Wikipedia

HNK Gorica

This article is about the Croatian football club. For the Slovenian football club, see ND Gorica.

45°43′26″N 16°04′23″E / 45.72395°N 16.07317°E / 45.72395; 16.07317

Gorica
Full nameHrvatski nogometni klub Gorica
Nickname(s)Goričani, Turopoljci
Short nameGOR
Founded16 July 2009; 15 years ago (2009-07-16) (as merger of NK Radnik and NK Polet Buševec)
GroundGradski stadion Velika Gorica
Capacity5,200[1]
PresidentNenad Črnko
Head coachMario Carević
LeagueCroatian Football League
2023–24Croatian Football League, 7th of 10
Websitewww.hnk-gorica.hr
Current season

Hrvatski nogometni klub Gorica (English: Croatian Football Club Gorica), commonly referred to as HNK Gorica, is a Croatian football club based in the town of Velika Gorica, located just south of the Croatian capital Zagreb. They play their home matches at the Gradski stadion Velika Gorica, which has a capacity of 5,200.[2] They won the 2010–11 Croatian Second Football League title and were initially promoted to Croatian First Football League, but their top license was revoked.[3] The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the former Prva HNL members NK Radnik, who went bankrupt and were dissolved in 2009. However, legally HNK Gorica is a distinct and separate club, and is not entitled to claim the history of the old NK Radnik.[4]

History

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There is a long lasting tradition of football in Velika Gorica and region of Turopolje. First organized clubs were founded during the 1930s but the most prominent football club, NK Radnik, was created in 1945, just after the end of World War II.

Radnik enjoyed average success during Yugoslavia, and its most impressive results came with independence of Croatia. With a newly built stadium for 1987 Summer Universiade Radnik were champions of the first ever Croatian second division. In doing so they were promoted to the highest level Croatian league. Radnik competed there for two seasons, 1992–93 and 1993–94. After being relegated, Radnik started a downfall, obtaining mediocre results which resulted in them playing in the fourth tier of Croatian league football for four seasons (from 2002 till 2006).

During 2009 Radnik got into serious financial troubles and only solution for preserving Velika Gorica's top and most popular football team was a merger with one of financially stable local football clubs. A perfect partner was found in NK Polet from nearby village Buševec. NK Polet had a long lasting football tradition and was a competitive member of Treća HNL. In summer of 2009, merging between NK Radnik and Polet was agreed and HNK Gorica was formed.[5] As a primal mission club stated winning the league title and reaching Croatian Second Football League after many years of absence. The goal was reached during the first season, Gorica won the Treća HNL West and achieved promotion to the Druga HNL for the 2010–11 season.

Before 2010–11 season it was stated that club's ambitions are not high and that everybody would be satisfied with top half finish. But as the season progressed, Gorica proved to be the best club in the league, this culminating with securing the title two rounds before the end of the season. As 2. HNL champion, Gorica earned a place in Croatia's first division, which was later denied after getting their top level license revoked.[6]

Gorica won the 2017-18 Croatian Second Football League after which they were finally granted licence to play in the top tier after many years of being denied. Their league debut (as HNK Gorica) in the 2018–19 season was one of the most surprising and impressing parts of the league, becoming the best league-debutants in history by winning 59 points, as well as beating European contenders Hajduk Split and Osijek twice and the vice-champions Rijeka three times, although still finishing 5th, just 3 points away from reaching the Europa League qualifying rounds. Many foreign players out of contract were bought for free before the season, which turned out to be remarkable signings, most notably Łukasz Zwoliński, Kristijan Lovrić and Iyayi Atiemwen, who was ranked third in the 2018 Prva HNL Player of the year rankings and sold to Dinamo Zagreb over the 2019 transfer window for a record fee.[7]

Current squad

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As of 8 January 2025[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   CRO Karlo Žiger
2 DF   CRO Dino Mikanović
4 DF   NED Matthew Steenvoorden
5 DF   CRO Mateo Leš
6 DF   CRO Jakov Gurlica
7 MF   ALB Adrion Pajaziti (on loan from Fulham)
8 MF   CGO Merveil Ndockyt
9 FW   BIH Filip Čuić
10 MF   CRO Jurica Pršir (Captain)
11 FW   CRO Martin Šlogar
14 MF   MKD Agon Elezi (on loan from Bochum)
18 MF   CRO Ivan Fiolić
20 MF   CRO Luka Vrzić
21 FW   CRO Marko Kolar
22 DF   CRO Mario Maloča
23 MF   CRO Luka Kapulica
24 DF   CRO Mateo Bašić
No. Pos. Nation Player
25 DF   CRO Krešimir Krizmanić
27 DF   SVN Gregor Sikošek (on loan from Maribor)
28 DF   CRO Slavko Bralić (on loan from Celje)
29 MF   SRB Nikola Jojić (on loan from Stoke City)
30 GK   CRO Darijan Žarkov
31 GK   CRO Ivan Banić (2nd Captain)
32 MF   CRO Tibor Halilović
34 DF   CRO Mario Matković
44 GK   CRO Božidar Radošević
47 DF   CRO Anton Krešić (on loan from Cluj)
50 FW   CRO Ante Erceg
55 MF   CRO Vito Čaić (on loan from Dinamo Zagreb)
77 MF   CRO Valentino Majstorović
87 MF   CRO Antonio Ilić
88 MF   SEN Sekou Matar Sagna
90 DF   CRO Dino Štiglec
99 FW   KOS Medin Gashi

