World Footy News

With this year’s Axios Euro Cup just a matter of months away, the host nation, Croatia, has found a new weapon up its already impressive sleeve. Just in time to be ready for the October event in Umag, the new Velika Gorika Mambas women’s team has arrived, and they could spell the nucleus for a new Croatian women’s team.

According to Croatian footy president, Josip Kravar “This year AAFC (Association of Australian Football in Croatia) is host of Axios Euro Cup and we are celebrating 10 years of footy in Croatia.”

“In last 10 years we created 5 footy clubs and strong national team that is well known and respected among opponents. There is no better time to announce that we have first women club, Velika Gorica Mambas.”
With the Croatian Knights national team a regular powerhouse at previous Euro Cups (runners-up to Denmark last year), the countries football stocks just continue to grow. The recent success of the Slavonski Brod Tigers club and the successful bid to host this year’s Euro Cup have been great leaps forward, but the formation of a women’s competition, and subsequent national team, would be further icing on a very tasty cake.

Josip explained that “the AAFC this year decided to invest effort in women’s footy in Croatia and we have now 15 girls of 16 to 18 years of age kicking footy in Velika Gorica. Zagreb Hawks players that live in Velika Gorica, brothers Hrvoje and Josip Habljak, started the Mambas club after introducing footy in the schools in Velika Gorica.”

“We were surprised how many girls are interested to play footy. The main obstacle were parents who were sceptical about girls playing footy, but we are keen to break down prejudices about that.”

We are also having plans to go in schools in Zagreb to create a new Hawks women’s squad. Also the Sesvete Double Blues have same idea ready to go in September.”

“Hopefully all of the girls will play as a national team at the Axios Euro Cup in Umag this year, nicknamed Croatian Queens.”

Once again it looks as if the Croatian footy community will have pulled off another year of great achievements as it continues to be one of the fastest growing Australian Rules football nations in Europe.

Certainly the Mambas will be keen to play their part and rock the fields of Umag come the Axios Euro Cup.




Left: The Velika Gorica Mambas