Croatia have recalled the country’s all-time leading goalscorer for their Women’s Euro 2025 play-off battle with Northern Ireland – five years after she won her last cap.
Coach Nenad Gracan has turned to 34-year-old veteran Maja Joscak for what the player herself has described as a David v Goliath contest against a team aiming to qualify for back-to-back Euro finals.
Joscak has battled injury since last playing for her country in October 2019 after previously being a regular since making her debut as a teenager and was forced to turn down previous call ups.
“Maja Joscak hasn’t played for a long time and it is certainly a great encouragement for all the girls who are in the national team,” said Gracan.
“I believe that Maja will be healthy and that there will be no problems. With this team we have, we can deal with Northern Ireland,.”
Joscak was in the Croatia team that faced Northern Ireland in the only two previous competitive meetings between the countries, playing in both games during the 2011 Women’s World Cup qualifying series. Simone Magill, who had only a handful of caps at that stage, is the only Northern Ireland survivor from then.
Gracan’s desire to have her back in the squad was heightened by Joscak leading her club ZNK Osijek into the second round of Women’s Champions League qualifying last month.
“It is always an honour to play for the national team, no matter how cliche it sounds,” said Joscak.
“I was contacted by the national team two years ago, but returning was not an option for me then because I had a serious injury behind me and I was not ready.
“It wasn’t an easy decision (to come back) considering my age and the injuries I suffered, but the entire coaching staff was extremely persistent and we came to an agreement for me to return.
“I know how difficult it is to do what the girls have done so far and I hope that my return will help the team in the biggest step in the history of the women’s national team, which is to qualify for the Euros.
“The chances of that are not great, but as long as they exist you have to believe because that’s football. That’s why we all love it because David defeated Goliath countless times.”