List of Croatian sportspeople explained

This is a partial list of famous Croatian sportspeople.

Individual sports

Alpine skiing

• Nika Fleiss - Alpine skier,
• Ana Jelušić - Alpine skier,
• Janica Kostelić - Alpine Skier World Cup Champion in 2001, 2003 and 2006 - (Four Olympic Gold and Two Silver Medals)
• Ivica Kostelić - Alpine skier, Olympic Silver Medalist in 2006 and 2010.
• Danko Marinelli - Alpine skier,
• Sofija Novoselić - Alpine skier,
• Ivan Ratkić - Alpine skier,
• Dalibor Šamšal - Alpine skier,
• Antony Sumich
• Filip Zubčić - Alpine skier,

Boxing

• Stjepan Božić - WBF Super Middleweight Champion
• George Chuvalo - Fmr. Canadian Heavyweight Champion
• Stipe Drviš - World Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion
• Željko Mavrović - Fmr. European Boxing Champion
• Bob Mirović - 8 Times Australian Heavyweight Champion
• Mate Parlov - Fmr. WBC and European Light Heavyweight Champion
• Diana Prazak - professional female boxer from Australia
• Mario Preskar
• Damir Škaro - Olympic silver medal 1988
• Fritzie Živić (The Croat Comet) - Fmr. World Welterweight Champion

Discus throw

• Sandra Perković - Olympic Gold Medal 2012

Kayaking

• Matija Ljubek

Kickboxing

• Mladen Brestovac - K1 Kickboxer and FFC Heavyweight Champion
• Branko Cikatić - First K-1 Grand Prix Winner
• Igor Jurković - K1 kickboxer
• Stefan Leko - Croatian heritage. German K1 Kickboxer
• Marko Tomasović
• Ivan Stanić

Martial arts

• Sandra Šarić - Olympic Bronze Medal 2008
• Lucija Zaninović - Olympic Bronze Medal 2012
• Martina Zubčić - Olympic Bronze Medal 2008

MMA

• Mirko Filipović (Cro Cop) - Mixed Martial Artist And Kickboxer, PRIDE FC 2006 Open-Weight Grand Prix Champion and last K-1 World Grand Prix Champion
• Zelg Galešić - Mixed Martial Artist
• Pat Miletich (The Croatian Sensation) - Former UFC Champion
• Stipe Miočić - Current UFC Heavyweight Champion
• Igor Pokrajac - UFC Mixed Martial Artist
• Goran Reljić - UFC Mixed Martial Artist

Motorsport

• Robbie Frančević - NZ Touring car race driver
• Gary Gabelich - American automobile-racing driver
• Paul Radisich - NZ Racing car driver (Son of Frank Radisich)
• Auggie Vidovich – NASCAR Driver

Running

• Branko Zorko

Rowing

• Luka Grubor - UK Olympic Gold Medalist (Rowing)
• Damir Martin - Olympic Silver Medalist in 2012 and 2016
• Valent Sinković - Olympic Gold Medalist in 2016, Olympic Silver Medalist in 2012
• Martin Sinković - Olympic Gold Medalist in 2016, Olympic Silver Medalist in 2012

Sailing

• Petar Cupać
• Šime Fantela
• Ivan Kljaković Gašpić
• Pavle Kostov
• Igor Marenić
• Tina Mihelić
• Luka Mratović
• Enia Ninčević
• Tonči Stipanović
• Romana Župan

Shooting

• Giovanni Cernogoraz - Olympic Gold Medal 2012
• Bojan Đurković
• Anton Glasnović
• Petar Gorša
• Snježana Pejčić

Swimming

• Đurđica Bjedov
• Duje Draganja
• Sanja Jovanović
• Mirna Jukić
• Tomislav Karlo
• Gordan Kožulj
• Miloš Milošević
• Kim Daniela Pavlin
• Marko Strahija
• Mario Todorović

