Hrvatski kup
Founded1992
RegionCroatia
Number of teams48
Qualifier forUEFA Europa Conference League
Current championsHajduk Split
(8th title)
Most successful club(s)Dinamo Zagreb
(16 titles)
Television broadcastersMAX Sport
WebsiteOfficial website
2023–24 Croatian Cup

The Hrvatski nogometni kup (English: Croatian football cup), also colloquially known as Rabuzinovo sunce (lit. 'Rabuzin's Sun'), is an annually held football tournament for Croatian football clubs and is the second most important competition in Croatian football after the HNL championship. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and usually runs from late August to late May. Cup winners automatically qualify for next season's UEFA Europa Conference League, except when cup winners are also Prva HNL champions, in which case their berth in the Europa Conference League goes to the best placed team in the Prva HNL who haven't qualified for the UEFA competitions through their league performance.[1]

The cup was established in 1992,[2] after Croatian clubs had abandoned the Yugoslav First League and Yugoslav Cup competitions following the breakup of Yugoslavia. As of the most recent 2021–22 season a total of 31 cup seasons were held. The competition has historically been dominated by the two Eternal Derby sides—the most successful club is Dinamo Zagreb (formerly known in the 1990s as HAŠK Građanski and Croatia Zagreb) who appeared in 23 finals and won 16 titles, followed by Hajduk Split who won 8 titles out of 13 finals they appeared in.[3]

Either Dinamo or Hajduk appeared in all but three cup finals (in 1999, 2006 and 2020) and only three other clubs have won the cup—Rijeka (six wins), Inter Zaprešić (one win) and Osijek (one win).[3] Although clubs can qualify for the cup via regional county cups, which are usually contested by second-, third- or fourth-level sides, Uljanik Pula in 2003 was the only team in the history of the competition to have reached the cup final from outside the top level.

Format

Entries

Although in theory any club can take part in the cup, 48 teams enter the competition proper, based on three criteria:[1]

  1. Top sixteen best-ranked teams according to club coefficient calculated by the Croatian Football Federation which take into account their cup records in the previous five seasons
  2. Twenty-one club winners of regional cups organised in each of 21 counties of Croatia
  3. Eleven regional cup finalists, from the top 11 counties with the greatest number of active football clubs registered

Competition system

The 32 clubs which qualify via regional cups always enter in the preliminary round, which consists of 16 single-legged fixtures.[1] In case of a draw at the end of normal time, thirty minutes of extra time is played, and if scores are still level, a penalty shootout is held to determine the winner of the tie.[1] Sixteen winners of the preliminary ties go on to the first round proper (round of 32), where they are joined by the sixteen best-ranked clubs according to cup coefficient (this usually means all First League clubs and a handful of best-ranked lower level teams). Round of 32 (R1) and round of 16 (R2) are also played as single-legged fixtures. Until the 2014–15 season, from the quarter-finals onward, the competition employed a two-legged tie format, with winners progressing through on aggregate score. Since 2015–16, quarter-finals are also played as single-legged fixtures and, since 2017–18, the same applies for semi-finals. In case the score is still level at the end of regular time, extra time is played. If the score remains level after extra time, a penalty shootout takes place to determine tie winners.[1] With the exception of 1997 and 1999 finals, all finals were also played as two-legged fixtures until the rules were most recently changed for the 2014–15 season and a single-match final was made permanent.[4]

Croatian club cup coefficient

Clubs are awarded points for participation in specific round of the Cup. There are two exceptions in awarding points, first is clubs from preliminary round doesn't receive any points and second is a final where winner receives double of runner up. Points are summed through the season and added to five year ranking.[5]

Round Awarded clubs Points[6]
Preliminary round 16 0
First round 16 1
Second round 8 2
Quarter-finals 4 4
Semi-finals 2 8
Runner up 1 16
Winner 1 32

Points used in this ranking will be used for qualification for the 2024–25 season and seeding for the season 2023–24.[7]

