After making an early exit from this year's World Cup, few expected the Croatian national football team to be a leading side in the qualifying rounds for the 2016 European Championship. However, with the 2014 qualifying games played and nothing left Croatia 2014 FIFA World Cup Home Jerseyon the docket for the team until 2015, the wearers of the Croatia football shirt are actually in a surprising position: the top of qualification Group H-ahead of Norway, Bulgaria, Malta, Azerbaijan, and most notably, Italy.

Celebrate the team's stunning and surprising run of success by picking up a new Croatia home jersey 2014 2015 at Soccer Box. One of the more unique shirt designs in international football, this Nike home jersey has a cool red and white checker box pattern and a stylish V-neck look. Soccer Box also has the club's more plain blue away shirt in stock, in case you are looking for the full set!

Recent History 

Recent years have brought modest success to the Croatia national side, but nothing record-book worthy. The team qualified for the 2014 World Cup this summer, after missing out on the 2010 version of the tournament. However, they exited after the group stage-just as they did in their previous two outings (in 2002 and 2006).

The Croatian soccer club's best play at the biggest event in all of football came in 1998, when the tournament was held in France. That was also the first time the Croatia football shirt appeared at a World Cup event, since Croatia had been a part of Yugoslavia for all previous soccer tournaments.

The Blazers exceeded all expectations that year, though, besting teams from Germany, Romania, the Netherlands Japan, and Jamaica to claim the third place slot. It's the year that most soccer fans currently wearing the Croatia home jersey 2014 2015 remember with unparalleled fondness.

The Blazers have actually had less success over the years at UEFA's European Championships. Since becoming eligible to play at the soccer tournament, they have qualified on four separate occasions-in 1996, 2004, 2008, and 2012. They failed to qualify in 2000.

In two of those years (1996 and 2008), the Croatian national side made it to the quarterfinals. In 1996, they lost to Germany and ended up in seventh place. In 2008, they actually beat Germany during the group stage, but went on to lose to Turkey in the quarterfinals. They were considered the fifth place squad when all was said and done.

The other two years, meanwhile (2004 and 2012), saw the wearers of the Croatia football shirt eliminated during the group stage. In 2004, they failed to even win a single match. In 2012, they won one against the Republic of Ireland.

Anticipation for Euro 2016

Based on how Croatia's success at the European Championship has alternated over the years (from strong performance to not-so-strong performance, and back again), fans are crossing for their fingers hoping for a banner year at Euro 2016.

Before Croatia can thrill audiences in 2016, though, the current 2014 2015 squad has to actually succeed in qualifying for the big UEFA tournament. Thus far, things are going quite well. Indeed, the Blazers have been dominating qualification Group H, and are currently in first place.

So far in the qualifiers, the Croatian side has won three matches and drawn one. Italy has the same record in the standings, but it in second place thanks to lower goal difference.

Croatia's run of success started early on, when qualifying play started back in early September. Donning the Croatia home jersey 2014 2015, the Blazers defeated Malta in a 2-0 home fixture. A month later, they forced a similar outcome in a 1-0 away win against Bulgaria.

Their biggest win of the year came at another home game on October 13th. Facing Azerbaijan, the home squad simply dominated the football match, scoring three goals in the first half, and adding another two by the 61-minute marker. The last half hour of the match remained scoreless, but it didn't matter: the Blazers crushed Azerbaijan 6-0-a victory that helped give them the early edge in goal difference.

A 1-1 draw against Italy in November slowed things down for the Croatian squad a bit, but there's still time for the nation to extend its lead. Play for the Euro qualifying rounds will resume in March 2015, with a home match between Croatia and Norway.

Prepare yourself for that game by picking up a new Croatia football shirt at Soccer Box today. Both home jersey and away shirt variations are available.