Table tennis

• Tamara Boroš
• Zoran Primorac
• Antun Stipančić
• Dragutin Šurbek
• Tian Yuan

Tennis

• Mario Ančić
• Marin Čilić
• Borna Ćorić
• Ivan Dodig
• Željko Franulović
• Sabrina Goleš
• Saša Hiršzon
• Goran Ivanišević
• Boro Jovanović
• Ivo Karlović
• Ivan Ljubičić
• Mirjana Lučić
• Iva Majoli
• Petra Martić
• Josip Palada
• Nikola Pilić
• Goran Prpić
• Franjo Punčec
• Jelena Kostanić Tošić
• Antonio Veić
• Donna Vekić

Triathlon

• Dejan Patrčević

Wrestling

• Victor Jovica
• Josip Peruzović
• Jerry Sags
• Stan Stasiak
• Shawn Stasiak
• Hugo Savinovich
• Nenad Žugaj - Bronze at World Championships 2011
• Neven Žugaj - Bronze at World Championships 2010

Team sports

Football

1998 FIFA World Cup bronze medalists:

Current players:

Former players:

American football

• Bill Belichick - NFL Coach (grandson of Croatian immigrants)
• Brian Belichick - NFL coach (great-grandson of Croatian immigrants)
• Stephen Belichick - NFL coach (great-grandson of Croatian immigrants)
• Steve Belichick - NFL player and coach (son of Croatian immigrants)
• Brian Billick - NFL Coach
• Tony Butkovich – College football player
• Pete Carroll - NFL Coach (Irish father, Croatian mother)
• David Diehl - NFL player
• Greg Dulcich - NFL player
• Eddie Erdelatz – NFL player
• Elvis Grbac - NFL player
• John Jurkovic - NFL player
• Joe Kuharich - NFL Coach
• Les Horvath – NFL player
• John Jurkovic – NFL player
• Tony Mandarich - NFL player
• Vic Markov – NFL player (son of Croatian immigrants)
• Rob Ninkovich – NFL player (grandson of Croatian immigrants)
• Lou Saban – NFL Coach
• Nick Saban - College football coach
• Cole Cubelic - American college football player and radio host
• Frank Sinkwich - NFL player, 1942 winner of the Heisman Trophy (born in Croatia)
• Paul Skansi – American football player
• Nick Skorich – American football player and coach
• Josef Spudich – American football player
• Joe Stydahar – American football player
• Chris Zorich - NFL player (African-American father, Croatian mother)

Australian rules football

• Adrian Barich - Australian rules footballer and Rugby League player
• Tony Begovich - Australian rules footballer
• Gavin Crosisca - Australian rules footballer
• Alan Didak - Australian rules footballer
• Jon Dorotich - Australian rules footballer
• Marc Dragicevic - Australian rules footballer
• Ray Gabelich - Australian rules footballer
• Darren Gaspar - #1 pick in 1993
• Travis Gaspar - Australian rules footballer
• John Gerovich - Australian rules footballer
• Brent Grgic - Australian rules footballer
• Ilija Grgic - Australian rules footballer
• George Grljusich - Australian rules footballer
• Allen Jakovich - Australian rules footballer
• Glen Jakovich - Australian rules footballer
• Judd Lalich - Australian rules footballer
• Matthew Liptak - Australian rules footballer
• Addam Maric - Australian rules footballer
• Ivan Maric - Australian rules footballer
• Lukas Markovic - Australian rules footballer
• Tony Modra - Australian rules footballer
• Matthew Pavlich - Australian rules footballer
• Val Perovic - Australian rules footballer
• Steven Salopek - Australian rules footballer
• Craig Starcevich - Australian rules footballer
• Nick Suban - Australian rules footballer
• Peter Sumich - Australian rules footballer
• Jacob Surjan - Australian rules footballer
• Andrew Ukovic - Australian rules footballer

