Culture, passion, work ethic: the story of croatia's success in football

Abstract

Croatia, like Singapore, is a young nation which gained independence only in 1991. There are many similarities between both countries.

Croatia has a population of 3.8 million and a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$78.8 billion (S$106.3 billion) as of 2023, according to statistics from the International Monetary Fund (IMF, 2023). In comparison, Singapore has 5.6 million citizens and a GDP of US$515.5 billion.

Yet there is no shortage of footballing talent in Croatia. Since gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, the Balkan nation has qualified for every major international tournament except two.

Croatia has three World Cup medals — winning a bronze medal on their maiden World Cup appearance in 1998, a silver medal in 2018 and a bronze medal in 2022.

Upon admission into FIFA in 1994, then ranked No. 125, Croatia ascended to No. 3 after the 1998 World Cup, marking the quickest rise in FIFA ranking history. It is also the second-smallest country by population, after Uruguay, to reach a World Cup final.

Many have shaken their heads in disbelief at Croatia’s achievements, wondering how a nascent country has managed to punch above their weight.

This feature package explores the reasons behind Croatia's success.