Croatian National team most capped player (100 caps/3 goal) Dario Šimić is the minifootball ambassador in Croatia; Josip Šimić (7 caps/1 goal) and Antonio Franja are coaches of Croatia national minifootball team
After establishing a nationwide championship in Croatia, it was important to work even more on promoting minifootball in Croatia. We had an idea to involve former football players into minifootball development and promotion so they would give our minifootball story in Croatia a whole new dimension.
So we presented the project of minifootball in Croatia to three former Croatian national players, brothers Dario Šimić and Josip Šimić, and Antonio Franja who were delighted with the work we′ve done in this short period of time and were delighted to be a part of minifootball story in Croatia; Dario Šimić as minifootball ambassador and Josip Šimić and Antonio Franja as Croatia minifootball team coaches.
Dario Šimić played for Dinamo Zagreb, AC Milan, Inter Milan and AS Monaco and is the most capped Croatian national team player with 100 caps and 3 goals, he was Croatian national team captain and is one of the biggest names in Croatia football history.
Josip Šimić played for Dinamo Zagreb, Club Brugge, Aris and Hyundai with 7 caps and 1 goal for the national team.
Antonio Franja played for NK Zagreb, NK Šibenik, Bursaspor and Hyundai.
″This is a big day for minifootball in Croatia, I want to thank Dario for becoming our ambassador and Josip and Antonio for becoming coaches of Croatian minifootball team. They will help us make an even bigger story in promoting and developing minifootball and to attract many more teams from all parts of Croatia. I also want to thank the representatives of media that are here today and hope you′ll be with us on all events and help us promote minifootball in Croatia″, said the president of Association Minifootball Croatia at a big press conference which was held in History club, in Zagreb .
″When Bruno Alpeza and Alan Pajnić asked me to become minifootball ambassador I didn′t have any doubts and accepted immediately. Recreation sport is important and we′ll all work on promoting it and help to include as many amateur players possible in this great project because it is something special for players to hear their national anthem while holding their hands on the heart and present their country on big competition, something that only we, professional players, could experience until now, this is the thing that makes this project even more important. We are very happy to be here today, to help promote such a big project as minifootball″, said Dario Šimić, minifootball ambassador.
The national team coaches will have a difficult task to choose 12 from 30 best players from all parts of Croatia for upcoming friendly matches and miniEURO.
″We have a big honour to lead the national team, and I believe that Antonio and I will make a good work. We′ll be definitely fair in choosing the best for the national team″, said Josip Šimić, Croatia national team coach.
