Niko Kovac, new coach of Croatia

Niko Kovac has been named the new coach of Croatia, on the 16/10/2013. He replaces Igor Stimac, who had been in charge since the 05/07/2012, but resigned on the 14/10/2013. The former midfielder was in charge of the Croatian U-21 team since the 21/01/2013.

"We have decided to terminate our contract with Stimac and name Niko Kovac caretaker coach for the next two matches. We hope he stays as coach after those two games, whether we qualify for Brazil or not," said the former striker Davor Suker, president of the HNS (Croatian Football Federation), on the 16/10/2013.

Croatia finished second in Group A qualifying (Europe Zone) for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil (from the 12/06 to the 07/13/2014). They are now through to the play-offs (with Portugal, Greece and the Ukraine), and as one of the seeded teams in the draw (21/10/2013) in Zurich (Switzerland), they will face either France, Romania, Sweden or Iceland. The matches will take place on the 15/11 and 19/11/2013. The four winners will be the last teams to qualify from the Europe Zone for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.