The team's colours reference two national symbols: the Croatian checkerboard and the country's tricolour.

Prior to the tournament, Croatia played two preparational friendlies against Slovenia, both ending in a 1–1 draw.

During the 1997 Mediterranean Games held in Italy, the team again finished last in its three-teams-group, losing both matches.

Croatia's national under-23 football team was formed for the occasion of the 1993 Mediterranean Games, held in June 1993 in France.

The two teams first met on 17 March 1993 in Zaprešić, Croatia, and the second time on 12 May 1993 in Maribor, Slovenia, with both matches ending in a 1–1 draw.

[citation needed] The 1993 Mediterranean Games were at the same time the first Croatian encounter with international competitive football after its independence.

At the time Brazil held the champions title of the 1994 FIFA World Cup and was preparing for the 1996 Olympics in the United States.

[11] Under the leadership of Ivo Šušak, the Croatian U23 team competed at the 1997 Mediterranean Games, being in the group with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Spain.

[citation needed] In 1998, in Bucharest, Croatia played a friendly against Romania, which at the time had one of the best young football teams.

[15] The match was played on 20 September 2022 in Wiener Neustadt in Austria as Qatar's preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which they hosted.