Croatia Women Beat France 15-9 in Historic Water Polo Win

Croatia just announced its arrival on the world water polo stage, and they did it in style.

The Croatian women's national water polo team made history Saturday evening in Funchal, Portugal, defeating France 15-9 at the Women's European Championship. It marked the first time Croatia has ever beaten France at a major international tournament, and the victory wasn't even close.

Croatia controlled every aspect of the game from the opening whistle. They never trailed, allowing France only one early equalizer before taking command.

The statistics tell the story of complete dominance. Croatia converted all seven power-play opportunities while their defense shut down eight of France's eleven chances. From the penalty line, they were perfect, scoring on all three attempts through Iva Rožić and Jelena Butić.

Ria Glas opened the scoring and set the tone for what became a masterclass in team play. By the end of the first quarter, Croatia had already seized control, and a four-goal run in the second quarter pushed the score to 7-2.

France attempted a comeback in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 7-5. Croatia's response showed the maturity that makes this victory even more remarkable: another Rožić penalty followed by two power-play goals from Neli Janković restored a comfortable five-goal cushion.

The final quarter sealed Croatia's superiority with a decisive three-goal burst that put the game beyond reach.

Why This Inspires

What makes this victory truly special is the team behind it. Croatia fielded one of the youngest squads in the entire tournament, with several junior players gaining valuable experience at the highest level. In fact, both Croatia and France brought the two youngest teams to the competition.

Head coach Mia Šimunić praised her team's balanced approach. "Our attack is well organized, but just as importantly, our defence is disciplined and focused," she said after the match.

The win represents Croatia's third victory in four matches at the championship. They face reigning world champions Greece next, carrying momentum and confidence that comes from rewriting history.

This young Croatian team just showed the water polo world that the future has arrived early.