The coach of the Croatian under-17 national team, Marijan Budimir, has announced the list of players for the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar from November 3 to 27, 2025.
The Croatian under-17 national team will perform at the world exhibition as one of 48 national teams which will compete in 12 groups (A – L).
The young Croatian national team will play in group C together with Senegal, Costa Rica and the United Arab Emirates.
Coach Marijan Budimir invited 21 players and sent six pre-invites.
In the last two months, we did two tournaments and six quality games against strong and renowned opponents. We won five, drew one, we scored 16 goals and we received none. All players showed quality and all deserved to go to the World Cup. We used 27 players, but the rules are such that 18 plus three goalkeepers can go, so we had to do the thankless job of choosing those 18 players and three goalkeepers.
I think we made the right decision. I hope we have as many games as possible. My staff and I weighed for a long time and chose what to do we think it’s the best and that these players will give their maximum for the team.
Next up is our gathering on October 25, when we will train in Osijek for four days on the Pampas, where we excellent conditions await. On October 29th, we fly to Qatar, where on November 3rd we have a match against Senegal, which is the group leader and one of the favorites of the entire tournament. It is the most demanding game in the group, but we will prepare well.
We are good and quality, we have shown that we can play with anyone. The most important thing is that we all be healthyand I am looking forward to the World Cup with great joy and optimism, where, I hope, we will show ourselves in the right light and present Croatian football with dignitysaid Budimir.
The national team will gather on Saturday, October 25 at 12:00 p.m. in Zagreb, from where they will immediately travel to Osijek, where they will make final preparations before leaving for Doha on October 29, HNS announced.
List of invited players for the World Cup in Qatar:
Gatekeepers: Matej Grahovac (Osijek), Petar Nemet (Istria 1961), Vito Kovač (Rijeka)
Defensive: Petar Zvonimir Kostelac (Lokomotiva), Leon Jakirović (Dinamo), Raul Kumar (Istra 1961), Karlo Pajsar (Parma), Lukas Murica (Rijeka), Mateo Čupić (Hajduk), Nikola Radnić (Dinamo)
Midfielder: Roko Vojvodić (Hajduk), Krešimir Radoš (Dinamo), Pavle Smiljanić (Lokomotiva), Niko Horvat (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Duje Slišković (Union Berlin), Jona Benkotić (Dinamo)
Strikers: Tino Kusanović (FC Nürnberg), Patrik Horvat (Dinamo), Andrija Burcar (Parma), Ivan Križić (Hertha BSC), Gabrijel Šivalec (Slaven Belupo)
Pre-calls: Borna Ivanda (Tenerife), David Kalem (Osijek), Davor Bistre (Hajduk), Jona Ježić (Osijek), Bruno Misura (Hajduk), Matko Bošković (Fiorentina)
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Fixtures (Group C):
November 3, 2:00 p.m
Senegal – Croatia (Aspire Zone, Doha)
November 6, 4:15 p.m
United Arab Emirates – Croatia (Aspire Zone, Doha)
November 9, 3:45 p.m
Croatia – Costa Rica (Aspire Zone, Doha)
(www.jabuka.tv)
