The unusual headwear seen during Croatia’s World Cup match against England tells a story of sporting pride, resilience and the connection between two national teams
Among the sea of red-and-white shirts during Croatia’s World Cup meeting with England, some supporters were wearing a particularly unusual piece of football attire.
Instead of a conventional hat, several Croatian fans had arrived at the stadium wearing water polo caps, complete with the distinctive ear protectors and ties normally seen around a swimming pool.
For viewers unfamiliar with Croatian sporting culture, the sight may have appeared random. In reality, it has become one of the country’s most recognisable supporter traditions.
The cap represents more than water polo. It connects two of Croatia’s most successful national teams and has developed into a symbol of determination, national pride and the refusal to give up.
A tradition older than many realise
The most commonly repeated explanation begins at UEFA Euro 2016, when Croatian defender Vedran Corluka suffered a head wound during the country’s opening match against Turkey.
The injury continued to cause problems in Croatia’s following game against the Czech Republic. With conventional bandaging proving ineffective, the medical team placed a water polo cap over the dressing to keep it secure and allow Corluka to continue playing.
Photo: ITV Sport
It produced one of the tournament’s most memorable images: a footballer competing in Croatia’s famous chequered shirt while wearing equipment borrowed from an entirely different sport.
Corluka’s determination immediately resonated with supporters. The water polo cap was soon adopted as a tribute to the defender and became increasingly visible during Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final in Russia.
However, the crossover between Croatian football and water polo appears to be older than that moment. Photographs from Zagreb during the 2014 World Cup show at least one supporter already wearing a Croatian water polo cap while watching the national football team.
Corluka therefore may not have invented the tradition, but his bloodied and bandaged performance transformed it into a story understood around the world.
There was also a genuine water polo connection behind the cap used by Corluka.
The equipment had reportedly been given to Croatia’s team doctor Boris Nemec by Olympic champion water polo player Paulo Obradovic, whom Nemec had previously treated. Physiotherapist Nderim Redzaj then suggested using it to secure Corluka’s bandages.
What began as a practical medical solution quickly became something much larger.
Croatian supporter Tomislav Rozic later described the water polo cap as a symbol of strength, persistence and never giving up. After wearing one during Croatia’s remarkable 2018 World Cup campaign, Rozic donated his cap to the FIFA Museum, where it became part of the story of Croatian supporter culture.
Corluka’s original appearance was also recognised by UEFA, demonstrating how an improvised piece of sports equipment became part of European football history.
The tradition works because water polo is not a minor sport in Croatia.
The country has consistently competed among the world’s leading water polo nations, winning major titles at Olympic, world and European level. Its leading clubs have also enjoyed long histories in European competition, particularly in coastal cities where water polo forms an important part of local sporting life.
That success means the cap is instantly recognisable to Croatian supporters. It reflects a sport that has produced some of the country’s greatest international achievements.
Wearing one at a football match is therefore not simply a reference to Corluka. It is also a way of bringing another part of Croatian sporting identity into the stadium.
The chequered design makes the crossover especially natural. Whether displayed on a football shirt, flag or water polo cap, Croatia’s red-and-white squares remain one of the most distinctive national sporting symbols in the world.
A tradition that continues
The caps remained visible at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 2023 UEFA Nations League finals and major football tournaments in the years that followed.
They were back in the crowd for Croatia’s World Cup match against England, once again attracting attention from television viewers.
Other countries have wigs, masks, elaborate costumes or trademark hats. Croatia’s supporters have something rooted directly in their own sporting history.
Photo: European Aquatics / Tom Dubravec / CROPIX
What started as protection for an injured defender—and may have drawn upon an even older supporter habit—has become a celebration of two national teams.
For water polo supporters, there can be few better examples of the sport breaking beyond the pool. Croatia’s football fans are not merely wearing unusual hats.
They are carrying a piece of water polo culture onto one of sport’s biggest stages.
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