- by croatiaweek
- January 20, 2026
-
in
Sport
(Photo: FIFA)
Croatia’s football expertise was once again recognised on the global stage as representatives of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) took part in a FIFA knowledge exchange workshop held in Rabat, Morocco.
The workshop, organised jointly by FIFA and the African Football Confederation (CAF), took place the day after the African Cup of Nations final and brought together representatives from several European and African football associations.
Among the European participants were Croatia, Switzerland, Iceland, Turkey and Poland, while African associations included Morocco, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Cape Verde and Chad.
The Croatian Football Federation was represented by Stipe Pletikosa, Technical Director of the Croatia senior and U-21 national teams, and Petar Krpan, HNS Head Instructor.
(Photo: FIFA)
During the workshop, Pletikosa delivered a presentation, supported by Krpan, focusing on the development of national teams and the Croatian football model.
He outlined the structure and work of the Croatian Football Federation, the player selection process, and the development pathways implemented across Croatian clubs.
Reflecting on the event, Pletikosa expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences with other football associations.
(Photo: FIFA)
“Once again, I am very pleased to take part in a workshop that allows us to share experiences with other federations and see how they deal with various challenges in their work. It was another confirmation of how our work is recognised and respected worldwide, which is a source of pride for everyone involved in Croatian football,” said Pletikosa.
He emphasised that while Croatia’s medals at World Cups are the most visible achievements, the international respect for Croatia’s long-term development work is equally significant.
“At this technical workshop, we clearly saw how colleagues from other federations, as well as FIFA officials, value everything we do in the areas of development, player selection and youth work. Many see us as a role model and want to learn as much as possible from our system,” he added.
The workshop was also attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was presented with the book Hrvatska škola nogometa (The Croatian Football School).
(Photo: FIFA)
The publication was edited by Petar Krpan and Ivan Krakan and developed with active contributions from leading Croatian clubs Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Rijeka and Osijek, recognised as the backbone of Croatian football quality.
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