Baseball

• Johnny Babich - Baseball player
• Reid Brignac – Baseball player
• Ann Cindric - Baseball player
• Tom Haller – Baseball player
• Ed Jurak - Baseball player
• Al Jurisich – Baseball player
• Mike Kreevich – Baseball player
• Curt Leskanic – Baseball player
• Johnny Logan – Baseball player
• Mickey Lolich - Baseball player
• Steve Lubratich – Baseball player
• Roger Maris - Baseball Legend
• Catfish Metkovich – Baseball player
• Erv Palica (Pavlicevich) - Baseball player
• Johnny Pesky - Baseball player
• Dan Plesac – Baseball player
• Matt Skrmetta - baseball player
• Paul Spoljaric - Baseball player
• Christian Yelich - baseball player
• Bob Zupcic - baseball player

Basketball

• John Abramovic - Fmr. NBA player
• Franjo Arapović - Fmr. NBA Player
• Dalibor Bagarić - Fmr. NBA player
• Dragan Bender (born 1997) - player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Bojan Bogdanović - NBA player
• Andrew Bogut - Australian NBA player, drafted 1st overall in 2005 (both parents Croatian)
• Krešimir Ćosić - NBA Hall of Famer
• Zoran Čutura
• Danko Cvjetičanin
• Frank Drmic - Australian basketball player
• Gordan Giriček - NBA player
• Vinko Jelovac - basketball player
• Mario Kasun - NBA player
• Arijan Komazec
• Toni Kukoč - NBA player (NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 1995–1996 season)
• Jack Marin - Fmr. American NBA Star
• Kevin McHale - NBA Hall of Famer (Croatian mother)
• George Mikan - NBA Hall of Famer
• Antonija Mišura
• Dražen Petrović - NBA Hall of Famer
• Zoran Planinić - NBA player
• Gregg Popovich - American Basketball Coach
• Dino Rađa - Fmr. NBA player
• Dario Šarić (Super Dario) – NBA Player with the Phoenix Suns
• Petar Skansi
• Branko Skroče
• Damir Šolman
• Ivan Sunara
• Bruno Šundov - Fmr. NBA player
• Josip Gjergja
• Nikola Plećaš
• Vinko Jelovac
• Željko Jerkov
• Andro Knego
• Duje Krstulović
• Mihovil Nakić
• Aleksandar "Aco" Petrović
• Velimir Perasović
• Mirko Novosel
• Žan Tabak - Fmr. NBA player
• Rudy Tomjanovich - Fmr. NBA player and coach, No.2 pick in 1970 NBA draft
• Andy Tonkovich - 1948 first NBA pick
• Ratomir Tvrdić
• Roko Ukic - Current NBA player, No. 41 pick in 2005 NBA draft
• Andrew Vlahov - Fmr. Australian NBA player
• Stojan Vranković - Fmr. NBA player
• Nikola Vujčić (born 1978) - basketball player and team manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv
• Ante Žižić (born 1997) - basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League

Cricketers

• Anton Devcich - NZ cricket player
• Simon Katich - Australian cricket player
• Antony Sumich - NZ cricket player - player for Croatia
• Joseph Yovich - NZ cricket player

Handball

• Ivano Balić
• Mirko Bašić
• Patrik Ćavar
• Lino Červar
• Davor Dominiković
• Mirza Džomba
• Valner Franković
• Slavko Goluža
• Bruno Gudelj
• Hrvoje Horvat - Handball Player
• Boris Jarak
• Vladimir Jelčić
• Božidar Jović
• Pavle Jurina
• Nikša Kaleb
• Nenad Kljaić
• Velimir Kljaić
• Ante Kostelić
• Blaženko Lacković
• Venio Losert
• Valter Matošević
• Petar Metličić
• Zoran Mikulić
• Zdravko Miljak
• Alvaro Načinović
• Željko Nimš
• Goran Perkovac
• Miroslav Pribanić
• Iztok Puc
• Zlatko Saračević
• Zvonimir Serdarušić
• Irfan Smajlagić
• Ivan Snoj
• Vlado Šola
• Denis Špoljarić
• Goran Šprem
• Vladimir Šujster
• Renato Sulić
• Albin Vidović
• Igor Vori
• Drago Vuković
• Zdenko Zorko
• Zdravko Zovko
• Vedran Zrnić

