About NK Lokomotiva Zagreb

NK Lokomotiva Zagreb is a Croatian football club based in Zagreb, founded in 1914 as ŽŠK Victoria. After World War I, it was renamed Željezničar and spent the interwar years largely in the shadow of stronger local clubs such as Građanski and HAŠK, with only limited appearances at the top level. In 1945, the club adopted the name Lokomotiva, marking the beginning of its modern identity.

The club experienced its most successful early period between the late 1940s and mid-1950s, when it competed in the Yugoslav First League for several seasons. Its best result came in 1952, when it finished third, behind Hajduk Split and Red Star Belgrade. However, after relegation in 1957, Lokomotiva never returned to the Yugoslav top division and spent the following decades mostly in lower leagues until the breakup of Yugoslavia.

After Croatian independence, Lokomotiva initially played in the lower tiers before undergoing a rapid rise in the late 2000s, achieving three consecutive promotions and returning to the top flight in 2009 after more than 50 years. Since then, it has established itself as a stable Croatian First League club, achieving notable successes such as second-place finishes in 2013 and 2020, as well as appearances in European competitions. Today, Lokomotiva is known for developing young talent and maintaining a consistent presence in Croatia’s top division.