Rank Club 2018−19 2019–20 2020–21 2021−22 2022–23 Total
1 Rijeka 63 63 15 31 3 175
2 Hajduk Split 7 3 7 63 63 143
3 Dinamo Zagreb 31 7 63 7 15 123
4 Osijek 15 15 7 15 7 59
5 Lokomotiva 7 31 3 7 7 55
6 Slaven Belupo 7 15 7 7 15 51
7 Istra 1961 3 3 31 7 3 47
8 Šibenik 3 7 3 3 31 47
9 Gorica 7 15 15 3 40
10 Inter Zaprešić (defunct) 15 7 1 1 1 25
11 Varaždin 3 3 3 3 3 15
12 Rudeš 1 3 3 7 14
13 Vinogradar 7 3 1 1 1 13
14 BSK Bijelo Brdo 3 3 7 13
15 Oriolik 1 7 3 1 12
16 Mladost Ždralovi 3 3 3 9
17 Zadar 3 3 1 7
18 Belišće 3 3 1 7
19 Split 1 1 1 1 3 7
20 Zagreb 1 1 3 1 6
21 Rudar Labin 3 3 6
22 Cibalia 1 1 1 1 1 5
23 Kurilovec 1 1 3 5
24 GOŠK Dubrovnik 1 3 4
25 Bjelovar 1 3 4
26 Opatija 3 3
27 Zelina 3 3
28 Jadran LP 3 3
29 Marsonia 3 3
30 Krk 3 3
31 Bednja 1 1 1 3
32 Primorac Biograd 1 1 1 3
33 Nedelišće 3 3
34 Sesvete 1 1 2
35 Novigrad 1 1 2
36 Nehaj 1 1 2
37 Karlovac 1919 1 1 2
38 Vuteks Sloga 1 1 2
39 Međimurje 1 1 2
40 Sloga NG 1 1 2
41 Jadran Poreč 1 1 2
42 Croatia Zmijavci 1 1
43 Zagora Unešić 1 1
44 Slavonija Požega 1 1
45 Pitomača 1 1
46 Orijent 1919 1 1
47 Dugopolje 1 1
48 Rudar Mursko Središće 1 1
49 Graničar Županja 1 1
50 Polet SMnM 1 1
51 Crikvenica 1 1
52 Gaj Mače 1 1
53 Ferdinandovac 1 1
54 Dilj 1 1
55 Mladost Petrinja 1 1
56 Hrvace 1 1
57 Buje 1 1
58 Vukovar '91 1 1
59 Slavija Pleternica 1 1
60 Sloga Mravince 1 1
61 Križevci 1 1
62 Zagorec 1 1
63 Vrapče 1 1
64 Bistra 1 1
65 Tehničar Cvetkovec 1 1
66 Borinci 1 1
67 Moslavina 1 1
68 Papuk Orahovica 1 1
69 Grobničan 1 1
70 Dubrava 1 1
71 Solin 1 1
Seeding for 2023−24 Cup[8]

List of winners

Key

(R) Replay
Two-legged tie
* Match went to extra time
† Match decided by a penalty shoot-out (from 2015 after extra time)
‡ Winning team won The Double
Italics Team from outside the top level of Croatian football

