U-turn made on new Croatian Football Federation crest design

ZAGREB, 10 December 2018 – In October, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) announced that they would be changing the famous crest. 

HNS opened a competition up to the public as they searched for the new design. Professional designers, design students and academic artists were invited to submit their designs. 

The winning entry was to receive a cash prize with the design becoming the new official crest of the federation.

There has been a u-turn, however, with an announcement made after a meeting of the Executive Committee on Monday in Zagreb. 

“After holding the public competition for designs for the new Croatian Football Federation crest, and having in mind the report from the Publishing Commission, the Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation has decided that not one entry would represent an improvement and therefore the current crest will not be changed,” HNS said on its website.  

There had been a strong reaction against the crest being changed from the public after it was announced in October. Many fans took to social media to vent their disapproval at the decision.

The current crest was created by academic sculptor Marijan Zaradić in 1972 and was introduced as the official HNS crest with only minimal changes in 1990 and 2013.

The recognisable red and white checks with a football has graced the kit of the bronze medal-winning 1998 team and the silver medal-winning kit at the 2018 World Cup, as well the kit of Croatia teams at all levels.