Hockey

• Joseph Cattarinich – NHL Hall of Famer
• Jonathan Filewich – ice hockey player
• Mark Fistric – ice hockey player
• Travis Hamonic – ice hockey player
• John Hecimovic – ice hockey player
• Tony Hrkac - Fmr. NHL player
• Dan Kordic - Fmr. NHL player
• John Kordic - Fmr. NHL player
• Frank Mahovlich - NHL Hall of Famer (1958 Calder Trophy Winner)
• Peter Mahovlich - Fmr. NHL player, nr. 2 in 1963 NHL Amateur Draft
• John Mayasich - Fmr. hockey player
• Phil Oreskovic – ice hockey player
• Victor Oreskovich – ice hockey player
• Mark Pavelich - Fmr. NHL player (Miracle on Ice)
• Matt Pavelich - first NHL linesman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
• Marty Pavelich - Fmr. NHL player
• Borna Rendulić - NHL player
• Cory Sarich - Fmr. NHL player
• Joe Sakic - fmr. NHL player
• Buzz Schneider - ice hockey player
• Adrien Plavsic - (Serb father, Croat mother) Fmr. NHL player
• Joel Prpic - Hockey player (brief appearance in the NHL)
• Rob Valicevic - NHL player
• Marc-Édouard Vlasic - NHL player

Rugby

• Anthony Boric - Rugby Union player
• Frano Botica - Rugby Union player
• Ivan Cleary - Rugby League player and coach
• Matthew Cooper - Rugby Union player
• Bronko Djura - Rugby League player
• Sean Fitzpatrick - Rugby Union player
• Ivan Henjak - Rugby League player
• Matt Henjak - Rugby Union player
• Max Krilich - Rugby league player
• Dan Luger - Rugby Union player
• Tony Mestrov - Rugby League player
• James Stosic - NZ Rugby League player
• Antony Sumich - Rugby Union player
• Brendon Winslow - Rugby Union player
• Croatia national rugby union team

Volleyball

• Elena Chebukina
• Tomislav Čošković
• Barbara Jelić
• Igor Omrčen
• Nataša Osmokrović
• Marcos Milinkovic - Argentine volleyball player
• Maja Poljak
• Alejandro Spajic - Argentine volleyball player

Waterpolo

• Veljko Bakašun
• Ozren Bonačić - Fmr. water polo player and coach
• Marko Brainović
• Perica Bukić - Water polo player and politician
• Ivo Cipci
• Nikša Dobud - Water polo player
• Tomislav Franjković
• Zdravko Hebel
• Vladimir Ivković
• Zoran Janković (water polo)
• Zdravko Ježić
• Hrvoje Kačić
• Zdravko-Ćiro Kovačić
• Ivo Kurtini
• Ronald Lopatni
• Deni Lušić
• Kristijan Milaković
• Miroslav Poljak
• Lovro Radonjić
• Ivo Štakula
• Karlo Stipanić
• Goran Sukno
• Dubravko Šimenc
• Ivo Trumbić
• Božo Vuletić
• Marijan Žužej

Other sports

• Aida Badić – former artistic gymnast
• Sandra Bezic – figure skater, choreographer and television commentator
• Val Bezic – figure skater
• Fred Couples – Golfer (former World number 1)
• Mirko Filipović – K1, UFC, PRIDE fighter
• Gary Gabelich – American automobile-racing driver
• Sofia Mulanovich - famous Peruvian surfer
• Franjo Mihalic - Marathon athlete
• Frank Nobilo - NZ Golfer
• Abdon Pamich – race walker
• Snježana Pejčić – shooting player
• Sandra Perković – discus thrower
• The Great Antonio - Strongman and Eccentric
• Blanka Vlašić – High jumper

See also

• List of VFL/AFL players by ethnicity