European champion Croatia will start preparing for the World Championships in Fukuoka on June 8.
Head coach Ivica Tucak announced the list of the players called up for the preparations, but he won’t count on all players he wanted.
One of the 13 European champions will miss this water polo summer. Loren Fatovic, Jug’s captain, had his finger on the right hand broken in the Champions League game against Brescia on Tuesday.
Certainly, Fatovic won’t recover soon. One of Croatia’s key players will be out of the pool for two or even three months and won’t be able to help the team at the World Championships in Fukuoka (July 14 – 30).
A total of 21 player will gather at the start of the preparations
After Fatovic got injured, Tucak called Ante Vukicevic, Marseille’s experienced player, who missed the European Championships due to health problems. As Tucak said, Vukicevic accepted the invitation immediately, and he will rejoin the national team.
Croatia will be in the group with Argentina, Hungary and Japan at the Worlds. The Croats didn’t qualify for the World Cup Super Final in Los Angeles. But, until the tournament in Fukuoka, they will play several friendly matches.
The list of the players called up to the preparations
Goalkeepers: Marko Bijac, Toni Popadic, Mate Anic, Jerko Jurlina.
Field players: Josip Vrlic, Ivan Krapic, Branimir Herceg, Antonio Duzevic (center-forwards), Rino Buric, Matias Biljaka, Marko Zuvela, Marino Cagalj (defenders), Andrija Basic, Konstantin Kharkov, Filip Krzic, Franko Lazic, Zvonimir Butic, Ante Vukicevic, Luka Bukic, Jerko Marinic Kragic, Jerko Penava (field players).
More articles about the World Championships
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more video content, subscribe to our Youtube Channel and Tik Tok account
