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, with the sixteenth staging of the competition occurring in 2021 (postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe ).
The Croatia national football team did not enter the competition until 1996 , having been part of Yugoslavia up until the qualifying stages for the 1992 edition . Croatia has competed in the qualifying competition every time since, for a total of seven tournaments, although failing to qualify for the finals proper on one occasion, in 2000 (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.
Overall record [ ]
UEFA European Championship 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
To be determined
To be determined
Total
Quarter-finals
6/7
22
9
6
7
30
28
–
–
70
45
16
9
135
46
*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out
Croatia's European Championship record
First Match
Turkey 0–1 Croatia (11 June 1996; Nottingham , England)
Biggest Win
Croatia 3–0 Denmark (16 June 1996; Sheffield , England)
Biggest Defeat
Croatia 0–3 Portugal (19 June 1996; Nottingham , England)
Best Result
Quarter-finals in 1996 and 2008
Worst Result
Group stage in 2004 and 2012
UEFA Euro 1996 [ ]
Main article: UEFA Euro 1996
Croatia squad – UEFA Euro 1996
Qualifying [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Croatia
10
7
2
1
22
5
+17
23[a]
Qualify for final tournament
—
1–1
2–0
4–0
2–0
7–1
2
Italy
10
7
2
1
20
6
+14
23[a]
1–2
—
4–0
3–1
1–0
4–1
3
Lithuania
10
5
1
4
13
12
+1
16
0–0
0–1
—
1–3
2–1
5–0
4
Ukraine
10
4
1
5
11
15
−4
13
1–0
0–2
0–2
—
0–0
3–0
5
Slovenia
10
3
2
5
13
13
0
11
1–2
1–1
1–2
3–2
—
3–0
6
Estonia
10
0
0
10
3
31
−28
0
0–2
0–2
0–1
0–1
1–3
—
^ a b Head-to-head points: Croatia 4, Italy 1.
Group stage [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Portugal
3
2
1
0
5
1
+4
7
Advance to knockout stage
2
Croatia
3
2
0
1
4
3
+1
6
3
Denmark
3
1
1
1
4
4
0
4
4
Turkey
3
0
0
3
0
5
−5
0
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification:
Group stage tiebreakers
Knockout stage [ ]
Quarter-finals
UEFA Euro 2000 [ ]
Main article: UEFA Euro 2000
Qualifying [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
FR Yugoslavia
8
5
2
1
18
8
+10
17
Qualify for final tournament
—
1–0
0–0
3–1
4–1
2
Republic of Ireland
8
5
1
2
14
6
+8
16
Advance to play-offs
2–1
—
2–0
1–0
5–0
3
Croatia
8
4
3
1
13
9
+4
15
2–2
1–0
—
3–2
2–1
4
Macedonia
8
2
2
4
13
14
−1
8
2–4
1–1
1–1
—
4–0
5
Malta
8
0
0
8
6
27
−21
0
0–3
2–3
1–4
1–2
—
UEFA Euro 2004 [ ]
Main article: UEFA Euro 2004
Croatia squad – UEFA Euro 2004
Qualifying [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Bulgaria
8
5
2
1
13
4
+9
17
Qualify for final tournament
—
2–0
2–2
2–0
2–1
2
Croatia
8
5
1
2
12
4
+8
16[a]
Advance to play-offs
1–0
—
4–0
0–0
2–0
3
Belgium
8
5
1
2
11
9
+2
16[a]
0–2
2–1
—
2–0
3–0
4
Estonia
8
2
2
4
4
6
−2
8
0–0
0–1
0–1
—
2–0
5
Andorra
8
0
0
8
1
18
−17
0
0–3
0–3
0–1
0–2
—
^ 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 .
Group stage [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
France
3
2
1
0
7
4
+3
7
Advance to knockout stage
2
England
3
2
0
1
8
4
+4
6
3
Croatia
3
0
2
1
4
6
−2
2
4
Switzerland
3
0
1
2
1
6
−5
1
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification:
Group stage tiebreakers
UEFA Euro 2008 [ ]
Main article: UEFA Euro 2008
Croatia squad – UEFA Euro 2008
Qualifying [ ]
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 .
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Croatia
12
9
2
1
28
8
+20
29
Qualify for final tournament
—
0–0
2–0
1–0
2–1
2–0
7–0
2
Russia
12
7
3
2
18
7
+11
24
0–0
—
2–1
1–1
3–0
2–0
4–0
3
England
12
7
2
3
24
7
+17
23[a]
2–3
3–0
—
3–0
0–0
3–0
5–0
4
Israel
12
7
2
3
20
12
+8
23[a]
3–4
2–1
0–0
—
1–0
4–0
4–1
5
Macedonia
12
4
2
6
12
12
0
14
2–0
0–2
0–1
1–2
—
1–1
3–0
6
Estonia
12
2
1
9
5
21
−16
7
0–1
0–2
0–3
0–1
0–1
—
2–1
7
Andorra
12
0
0
12
2
42
−40
0
0–6
0–1
0–3
0–2
0–3
0–2
—
^ a b Head-to-head points: England 4, Israel 1.
