2012Semifinal4th
Turkey 2014Quarterfinal8th
Montenegro 2016 Qualification in progress

World Junior Championship

U-20

Year Round Position
United States 1991
Egypt 1993
France 1995
Cuba 1997Final1st
Kuwait 1999
Turkey 2001Final2nd
Italy 2003Quarterfinal7th
Argentina 2005Final2nd
United States 2007Semifinal3rd
Croatia 2009Final1st
Greece 2011Quarterfinal6th
Hungary 2013Final2nd
Kazakhstan 2015

European Youth Championship

U-17

Year Round Position
Turkey 2003Semifinal3rd
Bulgaria 2005Final2nd
Malta 2007Semifinal3rd
Serbia 2008Semifinal3rd
Greece 2009Final1st
Croatia 2011Final1st
Malta 2013 Qualified
Azerbaijan 2015 *Semifinal4th

* incorporated in the 1st European Games

European Junior Championship

U-19

Year Round Position
Malta 2004Final2nd
Romania 2006Semifinal4th
Turkey 2008Quarterfinal5th
Germany 2010Semifinal3rd
France 2012Semifinal3rd
Georgia (country) 2014

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2016 Men's European Water Polo Championship.

No. Name Date of birth Position L/R Height Weight Club
1Pavić, JosipJosip Pavić (c)15 January 1982GoalkeeperR 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)90 kg (200 lb)Greece Olympiacos
2Burić, DamirDamir Burić2 December 1980Hole Guard R 205 cm (6 ft 9 in)115 kg (254 lb)Croatia Primorje
3Petković, AntonioAntonio Petković11 January 1986 R 182 cm (6 ft 0 in)85 kg (187 lb)Italy Sport Management
4Lončar, LukaLuka Lončar26 June 1987Centre Forward R 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)107 kg (236 lb)Croatia Mladost
5Joković, MaroMaro Joković1 October 1987 L 203 cm (6 ft 8 in)95 kg (209 lb)Croatia Jug Dubrovnik
6Bukić, LukaLuka Bukić30 April 1994Wing R 194 cm (6 ft 4 in)81 kg (179 lb)Croatia Mladost
7Vukicević, AnteAnte Vukicević24 February 1993 R 186 cm (6 ft 1 in)93 kg (205 lb)Croatia Primorje
8Bušlje, AndroAndro Bušlje4 January 1986Hole Guard R 200 cm (6 ft 7 in)115 kg (254 lb)Italy Posillipo
9Sukno, SandroSandro Sukno30 June 1990 R 200 cm (6 ft 7 in)93 kg (205 lb)Italy Pro Recco
10Pavlović, BorisBoris Pavlović12 October 1980Centre Forward R 200 cm (6 ft 7 in)110 kg (240 lb)Croatia Jadran Split
11Šetka, AnđeloAnđelo Šetka14 September 1985 R 186 cm (6 ft 1 in)87 kg (192 lb)Croatia Primorje
12Macan, MarkoMarko Macan26 April 1993Hole Guard R 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)98 kg (216 lb)Croatia Jug Dubrovnik
13Bijač, MarkoMarko Bijač12 January 1991GoalkeeperR 201 cm (6 ft 7 in)85 kg (187 lb)Croatia Jug Dubrovnik
Head coach: Ivica Tucak

Player statistics

Most appearances

# Player Matches Position Years
1 Igor Hinić 417 C
2 Tomislav Paškvalin 285C
3 Samir Barać 176PP
4 Andro Bušlje 167HG
5 Mile Smodlaka 161C
6 Teo Đogaš 148PP
7 Frano Vićan 129GK
8 Elvis Fatović 128PP
9 Josip Pavić 120 GK
10 Damir Burić 117HG
11 Miho Bošković 108PP, HG
12 Sandro Sukno 97PP
13 Petar Muslim 90PP, SC
14 Maro Joković 89PP
15 Nikša Dobud 83C
16 Vjekoslav Kobešćak 86PP
17 Ratko Štritof 80HG
18 Ivan Buljubašić 79HG
19 Paulo Obradović 68PP, HG
20 Zdeslav Vrdoljak 58PP
21 Anđelo Šetka 57PP
22 Dubravko Šimenc 52PP
23 Goran Volarević 52GK
24 Frano Karač 37PP
25 Tihomil Vranješ 35PP
12 Pavo Marković 33PP
26 Perica Bukić 30PP
27 Luka Lončar 20C
28 Antonio Petković PP

bold - not retired from national team

Top scorers

# Name Goals Average Position Years
1Miho Bošković369 3.42 PP, HG
2Paulo Obradović197 PP, HG
3Maro Joković158 PP
4Samir Barać135 0.77 PP
5Teo Đogaš126 0.85 PP
6Igor Hinić113 0.27 C
7Petar Muslim100 PP, SC
8Nikša Dobud86 1.02 C

Head coaches

Statistics

Record against other teams

As of 24 Jan 2016

Wins/Defeats after penalty shootout counted as wins/defeats.

