Hrvatski nogometni klub Gorica (English: Croatian Football Club Gorica), commonly referred to as HNK Gorica or simply 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Second Football League title and were initially promoted to Croatian First Football League, but their top license was revoked.[3] The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the former Prva HNL members NK Radnik, who went bankrupt and were dissolved in 2009.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]

Gorica

Full name	Hrvatski nogometni klub Gorica (Football Club Gorica)
Nickname(s)	Goričani, Turopoljci
Short name	GOR
Founded	16 July 2009; 13 years ago (2009-07-16) (as merger of NK Radnik and NK Polet Buševec)
Ground	Gradski stadion Velika Gorica
Capacity	5,200[1]
President	Nenad Črnko
League	Prva HNL
2021–22	Prva HNL, 6th
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

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 5 September 2022[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 4 DF  NED Matthew Steenvoorden 5 DF  BIH Saša Marjanović 6 DF  USA Amet Korça 7 MF  AUS Tyrese Francois (on loan from Fulham) 8 MF  NED Joey Suk 9 FW  AUS Deni Jurić (on loan from Dinamo Zagreb) 11 MF  CRO Edin Julardžija 14 MF  CRO Josip Mitrović 15 DF  SEN Moussa Wagué 16 MF  CRO Toni Fruk (on loan from Fiorentina) 17 MF  CRO Vinko Skrbin 18 MF  CRO Patrik Jug 19 FW  BRA Caio Da Cruz

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 DF  MNE Momčilo Raspopović 21 MF  LTU Paulius Golubickas 22 DF  SVK Matúš Vojtko (on loan from Slovan Bratislava) 23 MF  AUT Dominik Prokop 24 MF  CRO Fran Tomek (on loan from Dinamo Zagreb) 25 DF  CRO Krešimir Krizmanić 26 FW  CRO Ante Matej Jurić 28 MF  CRO Luka Kapulica 30 MF  CRO Luka Brlek 31 GK  CRO Ivan Banić 33 DF  MLI Cheick Keita 46 FW  MNE Nikola Vujnović 88 MF  CRO Jurica Pršir (Captain) 99 MF  CGO Merveil Ndockyt

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 12 GK  CRO Jan Paolo Debijađi (at NK Dubrava until 30 June 2023) 50 GK  BIH Faruk Dalipagić (at NK Karlovac 1919 until 30 June 2023) 77 DF  CRO Patrik Klančir (at NK Kustošija until 30 June 2023)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  CRO Domenik Quni (at NK Karlovac 1919 until 30 June 2023) — FW  ZAM Albert Kangwanda (at NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac until 30 June 2023) — FW  CRO Tin Janušić (at NK Sesvete until 30 June 2023)

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 27 DF  CRO David Sim 29 FW  CRO Lovro Nezirović 45 DF  FRA Nathan Cruce 70 MF  UKR Roman Plyushch

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  CRO Mario Matković — FW  CRO Vanja Kulenović — FW  CRO Antonijo Vujičić — MF  ZAM Peter Chikola

Dual registration

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

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  CRO Vinko Skrbin (at NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac) — MF  CRO Patrik Jug (at NK Zagorec Krapina) — FW  BRA Caio Da Cruz (at NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac) — FW  CRO Ante Matej Jurić (at NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac)

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  CRO Mario Matković (at NK Zagorec Krapina) — FW  CRO Vanja Kulenović (at NK Zagorec Krapina) — FW  CRO Antonijo Vujičić (at NK Zagorec Krapina) — MF  ZAM Peter Chikola (at NK Zagorec Krapina)

Personnel

Position	Staff
Head coach
Assistant coach	Saša Sabljak
Goalkeeping coach	Siniša Klafurić
Goalkeeping coach	Tihomir Pereković
Fitness coach	Krešimir Šoš
Fitness coach	Ivan Zagorec
Analyst	Josip Paušić
Kicking specialist	Filip Borak
Physiotherapist	Domagoj Prnjak
Physiotherapist	Ivan Katić
Sport director	Mario Brkljača
Head scout	Filip Šelendić
Scout	Igor Krlić
Head of academy	Marko Radenić
Academy coach	Mensur Mujdža
Technical director	Darko Blažinčić
Kit manager	Franjo Kovačić
Team manager	Matija Dvorneković

Honours

• Druga HNL
  • Champions (2): 2010–11, 2017–18
• Treća HNL – West
  • Champions (1): 2009–10

Recent seasons

References

External links

• Official website (in Croatian)

На других языках

[de] HNK Gorica

[es] HNK Gorica

[ru] Горица (футбольный клуб, Велика-Горица)