The UEFA European Championship is one of the major competitive international football tournaments, first played in 1960 , whose finals stage has been held every four years.
The Croatia national football team has contested this tournament since 1996 , having been part of Yugoslavia up until the qualifying stages for the 1992 edition . Croatia has qualified for every Euro competition except for the 2000 edition , played in Belgium and the Netherlands. The team's best performances have been reaching the quarter-finals twice — in 1996 and 2008 , losing to Germany and Turkey , respectively.
UEFA European Championship record
Qualification record
Year
Round
Position
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
Squad
Position
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
1960 to 1992
Part of Yugoslavia
Part of Yugoslavia
1996
Quarter-finals
7th
4
2
0
2
5
5
Squad
1st
10
7
2
1
22
5
2000
Did not qualify
3rd
8
4
3
1
13
9
2004
Group stage
13th
3
0
2
1
4
6
Squad
2nd
10
6
2
2
14
5
2008
Quarter-finals
5th
4
3
1
0
5
2
Squad
1st
12
9
2
1
28
8
2012
Group stage
10th
3
1
1
1
4
3
Squad
2nd
12
8
2
2
21
7
2016
Round of 16
9th
4
2
1
1
5
4
Squad
2nd
10
6
3
1
20
5
2020
14th
4
1
1
2
7
8
Squad
1st
8
5
2
1
17
7
2024
Group stage
20th
3
0
2
1
3
6
Squad
2nd
8
5
1
2
13
4
2028
To be determined
To be determined
2032
Total
Quarter-finals
7/8
25
9
8
8
33
34
–
–
78
50
17
11
148
50
*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out .
^ a b Head-to-head points: Croatia 4, Italy 1.
Croatia's 3-5-2 lineup in the Euro 1996
Quarter-finals
^ a b Tied on head-to-head points (3). Head-to-head goal difference: Croatia +3, Belgium −3.
Play-offs
Croatia won 2–1 on aggregate and qualified for UEFA Euro 2004 .
Croatia's 4-4-2 lineup in the Euro 2004
In the qualifiers, Croatia was drawn into Group E of Euro 2008's qualifications , along with Andorra , England , Estonia , Macedonia , Israel and Russia .
Over the course of qualifying, Croatia racked up nine wins, two draws, and one loss. Croatia's loss was a 2–0 defeat at Skopje , Macedonia . Croatia and Romania became the final teams to record their first loss, both on the 17 November 2007 matchday, in a qualification cycle where every team suffered at least one defeat. Croatia gathered numerous headlines after knocking England out on the final matchday, with a 3–2 victory at Wembley Stadium .[ 4]
Croatian striker Eduardo was the second-highest goalscorer in qualifications with ten goals, trailing Northern Ireland 's David Healy .
^ a b Head-to-head points: England 4, Israel 1.
Croatia's 4-4-2 lineup in the Euro 2008
^ a b Tied on head-to-head result (Austria 1–1 Poland). Overall goal difference was used as the tiebreaker.
Quarter-finals
Play-offs
Croatia won 3–0 on aggregate and qualified for UEFA Euro 2012 .
Croatia's 4-4-2 lineup in the Euro 2012
Croatia's 4-2-3-1 lineup in the Euro 2016
Round of 16
Croatia's 4-2-3-1 lineup in the Euro 2020
^ a b Tied on head-to-head result (Croatia 1–1 Czech Republic) and overall goal difference (+1). Overall goals for was used as the tiebreaker.
Round of 16
Croatia's 4-3-3 lineup in the Euro 2024
Ranking of third-placed teams
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Wins; 5) Lower disciplinary points total; 6)
European Qualifiers overall ranking (or drawing of lots, if hosts Germany had been involved in the tiebreaker).
[ 26] Notes:
Year
Round
Opponent
Score
Result
Venue
Croatia scorers
1996
Group stage
Turkey
1–0
W
Nottingham
Vlaović
Denmark
3–0
W
Sheffield
Šuker (2), Boban
Portugal
0–3
L
Nottingham
—
Quarter-finals
Germany
1–2
L
Manchester
Šuker
2004
Group stage
Switzerland
0–0
D
Leiria
—
France
2–2
D
Leiria
Rapaić , Pršo
England
2–4
L
Lisbon
N. Kovač , Tudor
2008
Group stage
Austria
1–0
W
Vienna
Modrić
Germany
2–1
W
Klagenfurt
Srna , Olić
Poland
1–0
W
Klagenfurt
Klasnić
Quarter-finals
Turkey
1–1 (a.e.t. ) (1–3 p )
D
Vienna
Klasnić
2012
Group stage
Republic of Ireland
3–1
W
Poznań
Mandžukić (2), Jelavić
Italy
1–1
D
Poznań
Mandžukić
Spain
0–1
L
Gdańsk
—
2016
Group stage
Turkey
1–0
W
Paris
Modrić
Czech Republic
2–2
D
Saint-Étienne
Perišić , Rakitić
Spain
2–1
W
Bordeaux
Kalinić , Perišić
Round of 16
Portugal
0–1 (a.e.t. )
L
Lens
—
2020
Group stage
England
0–1
L
London
—
Czech Republic
1–1
D
Glasgow
Perišić
Scotland
3–1
W
Glasgow
Vlašić , Modrić , Perišić
Round of 16
Spain
3–5 (a.e.t. )
L
Copenhagen
Pedri (o.g. ), Oršić , Pašalić
2024
Group stage
Spain
0–3
L
Berlin
—
Albania
2–2
D
Hamburg
Kramarić , Gjasula (o.g. )
Italy
1–1
D
Leipzig
Modrić
Players with most appearances [ edit ]
Rank
Player
Matches
Years
1
Luka Modrić
16
2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024
2
Ivan Perišić
13
2012, 2016, 2020, 2024
3
Darijo Srna
12
2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
4
Vedran Ćorluka
11
2008, 2012, 2016
5
Ivan Rakitić
10
2008, 2012, 2016
Marcelo Brozović
2016, 2020, 2024
Andrej Kramarić
2016, 2020, 2024
General Statistics Results Players World Cup Finals UEFA Euro Finals UEFA Nations League Finals Rivalries Matches Goal scorers Other teams
1 Considered a successor team by FIFA, or have competed under another name(s).