Group stage [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Croatia
3
3
0
0
4
1
+3
9
Advance to knockout phase
2
Germany
3
2
0
1
4
2
+2
6
3
Austria (H)
3
0
1
2
1
3
−2
1[a]
4
Poland
3
0
1
2
1
4
−3
1[a]
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification:
Group stage tiebreakers (H) Host
Notes:
^ a b Tied on head-to-head result (Austria 1–1 Poland). Overall goal difference was used as the tiebreaker.
Knockout phase [ ]
Quarter-finals
UEFA Euro 2012 [ ]
Main article: UEFA Euro 2012
Croatia squad – UEFA Euro 2012
Qualifying [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Greece
10
7
3
0
14
5
+9
24
Qualify for final tournament
—
2–0
2–1
1–0
1–1
3–1
2
Croatia
10
7
1
2
18
7
+11
22
Advance to play-offs
0–0
—
3–1
2–0
2–1
3–0
3
Israel
10
5
1
4
13
11
+2
16
0–1
1–2
—
2–1
1–0
3–1
4
Latvia
10
3
2
5
9
12
−3
11
1–1
0–3
1–2
—
1–1
2–0
5
Georgia
10
2
4
4
7
9
−2
10
1–2
1–0
0–0
0–1
—
1–0
6
Malta
10
0
1
9
4
21
−17
1
0–1
1–3
0–2
0–2
1–1
—
Play-offs
Croatia won 3–0 on aggregate and qualified for UEFA Euro 2012 .
Group stage [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Spain
3
2
1
0
6
1
+5
7
Advance to knockout phase
2
Italy
3
1
2
0
4
2
+2
5
3
Croatia
3
1
1
1
4
3
+1
4
4
Republic of Ireland
3
0
0
3
1
9
−8
0
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification:
Group stage tiebreakers
UEFA Euro 2016 [ ]
Main article: UEFA Euro 2016
Croatia squad – UEFA Euro 2016
Qualifying [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Italy
10
7
3
0
16
7
+9
24
Qualify for final tournament
—
1–1
2–1
1–0
2–1
1–0
2
Croatia [a]
10
6
3
1
20
5
+15
20
1–1
—
5–1
3–0
6–0
2–0
3
Norway
10
6
1
3
13
10
+3
19
Advance to play-offs
0–2
2–0
—
2–1
0–0
2–0
4
Bulgaria
10
3
2
5
9
12
−3
11
2–2
0–1
0–1
—
2–0
1–1
5
Azerbaijan
10
1
3
6
7
18
−11
6
1–3
0–0
0–1
1–2
—
2–0
6
Malta
10
0
2
8
3
16
−13
2
0–1
0–1
0–3
0–1
2–2
—
^ Croatia were deducted one point after charges for racist behaviour in the home match against Italy .
Group stage [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Croatia
3
2
1
0
5
3
+2
7
Advance to knockout phase
2
Spain
3
2
0
1
5
2
+3
6
3
Turkey
3
1
0
2
2
4
−2
3
4
Czech Republic
3
0
1
2
2
5
−3
1
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification:
Group stage tiebreakers
Knockout phase [ ]
Round of 16
UEFA Euro 2020 [ ]
Qualifying [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Croatia
8
5
2
1
17
7
+10
17
Qualify for final tournament
—
2–1
3–1
3–0
2–1
2
Wales
8
4
2
2
10
6
+4
14
1–1
—
1–0
2–0
2–1
3
Slovakia
8
4
1
3
13
11
+2
13
Advance to play-offs via Nations League
0–4
1–1
—
2–0
2–0
4
Hungary
8
4
0
4
8
11
−3
12
2–1
1–0
1–2
—
1–0
5
Azerbaijan
8
0
1
7
5
18
−13
1
1–1
0–2
1–5
1–3
—
Group stage [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
England (H)
3
2
1
0
2
0
+2
7
Advance to knockout phase
2
Croatia
3
1
1
1
4
3
+1
4[a]
3
Czech Republic
3
1
1
1
3
2
+1
4[a]
4
Scotland (H)
3
0
1
2
1
5
−4
1
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification:
Group stage tiebreakers (H) Host
Notes:
^ 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.
Knockout phase [ ]
Round of 16
List of matches [ ]
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 (1–3 pen. )
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
Players with most appearances [ ]
Rank
Player
Matches
Years
1
Luka Modrić
13
2008, 2012, 2016, 2020
2
Darijo Srna
12
2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
3
Vedran Ćorluka
11
2008, 2012, 2016
4
Ivan Perišić
10
2012, 2016, 2020
Ivan Rakitić
2008, 2012, 2016
Goalscorers [ ]
Awards [ ]
Team of the Tournament : Davor Šuker (1996 ), Luka Modrić (2008 )
With three goals, Mario Mandžukić was the joint-top scorer in 2012 alongside five other players, but failed to win an award.
See also [ ]
Notes [ ]
References [ ]
External links [ ]
General Statistics Results Players Notable matches Rivalries Other teams
Countries at the UEFA European Championship
1 Considered a successor team by FIFA, or have competed under another name(s).