List of winners

Season Winners Score Runners–up Venue(s)
1992 Inker Zaprešić (1) 2–1 HAŠK Građanski Stadion ŠRC Zaprešić; Stadion Maksimir
1992–93 Hajduk Split (1) 5–3 Croatia Zagreb Stadion Poljud; Stadion Maksimir
1993–94 Croatia Zagreb (1) 2–1 Rijeka Stadion Maksimir; Stadion Kantrida
1994–95 Hajduk Split ‡ (2) 4–2 Croatia Zagreb Stadion Poljud; Stadion Maksimir
1995–96 Croatia Zagreb ‡ (2) 3–0 Varteks Stadion Varteks; Stadion Maksimir
1996–97 Croatia Zagreb ‡ (3) 2–1 NK Zagreb Stadion Maksimir
1997–98 Croatia Zagreb ‡ (4) 3–1 Varteks Stadion Varteks; Stadion Maksimir
1998–99 Osijek (1) 2–1 * Cibalia Stadion Maksimir
1999–2000 Hajduk Split (3) 2–1 Dinamo Zagreb Stadion Poljud; Stadion Maksimir
2000–01 Dinamo Zagreb (5) 3–0 Hajduk Split Stadion Poljud; Stadion Maksimir
2001–02 Dinamo Zagreb (6) 2–1 Varteks Stadion Maksimir; Stadion Varteks
2002–03 Hajduk Split (4) 5–0 Uljanik Pula Stadion Aldo Drosina; Stadion Poljud
2003–04 Dinamo Zagreb (7) 1–1 (a) Varteks Stadion Varteks; Stadion Maksimir
2004–05 Rijeka (1) 3–1 Hajduk Split Stadion Kantrida; Stadion Poljud
2005–06 Rijeka (2) 5–5 (a) Varteks Stadion Kantrida; Stadion Varteks
2006–07 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (8) 2–1 Slaven Belupo Stadion Maksimir; Gradski stadion (Koprivnica)
2007–08 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (9) 3–0 Hajduk Split Stadion Maksimir; Stadion Poljud
2008–09 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (10) 3–3 (4–3 p) † Hajduk Split Stadion Maksimir; Stadion Poljud
2009–10 Hajduk Split (5) 4–1 Šibenik Stadion Poljud; Stadion Šubićevac
2010–11 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (11) 8–2 Varaždin Stadion Maksimir; Stadion Varteks
2011–12 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (12) 3–1 Osijek Stadion Gradski vrt; Stadion Maksimir
2012–13 Hajduk Split (6) 5–4 Lokomotiva Stadion Poljud; Stadion Maksimir
2013–14 Rijeka (3) 3–0 Dinamo Zagreb Stadion Maksimir; Stadion Kantrida
2014−15 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (13) 0–0 (4–2 p) † RNK Split Stadion Maksimir
2015–16 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (14) 2–1 Slaven Belupo Stadion Gradski vrt
2016–17 Rijeka ‡ (4) 3–1 Dinamo Zagreb Stadion Varteks
2017–18 Dinamo Zagreb ‡ (15) 1–0 Hajduk Split Stadion HNK Cibalia
2018–19 Rijeka (5) 3–1 Dinamo Zagreb Stadion Aldo Drosina
2019–20 Rijeka (6) 1–0 Lokomotiva Stadion Šubićevac
2020–21 Dinamo Zagreb‡ (16) 6–3 Istra 1961 Gradski stadion Velika Gorica
2021–22 Hajduk Split (7) 3–1 Rijeka Stadion Poljud
2022–23 Hajduk Split (8) 2–0 Šibenik Stadion Rujevica

Results by team

Club Winners Last final won Runners-up Last final lost
Dinamo Zagreb[A] 16 2021 7 2019
Hajduk Split 8 2023 5 2018
Rijeka 6 2020 2 2022
Osijek 1 1999 1 2012
Inter Zaprešić[B] 1 1992 0 —
Varaždin[C] 0 — 6 2011
Slaven Belupo[E] 0 — 2 2016
Lokomotiva 0 — 2 2020
Istra 1961[D] 0 — 2 2021
Šibenik 0 — 2 2023
NK Zagreb 0 — 1 1997
Cibalia 0 — 1 1999
RNK Split 0 — 1 2015

