Croatia has won the 2018 Davis Cup title by beating France – in France! With crucial wins of Marin Čilić and Borna Ćorić (on the photo), it is the second Davis Cup title for Croatia in history, after 2005, when Croatia won in a match with a very strong team of the USA – in the USA! This event has closed a year which was historic for Croatia, also due to amazing success of national football team, by winning the second place at the World Championship organized in the Russian Federation.
Category: Sports
Nenad Zvonarek former selector of Chinese handball representation
Nenad Zvonarek was selector of the Chinese handball representation. He was active in China since 1997, directing the handball team of the Province of Jiangsu (population of nearly 80 million people, a leading Chinese province in finance, education, technology and tourism ). Nenad Zvonarek, professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture of the University of Zagreb, received a Medal of Friendship from the Governement of the Province of Jingsu in China in 2016. He is a honorary citizen of the city of Suzhu, China.
Japanese-Croatian Friendship House in Tokamachi emits a permanent light
Croatian Ambassador to Japan Dr. Drago Štambuk initiated in 2006 the construction of a Japanese – Croatian Friendship House. It was designed in 2009-2010 and its opening ceremony was held in 2012 in the city of Tokamachi. the facility was designed by the Croatian architectural tandem Vinko Penezić and Krešimir Rogina. Guided by the common cultural heritage and symbols of both countries, a project of high architectural and symbolic value was achieved. On the photo Mayor of the city of Tokamachi Mr. Sekiguchi with Dr. Štambuk
Luka Modric of Croatia named world's best football player for 2018
Luka Modriae (on the photo with his wife Vanja) Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder, has collected The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2018 award in London. Visibly moved by the experience, he later shared his feelings about the stunning 2017/18 season that led to this crowning moment. It’s not easy to reach the top, but staying there is even harder. I’EUR(TM)ve been at the top for a few years now and I hope I can stay there for a few more.
Dino Radja enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018
Dino Radja (211 cm), Croatian basketball player born in the city of Split in 1967, continued his career as NBA player in Boston Celtics, USA, since 1993. He was a memember of Croatian national team which won the silver medal at the Olympic games in Barcelona in 1992. His very close friends were NBA stars Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč, also from Croatia.
Luka Modric of Croatia named UEFA Player of Year for 2018
Luka Modric of Croatia, on Aug 30, 2018, received the accolade of UEFA Player of the Year in Monaco after his Champions League exploits. “My father always pushed me to fight for my dreams, I owe him a lot for everything,” said Modric, whose silky midfield skills helped Real to a third straight European crown and then propelled Croatia to the World Cup final. “It’s incredible moment for me, I feel really excited and proud of this great award,” said the 32-year-old, who started out at Dinamo Zagreb and then had four years with Tottenham before Real prised him away six years ago.
Croatian team is winner of the 2018 European Basketball U16 FIBA Competition in Novi Sad
Young Croatian basketball players, under the age of 16, have won the title of European champions in the competition organized by FIBA in Novi Sad. Having eleminated France in the semifinals, Croatia managed to achieve a very narowin of 71:70 in a dramatic match with Spanish boys. Roko Prkačin on the photo was proclaimed as the most valuable player, and he was elected to the All-Star Five, along with another Croatian player Boris Tišma. Croatia has already won two champion titles, in 2010 and 2011.
Sime and Mihovil Fantela 2018 world championship in sailing in Aarhus Denmark
Brothers Šime and Mihovil Fantela of Croatia have sensationally won gold medals at the 2018 Sailing World Championship in 49er class, organized in Aarhus, Denmark. Nobody has expected this triumph, not even the Fantela brothers. The silver medals have been won by French team, and the bronze medals by German team.
Sandra Perkovic winner of gold medal in discus throw at 2018 Europan Championshps in Berlin
Not only that Sandra Perković has won her gold European medal in discus throw in 2018, but it was her fifth consecutive gold medal at European championships! This makes her unique sportsowoman in the history of European athletics. Sandra Perković is also a former Olympic and World champion, one o of the most dominant figures in the history discus throw.
Valent and Martin Sinkovic winning gold medals at European Rowing Championship in Glasgow 2018
Brothers Valent and Martin Sinković won gold medals at the European Rowing Chapionship organized in Glasgow, Scotland, in front of France and Romania. They have confirmed their dominance on the world scene during the last years, since they are also World champions and Olympic champions. More precisely, they have added a third European title to the Olympic gold and four world golds they have earned together over a decade of success.
Anthological events behind fantastic Croatian games at FIFA World Cup in 2018
Croatian presence at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russian Federation has caused unprecedented interest world-wide for various reasons. First of all, due to the quality of players like Madrić, Rakitić, Mandžukić, Lovren etc., their determination in each game to show the maximum, and above all, on the human side. Presence of their wives and children added a special flavor, as well as respect for sportsmen from other countries, since today there are not easy opponents. Probably the most interesting was exceptionally warm reception of Croatian players not only in their homeland, but also wroldwide. On the photo Luka Modrić with his beautiful wife Vanja Bosnić.
