NK Istra 1961

Not to be confused with NK Istra.
Istra 1961
Full name Nogometni Klub Istra 1961
Nickname(s) Verudeži
Zeleno-žuti (The Green-Yellows)
Founded 1961 (1961)
Ground Aldo Drosina
Pula, Croatia
Ground Capacity 8,923
Owner Round Midnight Investments
Manager Darko Raić-Sudar (interim)
League Prva HNL
2015–16 Prva HNL, 9th
Website Club home page

Nogometni Klub Istra 1961 (English: Istra 1961 Football Club), commonly referred to as NK Istra 1961 or simply Istra 1961, is a football club from Pula, Croatia, currently playing in the Croatian First Division.

The football club NK Uljanik from which the club originates was founded in 1948. In 1961, it joined with another local club, NK Pula, to form NK Istra. For this reason, 1961 is occasionally considered as the club's founding year. The greatest club success was in the 2002–03 season when they finished runners-up in the Croatian Cup, losing to Hajduk Split 4–1 on aggregate. In the 2004–05 season, the club changed its name into NK Pula 1856, because the year 1856 was the year that the Austro-Hungarian Empire made Pula the port of its arsenal and the shipyard Uljanik was opened. Also in the same year, in competed in the Prva Liga for the first time. In 2005, it was renamed again to NK Pula Staro Češko due to a sponsorship contract with the brewery Daruvarska pivovara (Staro Češko is a beer brand). Just one year later, the name was once again changed, this time to NK Pula. Again, just a year later in summer 2007, the name was changed for the fifth time in as many years, to NK Istra 1961. The change of name came after an ultimatum from the local fans Demons who said the club would have their support only if the club changed its name and club colours to the traditional city colours (yellow and green).

Its crest features the city's Roman Arena in Pula, as well as the old team crest.

Pula play their home matches at the recently renovated Stadion Aldo Drosina, which has a capacity of approximately 10,000 spectators.

Recent seasons

Season League Cup Top goalscorer
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos Player Goals
1992
1992–93 R1
1993–94 2. HNL South 30 7 7 16 21 43 21 14th
1994–95 2. HNL West 13th
1995–96 2. HNL West 34 18 8 8 58 36 62 5th
1996–97 2. HNL West 30 19 6 5 65 21 63 3rd
1997–98 2. HNL West 30 12 7 11 42 31 43 6th
1998–99 3. HNL West 30 13 7 10 33 35 46 3rd
1999–00 3. HNL West 30 17 6 7 56 30 57 3rd R1
2000–01 3. HNL West 30 17 11 2 73 26 62 1st ↑
2001–02 2. HNL South 30 17 8 5 57 26 59 2nd PR
2002–03 2. HNL South 32 20 7 5 63 31 67 2nd RU
2003–04 2. HNL South 32 18 8 6 59 33 62 1st ↑ QF
2004–05 1. HNL 32 7 14 11 28 31 35 10th QF Josip Jerneić, Vedran Stošić 6
2005–06 1. HNL 32 13 6 13 44 36 45 7th R1 Stiven Rivić 12
2006–07 1. HNL 33 6 11 16 28 40 29 11th ↓ R1 Marko Radas, Almir Halilović 5
2007–08 2. HNL 30 17 7 6 42 14 58 3rd R1 Saša Šest 8
2008–09 2. HNL 30 18 6 6 46 20 60 1st ↑ R1 Mohamed Kalilou Traoré 9
2009–10 1. HNL 30 9 8 13 31 40 35 11th R2 Asim Šehić 15
2010–11 1. HNL 30 9 4 17 24 44 31 15th QF Siniša Linić 5
2011–12 1. HNL 30 11 9 10 35 33 42 9th QF Sandi Križman 7
2012–13 1. HNL 33 11 11 11 35 32 44 6th R2 Goran Roce 11
2013–14 1. HNL 36 12 8 16 45 56 44 6th SF Dejan Radonjić 9
2014–15 1. HNL 36 7 14 15 36 59 35 9th QF Dejan Radonjić 16
2015–16 1. HNL 36 4 12 20 23 58 24 9th R2 Stefan Nikolić 5

Key

1st 2nd
Champions Runners-up Promoted Relegated

Top scorer shown in bold when he was also top scorer for the division.

  • P = Played
  • W = Games won
  • D = Games drawn
  • L = Games lost
  • F = Goals for
  • A = Goals against
  • Pts = Points
  • Pos = Final position

  • PR = Preliminary round
  • R1 = Round 1
  • R2 = Round 2
  • QF = Quarter-finals
  • SF = Semi-finals
  • RU = Runners-up
  • W = Winners

First-team squad

As of 3 September 2016

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

No. Position Player
1 Croatia GK Ivan Brkić
2 Bosnia and Herzegovina DF Renato Gojković
4 Croatia MF Dejan Polić
5 Croatia DF Ivica Jurkić
7 Brazil MF Mário Lúcio
8 Croatia MF Nikola Prelčec
9 Nigeria FW Theophilus Solomon (on loan from Rijeka)
10 Belgium FW Abdelhakim Bouhna
11 Croatia FW Goran Roce
12 Croatia GK Vanja Iveša
13 Croatia DF Mateo Bertoša
14 Croatia FW David Barišić
15 Republic of Macedonia DF Risto Mitrevski
16 Croatia DF Nikola Žižić
17 South Korea MF Hong-Sung Min
18 Bulgaria DF Asen Georgiev
No. Position Player
20 Croatia DF Darko Mišić
21 Croatia MF Valentino Stepčić
22 Albania DF Lirim Kelmendi
23 Croatia DF Mato Miloš (on loan from Rijeka)
24 Croatia FW Ivor Ljubanović
25 Croatia DF Kenan Hadžić
27 Croatia MF Marko Trojak
28 Croatia MF Saša Urošević
30 Croatia MF Viktor Marić
33 Croatia GK Ivica Ivušić
35 Croatia MF Goran Paracki
77 Croatia FW Šime Gržan
92 Croatia MF David Puclin
98 Croatia MF Vladimir Burić
99 Nigeria MF Jamilu Collins (on loan from Rijeka)

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt partner
2007–2010 Legea Puljanka
2011–2012 Jako Croatia Osiguranje
2012 Puma Croatia Osiguranje
2013– Errea Croatia Osiguranje

Honours

Winners (2): 2003–04, 2008–09
Winners (1): 2000–01
Runners up: 2002–03
3rd–4th Place: 2013–14

Managers

References

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