BATON ROUGE – LSU Soccer rising sophomore, Andrea Iljkic, was named to the Croatian Women’s National Team, announced by the Croatian Football Federation on Monday.
Nenad Gračan, head coach of the Croatian women’s national football team, announced Iljkic as one of 28 players selected to compete in the country’s upcoming European Championship qualifying matches against Wales and Ukraine.
Iljkic’s Croatian descent comes from her father’s family, making her eligible for the national team in her first appearance on the international stage.
“I am very excited for the opportunity to represent my family’s country with the Croatian National Team,” said Iljkic. “That crest means everything for my family and our culture, and I am honored to be a part of the team for the first time and hopefully inspire young girls who want to do the same.”
Iljkic and the national team will gather on Thursday, July 4 in Zagreb to begin training for their upcoming matches. Their quest for the European Championship begins in Karlovac against Wales on Friday, July 12th followed by a second match against Ukraine on Tuesday, July 16 in Skopje.
Croatia is currently the leader in Group 4 of League B, followed by Wales with fewer points, then Ukraine with five points, while Kosovo is in last place with no points.
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