Dragutin Surbek 1946-2018 legendary Croatian table tennis warrior
Dragutin Šurbek, nicknamed Šurba in Croatia, and Surbeka in China, has won hundreds of table tennis tournaments, from Tokyo and Beijing to Zagreb (37 medals from European and world championships!). In China he was treated as table tennis God . He has founded a very nice Table Tennis Academy in the city of Zagreb, bearing his name. In 1992, during the Olympic Games in Barcelona, he was the oldest sprtsman, than at the age of 46.
Silver medal of diamond glitter for Croatia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup final with golden France
Croatia celebrates on of the greatest successes in its sports history – the second place at the FIFA World Cup Tournament in Moscow. We mention the deserving players: Mandžukić, Rebić, Modrić, Perišić, Rakitić, Brozović, Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinić, and the deserving coach Dalić. We believe that the Croatian team has shown the most attractive football play during the World Cup tournament. It is no surprise that Luka Modrić (on the photo) has won the prestigious Golden Ball – Balon d’or. Luka Modrić shares his second name with Professor Paul L. Modrich, USA, 2015 Nobel prize winner Chemistry, who has Croatian roots. We also add a lovely story about the most famous photographer at the moment, thanks to the goal od Croatia.
Croatia and France in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Moscow
This is the greatest succes of Croatian football in history, surpassing the third place of Croatian soccer team in 1998 during the FIFA World Cup in France. We recall the names of Davor Šuker, Zvonimir Boban and Slaven Bilić from 1998, and the names of Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić and Dejan Lovren in 2018. Before arriving to the final match, Croatian won in matches with very strong teams: England, Russian Federation, Denmark, Argentina and Nigeria. Furthermore, we indicate in this article some very interesting historical and cultural contacts between Croatia and France. On the photo Domagoj Vida immediately after the match with England, with his kids and the kids of Ivan Perišić.
Croatia 2 – 1 England media reports from the FIFA Word Cup semifinals in Moscow 2018
EUROSPORT: What an incredible achievement! Croatia are into their first ever World Cup final as a nation. England just couldn’t see the game out. They had chances in the first half, Kane in particular missed a sitter, but you have to admire the way Croatia wrestled back control over the course of the match. “EURoeFor Croatian football and for Croatia as a country, this is history being written,” Coach Zlatko Dalic said. On the photo Dejan Lovren, one of the pillars of Croatian defense. The team is filled with stars from top to bottom, and the teamwork and determination has set this team apart from the rest. Meanwhile, England will face Belgium on Saturday in the third-place match.
Croatia 2 – 1 England at the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Moscow
Croatian win in the semifinal match with England at the FIFA World Cup 2018 has shown that the claim that Croatia is a small country is ridiculous. Croatia was for the first time recognized by the Roman Pope already in the 9th century, or more precisely, in 879. Rugjer Bošković (Ruggero Boscovich, on the photo), distinguished Croatian polymath and Jesuit from the 18th century, predicted the existence of nuclear forces almost two centuries before their discovery. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and the greatest acclaim of this scholar came from England and France.
Croatia – England semifinal soccer match at FIFA World Cup 2018 in Moscow
In 2007, Croatia has won 3 – 2 in a soccer match with England in London at Wembley, in a qualification match for European championships. Due to this win, Russia was placed second in the group, just after Croatia, while England was placed the third. As Slaven Bilić, Croatian coach at that time, explained, the Croatian team was at that time simply better than the English team. How strong various soccer teams are today has been shown by Iceland, by winning in a match with England at EURO 2016. On the photo Dr. Kathy Wilkes, Oxford, distinguished English humanist, who spent very turbulent years 1991 and 1992 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. We owe her our eternal gratitude. When she died in 2003, according to her wish she was burried in Croatia.
Croatia 2 (4) – Russian Federation 2 (3) at the FIFA World Cup 2018
Croatia has won in a dramatic soccer match with Russian Federation, which was the host country of the FIFA World Cup Tournament 2018. On the photo Luka Modrić, captain of Croatian team. We indicate several very interesting historical and cultural contacts with Russia. Recall that the Croatian win in a soccer match with England in 2007 enabled Russia to participate at the European Championship in 2008. On that occasion, Russian fans activated a web site called Thank You Croatia! – Spasibo Horvatiya! .
Croatia 1 (3) – 1 (2) Denmark at the FIFA World Cup 2018
Croatia has won in a dramatic soccer match with Denmark to the quarter-finals of the World Coup 2018 tournament. Ejnar Dyggve (1887-1961), distinguished Danish historian and archaeologist (on the photo), is important for his scholarly studies of the history of the southern parts of Croatia, in particular of the region of Split. A well known cartoon movie figure Professor Balthazar is very popular in Scandinavia, including Denmar. We also mention Karin Michaelis, who wrote an article in Danish about Croatian politician and martyr Stjepan Radić, who was assassinated in the Belgrade Parliament in 1928.
Toni Kukoc's Induction Speech to FIBA Hall of Fame
One of the most influential players in European, international and NBA basketball, Toni Kukoc is being honored with induction to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. The 6ft 10in (2.08m) forward left his mark everywhere he played thanks to his exciting style and a leadership quality that resulted in numerous titles at both the club and national team levels. A native of Split, Croatia, he grew up playing at Jugoplastika where he developed his game into one that would inspire generations of players to come. He was a long and lanky point power forward with exceptional court vision and passing skills. He could also run the floor, finish and shoot well from outside.