The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of intensifying their cooperation, the HNS stated on its website.

The document, signed by HNS president Davor Šuker and TFF president Nihat Özdemir, covers a two-year period during “which the two national football associations agree to cooperate on strengthening their relationship, developing the administrative and technical aspects of football in both countries, and promoting the values and traditions of football, as well as its role as a social instrument that contributes to international relations and solidarity.”

The two federations “plan to exchange their mutual expertise and experiences on youth development, coaching education, referee education, VAR implementation, referee conditioning and fitness, infrastructure development, competition management, and other administrative and technical issues.”

Šuker was quoted as saying that this memo “is a testament to the longstanding friendship between the football associations of Croatia and Turkey.”

“I believe that there’s certainly room for us to work together even more closely and strengthen our cooperation further, and I know that signing this document is an excellent step in that direction.”

Özdemir said among other things that “with this collaboration, we will show once again the importance of the universal role of football. I believe that the 2-year agreement will benefit Turkish football a lot. This agreement will be an example of solidarity for other Federations.”