Young North American Croatian football hopefuls impress in Croatia

by croatiaweek
April 27, 2023
in Sport

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The North America select team has recently returned from the 19th Annual U-14 Youth Football Tournament “Memorijal Vukovarskih Branitelja.”

The tournament, co-organized by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and HVIDR-a Vukovar, an organization for disabled veterans of the homeland war, aims to provide a platform for young footballers to showcase their talents while also honoring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives in the war.

The tournament, which took place in Vukovar, Croatia, was particularly significant for the North America team, as it provided an opportunity for players of Croatian heritage from the diaspora to demonstrate their skills and potentially catch the eye of the HNS.

The goal of the tournament is to identify promising players who could potentially represent the Croatian national team in the future.

The North American select team, led by coaches Alen Vukobrad and Hrvoje Perkovic, consisted of players from across the United States and Canada, all of whom were eager to prove themselves on the international stage.

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The team was carefully selected throughout a series of trials, and last year’s HNS camps in Toronto and Cleveland were where the selectors began their search for players, followed by a set of trials in Hamilton, Ontario, where the squad was finalized.

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“I think some of the greatest skills our boys learned throughout this tournament were adaptability and confidence, knowing that they could play and uphold their game overseas. The boys also had to quickly adapt to a new environment. As the team was selected from all around North America, most of them had not known each other for too long before playing. Given this circumstance, the boys had to build chemistry overnight both on and off the field if they wanted to see any victories, ” Vukobrad told us.

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The North American selection was drawn in Group D and faced NK Šibenik, NK Rijeka and eventual tournament champions NK Varaždin.

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“Overall, I am content with how the team played. Nobody dominated us, and we held good possession and control, as well as a solid understanding of the flow of the game. When asked about my opinions on the team, I think it is crucial to consider just how little time the team had together prior to the tournament. The boys only had one practice together in Vukovar, and given the fact that we only lost 1-0 to the winners of the tournament, NK Varazdin, I am definitely proud of this group,” Vukobrad said, adding.

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“We had major interest from Croatian clubs, scouts, and coaches. Our games were also watched and given positive reviews by national and provincial instructors like Cuk, Smoje, Ivancic, and Milivojevic, the Head Instructor of HNS in Croatia, Petar Krpan, and the Technical Director of the first team and U-21 team, Mr. Stipe Pletikosa.”

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For many of the boys on the team, it was their first time playing in Vukovar.

“This was my first visit to Vukovar but not to Croatia. I spend every summer in Zadar, and Sali, Dugi Otok. During our spare time, the team would hang out and talk about different things and about our teams back in Canada and America. We also visited some monuments in Vukovar as well as a team,” Niko Grandov, who is a center defensive midfielder and center midfielder for the New York Red Bulls 2010 Academy Team, told us.

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Niko played in all three games plus the friendly game against Osijek after the tournament, which ended 1-1.

“I would say the difference between the top teams in the US and Croatia is tactical ability. However, I would say the 2009 New York Red Bulls team at my academy would be able to compete with the top teams in Croatia. The 2009 Red Bulls team is technically sharp and extremely physical,” he said.

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Niko, who lists his Croatian football idols as Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Marcelo Brozovic, and Mateo Kovacic, says his favorite memories from the tournament were just being able to play against other Croatian teams.

“After both playing and watching a few soccer matches at the tournament, I noticed that Croatian soccer players shoot the ball more than American soccer players. My plans in the future are to become a professional soccer player and hopefully play for the Croatian national team one day,” Niko says.

Another team member who was in Vukovar for the first time was New York City F.C. defender Marko Barisic, who got selected for the North American team after going to a trial in Hamilton, Canada.

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Marko, who also played all three games at the tournament, says the standard was similar to playing top MLS academies in the U.S. in U-14 age groups, although like Niko, he picked up on the fact that the Croatians fancy shooting more than in America.

“My favorite memories from the tournament are the games themselves and also being in the hotel and having a good time with other Croatian friends. It was nice to tour the city of Vukovar,” Marko said.

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Marko, whose idol is Luka Modrić, said that away from playing the games, in their spare time they got to make friends with boys from other teams in the hotel.

“We had time to play around with other teams in the hotel, we also had some family time with our parents where we met them in the hotel.”

Like Niko, Marko hopes one day to wear the red and white checkers of Croatia.

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“I am planning to keep working very hard to get myself the opportunity to play for the Croatian Youth National Team and later the Men’s National Team. I want to be recognized and play for big European clubs in the future,” he concludes.

Milo Skibola, who is a goalkeeper for New York Soccer Club’s MLS NEXT Team, was selected for the team after traveling to Toronto for the trial.

“A friend of mine played last year for the North American Team, so when my mom saw the flyer for the trial in Toronto, we hopped on a plane. After the trial, I received an email that I was the only goalkeeper selected,” Milo said.

As the only goalkeeper there, Milo got to play all three games.

“The one standard that really stood out was how technically sound everyone was. There were no weak links, and everyone contributed the same skills to the team,” Milo says, adding.

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“I have two memories from the tournament that jump to mind. The first was watching Dinamo and Gorica play each other. There was a lot of bickering between the teams, which made it really funny to watch. This is something that is not tolerated in the US. The second memory was playing against Rijeka because they had so many shots on goal, and I felt I was able to keep the scoreline civil.”

Milo, who also enjoyed visiting the historical sites of Vukovar, says the most important thing he learned from the Croatian teams, especially Varaždin, was how important technique is.

“In the US, a lot of players rely on their athleticism versus soccer technique. This is very important in European football, and without it, you will never be considered at a high level. I was actually shocked by how technically sound the Croatian teams are.”

Milo is another whose idol is the great Luka Modrić.

“Without him, I feel that Croatian football wouldn’t have the soul it has today. Modrić not only controls the midfield, but commands the entire Croatian team and soccer fans with grace. I hope to play Division 1 soccer in college and become a soccer trainer one day. I want to share my passion for the game with as many people as possible,” he told us.

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Nicholas Tencic, a striker on the 2009 Met Oval MLS Next Team, was in Vukovar for a second time after playing for the North American team last year.

Nicholas played all three games and thinks that the standard of playing football in Croatia is not that much different from what he is used to in the US.

Nicholas says that while Croatian teams play quickly, passing the ball with only a few touches, and the players are faster, he finds US players to have better technical skills.

Nicholas, who lists his Croatian football idols as Davor Šuker, Mario Mandžukić and Luka Modrić, says his favorite memories from the tournament were meeting new friends and playing soccer with his new teammates, while in his spare time he enjoyed hanging out with teammates and exploring Vukovar.

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Nicholas also hopes to one day become a professional football player.

Vukobrad believes that kids need to have fun with the game at this age group, and says that the best way to do that is to simply play with the ball.

“It is important to be realistic and understand that this specific group of boys came from different and unique environments, all bringing their own habits to the field, some of which we emphasized and others not so much. After spending about 7 years with Barca Academy, my biggest ideology is that the ball is the center of the game, and I often tell my players, “You cannot have fun without the ball.” As for potential, North America is huge, and with the right promotion, we can spread the word about this tournament as well as future opportunities for this select group. I’m sure that this year we missed out on a handful of worthy players for this tournament, so my hope is that more Croatian families will be informed about this great opportunity and will be able to participate next year. The goal for me is to find the next Christian Pulisic, who will choose to play for Croatia,” Vukobrad concluded.