HNK Gorica

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 (2009-07-16) (as merger of NK Radnik and NK Polet Buševec)
GroundGradski stadion Velika Gorica
Capacity5,200[1]
PresidentNenad Črnko
Head coachRajko Vidović
LeagueCroatian Football League
2022–23Croatian Football League, 9th of 10
WebsiteClub website
This article is about the Croatian football club. For the Slovenian football club, see ND Gorica.

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Second Football League title and were initially promoted to Croatian First Football League, but their top license was revoked.[3] The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the former Prva HNL members NK Radnik, who went bankrupt and were dissolved in 2009.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

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
As of 9 February 2024[8]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  CRO Karlo Žiger
5 DF  CRO Mateo Leš
6 DF  CRO Jakov Gurlica
7 FW  CRO Ante Matej Jurić
8 MF  CGO Merveil Ndockyt
10 MF  CRO Jurica Pršir (2nd Captain)
14 MF  CRO Josip Mitrović
15 MF  CRO Filip Mrzljak (Captain)
16 MF  MKD Andrej Lazarov
17 MF  CRO Vinko Skrbin
18 MF  CRO Patrik Jug
22 DF  CRO Mario Maloča
19 FW  BRA Caio Da Cruz
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF  CRO Luka Kapulica
25 DF  CRO Krešimir Krizmanić
27 DF  CRO David Sim
30 MF  CRO Luka Brlek
31 GK  CRO Ivan Banić
34 DF  CRO Mario Matković
44 GK  CRO Božidar Radošević
45 DF  FRA Nathan Cruce-Corcy
46 FW  MNE Nikola Vujnović
77 MF  CRO Valentino Majstorović
88 MF  SEN Sekou Matar Sagna
90 DF  CRO Dino Štiglec

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
No. Pos. Nation Player

Youth academy

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW  SEN Arona Fall
20 MF  CRO Luka Vrzić
29 FW  CRO Lovro Nezirović
No. Pos. Nation Player
35 DF  CRO Zvonimir Josić
38 DF  CRO Ino Vuko
40 DF  SRB Đuro Giulio Đekić

Personnel
Position Staff
Head coach Rajko Vidović
Assistant coach Mensur Mujdža
Assistant coach
Goalkeeping coach Siniša Klafurić
Goalkeeping coach Tihomir Pereković
Fitness coach Dino Bušljeta
Fitness coach Matija Špičić
Analyst
Physiotherapist Domagoj Prnjak
Physiotherapist Ivan Katić
Physiotherapist Luka Puškić
Physiotherapist Sonja Pasarić
Sport director
Head scout Filip Šelendić
Scout
Team manager Matija Dvorneković
Technical director Darko Blažinčić
Kit manager Franjo Kovačić

Academy personnel
Position Staff
Director of academy Slavko Perković
Head of academy Marko Radenić
Academy coach Igor Čagalj
Academy coach Ivan Parlov
Academy coach Boris Trivunov
Goalkeeping coach Leonard Kovačić
Fitness coach Ivan Zagorec

Honours

Recent seasons
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

References
  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 23 May 2021.
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