Unmistakably, Croatia’s red and white checkered uniform is part of the identity of the country, which, despite existing as a kingdom for thousands of years, has been formally a country since 1991, when it broke away from Yugoslavia.
Since then, the young country has been present at World Cups with the design of its shirt, which refers to the country’s coat of arms. Chess is known as šahovnica.
It would have been created in the 10th century, but first officially used in the Habsburg genealogy in the 16th century, according to the Croatian government. A legend possibly appearing much later, in the 19th century, says that its origin would be linked to that of King Stephen Držislav. The monarch would have been captured by the Venetians, but won his freedom after winning three chess games against Pietro Orseolo 2nd.
From then on, the Croatian king would have adopted chess as his coat of arms. About the colors, there is no unanimity, but some versions claim that they refer to different regions of the country: red Croatia and white Croatia.
Despite being small, the country has revealed great players in recent years, such as midfielder Modrić, who played in the last cup and was elected the best in the world in 2018. In the Russian edition, the Croatians surprised and reached the final, losing to France and winning the runner-up championship.
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