Winning managers

Final Winning manager Winning club Losing manager Losing club
1992 Ilija Lončarević Inker Zaprešić Vlatko Marković HAŠK Građanski
1993 Ivan Katalinić Hajduk Split Miroslav Blažević Croatia Zagreb
1994 Miroslav Blažević Croatia Zagreb Srećko Juričić Rijeka
1995 Ivan Katalinić Hajduk Split Zlatko Kranjčar Croatia Zagreb
1996 Zlatko Kranjčar Croatia Zagreb Luka Bonačić Varteks
1997 Otto Barić Croatia Zagreb Krešimir Ganjto NK Zagreb
1998 Zlatko Kranjčar Croatia Zagreb Dražen Besek Varteks
1999 Stanko Poklepović Osijek Srećko Lušić Cibalia
2000 Petar Nadoveza Hajduk Split Marijan Vlak Dinamo Zagreb
2001 Ilija Lončarević Dinamo Zagreb Zoran Vulić Hajduk Split
2002 Marijan Vlak Dinamo Zagreb Branko Janžek Varteks
2003 Zoran Vulić Hajduk Split Elvis Scoria Uljanik Pula
2004 Nikola Jurčević Dinamo Zagreb Miroslav Blažević Varteks
2005 Elvis Scoria Rijeka Igor Štimac Hajduk Split
2006 Dragan Skočić Rijeka Zlatko Dalić Varteks
2007 Branko Ivanković Dinamo Zagreb Elvis Scoria Slaven Belupo
2008 Zvonimir Soldo Dinamo Zagreb Robert Jarni Hajduk Split
2009 Krunoslav Jurčić Dinamo Zagreb Ante Miše Hajduk Split
2010 Stanko Poklepović Hajduk Split Branko Karačić Šibenik
2011 Marijo Tot[F] Dinamo Zagreb Samir Toplak Varaždin
2012 Ante Čačić Dinamo Zagreb Stanko Mršić Osijek
2013 Igor Tudor Hajduk Split Tomislav Ivković Lokomotiva
2014 Matjaž Kek Rijeka Zoran Mamić Dinamo Zagreb
2015 Zoran Mamić Dinamo Zagreb Zoran Vulić RNK Split
2016 Zoran Mamić Dinamo Zagreb Željko Kopić Slaven Belupo
2017 Matjaž Kek Rijeka Ivaylo Petev Dinamo Zagreb
2018 Nenad Bjelica Dinamo Zagreb Željko Kopić Hajduk Split
2019 Igor Bišćan Rijeka Nenad Bjelica Dinamo Zagreb
2020 Simon Rožman Rijeka Goran Tomić Lokomotiva
2021 Damir Krznar Dinamo Zagreb Danijel Jumić Istra 1961
2022 Valdas Dambrauskas Hajduk Split Goran Tomić Rijeka
2023 Ivan Leko Hajduk Split Damir Canadi Šibenik

By individual

Rank Name Winners Club(s) Winning Years
1 Croatia Ivan Katalinić
2
 Hajduk Split 1993, 1995
Croatia Zlatko Kranjčar
2
 Croatia Zagreb 1996, 1998
Croatia Ilija Lončarević
2
 Inker Zaprešić, Dinamo Zagreb 1992, 2001
Croatia Stanko Poklepović
2
 Osijek, Hajduk Split 1999, 2010
Croatia Zoran Mamić
2
 Dinamo Zagreb 2015, 2016
Slovenia Matjaž Kek
2
 Rijeka 2014, 2017

Footnotes

A. ^ Originally called Dinamo Zagreb, the club was renamed "HAŠK Građanski" in 1992, and then again "Croatia Zagreb" in the winter break of the 1992–93 season. The club reverted to its original name in February 2000.
B. ^ Inter Zaprešić was known by its sponsored name "Inker Zaprešić" (sometimes spelled "INKER") from 1991 to 2003.
C. ^ Varaždin were known as "Varteks" from 1958 to 2010.
D. ^ Istra 1961 was formerly known as "Uljanik Pula" (before 2003), "Pula 1856" (2003–05), "Pula Staro Češko" (2005–06), and "NK Pula" (2006–07) before adopting their current name in 2007. They are not to be confused with their cross-city rivals NK Istra.
E. ^ Slaven Belupo based in Koprivnica were formerly known as "Slaven" until 1992. From 1992 to 1994 they were called "Slaven Bilokalnik" before adopting their current name for sponsorship reasons. Since UEFA does not approve sponsored club names, the club is listed as "Slaven Koprivnica" in European competitions and on UEFA's website.
F. ^ Vahid Halilhodžić was in charge of Dinamo Zagreb in the first leg of 2011 Croatian Football Cup Final.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Propozicije završnog dijela natjecanja za hrvatski nogometni kup" (PDF). Glasnik HNS-a (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. 5 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Varteks target cup triumph". UEFA. 1 May 2002. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b Stokkermans, Karel (7 May 2010). "Croatia - Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  4. ^ Puric, Bojan (7 February 2000). "Croatian Cup 1992–1999 - All Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  5. ^ "PROPOZICIJE ZAVRŠNOG DIJELA NATJECANJA ZA HRVATSKI NOGOMETNI KUP" (PDF) (in Croatian). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2020.
  6. ^ "GLASNIK" (PDF) (in Croatian). Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Hrvatski kup - Hrvatski nogometni savez".
  8. ^ "GLASNIK 2020" (PDF) (in Croatian).

External links

Croatian Football Cup seasons
UEFA members national football cups
Football in Croatia
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