National team Total Olympic Games World Championship World Cup World League European Championship Mediterranean Games Qualifications
Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L
Australia Australia 14 12 0 2 2 2 0 0 6 5 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 4 0 1 0 0 0 0
Austria 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
Belarus 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 1 1 0 0
Brazil Brazil 7 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
Canada 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 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 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 France 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
Georgia (country) 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 1 1 0 0
Germany Germany 21 15 2 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 9 8 0 1 8 4 2 2 2 2 0 0
United Kingdom 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 1 1 0 0
Greece Greece 31 20 4 7 3 2 0 1 3 1 0 2 2 1 1 0 12 8 0 4 9 6 3 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hungary Hungary 33 7 2 24 2 1 0 1 6 2 1 3 3 0 0 3 10 3 0 7 12 1 1 10 0 0 0 0
Iran 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 Italy 37 20 2 15 5 4 0 1 4 1 1 2 2 0 0 2 12 8 0 4 10 5 1 4 3 1 0 2 1 1 0 0
Japan Japan 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 5 5 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Republic of Macedonia 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
Malta Malta 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
Moldova 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 1 1 0 0
Montenegro Montenegro 20 11 0 9 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 9 3 0 6 4 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
Netherlands Netherlands 10 10 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
New Zealand 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 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 1 1 0 0
Puerto Rico 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 Romania 16 13 0 3 1 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 3 0 1 4 2 0 2 3 3 0 0
Russia Russia 30 18 1 11 1 1 0 0 6 3 0 3 2 1 0 1 14 9 0 5 6 4 1 1 1 0 0 1
Serbia Serbia* 34 9 3 22 4 2 1 1 5 1 1 3 6 2 0 4 9 2 0 7 8 2 1 5 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
Slovakia Slovakia 8 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 5 0 1 1 1 0 0
Slovenia 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 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0
South Africa South Africa 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Spain Spain 31 14 2 15 4 1 0 3 2 0 0 2 5 0 1 4 9 5 0 4 7 5 1 1 4 3 0 1 0 0 0 0
Turkey Turkey 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Switzerland 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 1 1 0 0
Ukraine 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
United States United States 27 17 0 10 6 2 0 4 6 5 0 1 5 3 0 2 10 7 0 3 0 0 0 0
Total (36) 384 245 16 124

Biggest Wins

double digit goal difference

Olympic Games World Championship World Cup World League European Championship 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. China (15-5) 2009
  • +10 vs. Russia (13-3) 2007
  • +10 vs. Canada (13-3) 2003
  • +21 vs. Iran (23-2) 2010
  • +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
  • +14 vs. Turkey (17-3) 2013
  • +13 vs. Spain (19-6) 2006
  • +10 vs. China (15-5) 2011
  • +10 vs. China (14-4) 2015
  • +10 vs. Turkey (13-3) 2015
  • +10 vs. Brasil (17-7) 2005
  • +24 vs. Austria (26-2) 1995
  • +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
  • +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 Loses

Olympic Games World Championship World Cup World League European Championship Mediterranean Games
  • -4 vs. Italy (7-11) 2004
  • -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. Spain (2-7) 1995
  • -5 vs. Hungary (6-11) 1997
  • -5 vs. Russia (5-10) 1997
  • -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

Notable players

Sources

References

  1. Qualification for the tournament was determined by placing in the 1992 Olympics tournament. Since the Croatian team couldn't had participated in the 1992 Olympic water polo tournament due to the dissolution of Yugoslavia, it couldn't qualify for the 1993 World Cup.

Notes

  1. FINA waterpolo player of the year in 1982., 1984. and 1985. Scored 28 goals in one game which is a world record for waterpolo game (final score: Yugoslavia 62–0 Guatemala). First waterpolo player in history to sign a 6 digit contract.
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