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
13 GK   CRO Matej Vidić (at   Segesta until 29 June 2025)
17 MF   CRO Vinko Skrbin (at   Gorica until 29 June 2025)
— FW   BRA Caio Da Cruz (at   Sesvete until 29 June 2025)
— MF   CRO Patrik Jug (at   Jarun until 30 June 2025)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF   CRO David Sim (at   Marsonia 1909 until 30 June 2025)
— FW   CRO Lovro Nezirović (at   Dugo Selo until 30 June 2025)
— MF   CRO Luka Brlek (at   Brežice 1919 until 30 June 2025)
— DF   CRO Ino Vuko (at   Karlovac 1919 until 14 June 2025)

Youth academy

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW   SEN Arona Fall
35 DF   CRO Zvonimir Josić
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF   CRO Fran Kasumović
— FW   CRO Petar Topić

Personnel

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Position Staff
Head coach  Mario Carević
Assistant coach   Denis Mojstrovič
Assistant coach   Mensur Mujdža
Goalkeeping coach   Siniša Klafurić
Goalkeeping coach   Tihomir Pereković
Fitness coach   Matija Špičić
Fitness coach   Vito Tadić
Analyst   Ivan Matovina
Physiotherapist   Domagoj Prnjak
Physiotherapist   Ivan Katić
Physiotherapist   Ivan Bradić
Physiotherapist   Sonja Pasarić
Sport advisor   Boštjan Blažinčič
Head scout   Filip Šelendić
Team manager   Matija Dvorneković
Technical director   Darko Blažinčić
Kit manager   Franjo Kovačić

Academy personnel

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Position Staff
Director of academy   Slavko Perković
Head of academy   Marko Radenić
Academy coach   Ivan Parlov
Academy coach   Boris Trivunov
Academy coach   Sven Raić
Fitness coach   Ivan Zagorec
Fitness coach   Leon Biondić

Honours

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Recent seasons

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Season League Cup Top goalscorer
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos Player Goals
2009–10 3. HNL 34 25 4 5 63 20 79 1st ↑ Igor Hajduk 20
2010–11 2. HNL 30 20 4 6 54 21 64 1st Boris Bajto 11
2011–12 2. HNL 28 10 10 8 27 24 40 7th Tomislav Pek 6
2012–13 2. HNL 30 10 10 10 40 35 40 10th R2 Domagoj Abramović 12
2013–14 2. HNL 33 13 6 14 32 33 45 7th R1 Ivan Antolek, Robert Peričić 5
2014–15 2. HNL 30 13 12 5 46 26 51 3rd Tomislav Kiš 12
2015–16 2. HNL 33 13 8 12 40 40 47 4th R1 Benjamin Tatar 7
2016–17 2. HNL 33 15 12 6 53 31 57 2nd PR Benjamin Tatar 13
2017–18 2. HNL 33 18 8 7 44 29 62 1st ↑ R2 Henrik Ojamaa, Victoraș Astafei 6
2018–19 1. HNL 36 17 8 11 57 46 59 5th Łukasz Zwoliński 14
2019–20 1. HNL 36 12 13 11 44 48 49 6th QF Kristijan Lovrić 14
2020–21 1. HNL 36 17 8 11 60 47 59 5th SF Kristijan Lovrić 15
2021–22 1. HNL 36 12 9 15 43 50 45 6th SF Kristijan Lovrić, Anthony Kalik 7
2022–23 1. HNL 36 7 11 18 36 50 32 9th R2 Toni Fruk 7
2023–24 1. HNL 36 11 8 17 35 50 41 7th QF Tim Matavž 5

References

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  1. ^ "HNK Gorica - Club history". www.hnk-gorica.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. ^ "HNK Gorica - Club history". www.hnk-gorica.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  3. ^ "NK Gorica morao igrati MAXtv Prvu ligu!". Sportcom.hr. 30 March 2012. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  4. ^ Paviša, Mato (28 December 2016). "HNK Gorica je na sceni a NK Radnik se ne zaboravlja". cityportal.hr. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  5. ^ Škrlec, Silvijo (25 August 2018). "Tko stoji iza turopoljskog nogometnog čuda, koje je potopilo Hajduk usred Poljuda". tportal.hr. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  6. ^ Halar, Ivan (13 February 2017). "'Spremni smo za ulazak u Prvu HNL! Nemamo dugova, trenera plaćamo više od Intera i imamo bolje uvjete od prvoligaša'". Vecernji.hr. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Iyayi Atiemwen iz Gorice prešao u Dinamo". Hrvatska Radiotelevizia. 22 January 2019. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Momčad". Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
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