The spectacular success of the Croatian national football team has sparked widespread enthusiasm in Croatia, prompting Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to declare that the Government will take care of the construction of a national football stadium.
“I believe that the Croatian national team deserves this, and in this way, we can send a message to the footballers, especially the younger generations, to continue engaging in sports,” he stated.
Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić welcomed this announcement, immediately offering an architectural solution and four possible locations, expressing his readiness for the City of Zagreb to significantly co-finance the project.
However, the construction of a new national football stadium has provoked numerous comments and criticisms. Some of the loudest voices argue that mega-investments in grand projects do not pay off in the long run as they are not sustainable, while on the other hand, there is a desperate need for investment in existing sports infrastructure. Additionally, existing candidates have been highlighted, whose renovation could result in entirely dignified national stadiums. One of them is Split’s Poljud, which, as noted by a journalist from Telegram, is admired by New York’s MoMa, and the average attendance at Hajduk’s matches during the season is 12,000 spectators.
