The Croatian women's junior national team travels to Barcelona and then to Tenerife, with five players coming straight from the just-concluded U20 European Championship in Portugal.
Croatian women's junior water polo head coach Joško Kreković has named a roster of 15 players for two upcoming competitions. The team will first compete in the inaugural Nations Cup tournament in Barcelona, followed by the highlight of the summer, the World Junior Championship in Tenerife.
The girls departed from Zagreb on Saturday morning, almost at the same time as the men's U20 team heading to Vienna and then to Varna for the European Championship. The junior team first flies to Barcelona, where they will stay until August 14, 2026, to take part in the Nations Cup. The tournament runs from August 11 to 13, and immediately after its conclusion, the team moves to Tenerife, specifically to Puerto de la Cruz, where they will compete for the world title from August 16 to 23.
Interestingly, as many as five selected players are coming directly from the just-finished U20 European Championship in Portugal. Nea Matičević, Neli Janković, Nina Jazvin, Iva Garić, and Mare Jadrešić traveled from Lisbon straight to Barcelona to join their teammates. This means they will play two major tournaments in different age categories within a short period.
At the Nations Cup in the Catalan capital, Croatia will face teams from Canada, the Netherlands, China, and New Zealand. The tournament will serve as an ideal test and preparation for the most important event, the World Championship in Tenerife.
Alongside head coach Kreković, the coaching staff includes assistant coaches Edi Brkić and Magdalena Vincek, and team doctors Ljiljana Škrinjarić and Ante Koceić. The roster for both competitions includes 15 players:
