About NK Zagreb

NK Zagreb is a Croatian football club based in Zagreb, with roots dating back to the early 20th century, most commonly linked to 1919 when a club under the same name began operating in the city. After World War II, the club adopted the name NK Zagreb and gradually established itself within the Yugoslav football system, competing in various leagues, including multiple seasons in the Yugoslav First League. Its best performance in that era came in the mid-1960s, when it achieved a strong league finish and gained recognition as a solid top-tier side.

Following Croatian independence in 1991, NK Zagreb became a founding member of the Croatian First League and spent most of the next two decades in the top division. The club’s greatest achievement came in the 2001–02 season, when it sensationally won the Croatian championship under coach Zlatko Kranjčar, breaking the long-standing dominance of Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. It also reached the Croatian Cup final in 1997 and the Super Cup final in 2002, marking its most successful modern period.

In the years that followed, NK Zagreb experienced a steady decline, including relegations and financial difficulties. After dropping out of the top division in 2013–14, it briefly won the second division but continued to struggle, eventually falling into lower leagues. By the late 2010s, the club had lost its traditional stadium and now plays at a smaller training ground, reflecting its reduced status. Despite this decline, NK Zagreb remains historically significant as one of the few clubs to win the Croatian league outside the traditional “big two.”