HNK Rijeka - last updated on 6 August 2008
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: Hrvatski Nogometni Klub Rijeka
Foundation: 1925
City: Rijeka
Colours: White and blue
Website: www.nk-rijeka.hr
Honours:
Hrvatski Nogometni Kup - 2 (2005, 2006)
Yugoslav Cup - 2 (1978, 1979)
Balkans Cup - 1 (1978)
A bit of history:
The club was founded in 1925 as Unione Sportiva Fiumana. Fiumana played in the First Division (Prima divisione), which was the second level of the Italian Football Championship, and reached the National Division (Divisione Nazionale), the first level of Italian football in 1928. After 1929, it competed in Serie B in the 1929-1930 and 1941-1942 seasons. The club was renamed Kvarner in 1946, due to Rijeka (Fiume at the time) passing from Italy to Yugoslavia. During its early period in Yugoslavia, the club had moderate success in various Yugoslav and local club championships. It changed its name to "Rijeka" on June 3, 1954, and advanced to the Yugoslav First League in the 1957/58 season. It remained in the top tier until the 1969/70 season, when it was demoted to the Second League. It topped that league many times but it was until 1973/74 when it would return to the First League, where it would remain until the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Rijeka won the Yugoslav Cup in 1978 and 1979, was a runner-up in 1987, won the Croatian Cup in 2005 and in 2006, and participated several times in various UEFA championships. Although it has never advanced to the final stages of the competition, Rijeka has topped and shocked some of the biggest clubs in the history of soccer on its home field during the 1980s, including Real Madrid and Juventus.
Rijeka has been playing in the Prva HNL since the independence of Croatia in 1991, generally finishing near the top. Notably it finished second in 1999 and 2006 and third in 2004. Due to many format changes of the league, Rijeka has played more games in the competition than any other team. In the 2004/2005 season, its player Tomislav Erceg was the top scorer of the Prva HNL with 17 goals.
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
HNK Rijeka
