User:Timbouctou/Zagreb XI
 | |||
| Founded | 1955 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1961 | ||
| Ground | Stadion Maksimir | ||
| Manager | Rudolf Sabljak | ||
| League | Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | ||
| 1955–58 | Runners-up | ||
|
| |||
The Zagreb XI was a football team that represented the city of Zagreb in three editions of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, a European tournament often considered the predecessor of the UEFA Cup, in the 1955–58, 1958–60, and the 1960–61 seasons.
The first tournament began in 1955 and took three years to complete. The entrants were the major football teams of each city which hosted a major trade fair. Like many other cities taking part, Zagreb had a number of clubs at the time. However, the rules stated that there could only be a single team from each city, and therefore, a representative team was created specifically for the tournament.[1]
The team was initially composed of best players from four Zagreb-based clubs. Three of these played in Yugoslavia's 1956–57 First Federal League at the time (Dinamo Zagreb, Lokomotiva, NK Zagreb) plus lower-tier side Trešnjevka. The team was managed by Rudolf Sabljak, a long-time football official and member of Dinamo Zagreb's board, who had no prior coaching experience.
In their first season, Zagreb XI finished bottom of their three-club group, behind England's Birmingham City and Italy's Inter Milan, suffering four defeats, with the goal difference 0–9. In their second campaign, the team, now managed by Momčilo Pažur, knocked out Hungarian side Újpesti Dózsa in the first round only to get beaten in the quarter-finals by Birmingham City again.
By their third season the team was entirely composed of Dinamo Zagreb players, and was coached by the club's manager Milan Antolković. This time, Zagreb XI were knocked out in the first round by FC Barcelona, 4–5 on aggregate over two legs.
In the next ten seasons before the competition was abolished, Zagreb was represented by club sides: Trešnjevka once (1963–64), NK Zagreb three times (1964–65, 1965–66, 1969–70), and the city's biggest club Dinamo Zagreb six times. Dinamo were the most successful of the three, finishing as runners-up in 1963 and winning the 1967 final.
Teams and match details
[edit]1956–57
[edit]- Group stage
Zagreb XI  | 0–1 |  Birmingham City |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Brown  8' |
- Team: Branko Kralj (Dinamo), Franjo Beseredi (Lokomotiva), Tomislav Crnković (Dinamo), Vladimir Čonč (Dinamo), Ivica Horvat (Dinamo), Vilim Medved (NK Zagreb), Branko Režek (Dinamo), Ivan Šantek (NK Zagreb), Kadro Abadžić (Dinamo), Vladimir Firm (NK Zagreb), Luka Lipošinović (Dinamo).
- Substitutes: Savo Joksimović (NK Zagreb) and Franjo Špirk (Trešnjevka)
- Manager: Rudolf Sabljak
| Zagreb XI | 0–1 |  Inter Milan |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Campagnoli 74' |
- Team: Vladimir Maček (NK Zagreb), Svemir Delić (NK Zagreb), Mladen Košćak (Dinamo), Vladimir Čonč (Dinamo), Vilim Medved (NK Zagreb), Branko Režek (Dinamo), Ivan Šantek (NK Zagreb), Ante Vidošević (NK Zagreb), Dražan Jerković (Dinamo), Zdravko Prelčec (Dinamo), Franjo Špirk (Trešnjevka).
- Substitutes: Ljubomir Benčić Jr (NK Zagreb)
- Manager: Rudolf Sabljak
| Birmingham City | 3–0 | Zagreb XI |
|---|---|---|
| Orritt 3' Brown 60'Murphy 67' |
Report |
- Team: Gordan Irović (Dinamo), Ivica Banožić (Dinamo), Tomislav Crnković (Dinamo), Ivica Horvat (Dinamo), Lav Mantula (NK Zagreb), Vilim Medved (NK Zagreb), Branko Režek (Dinamo), Aleksandar Benko (Dinamo), Marijan Kolonić (Dinamo), Branko Rezar (NK Zagreb), Dražan Jerković (Dinamo).
- Substitutes: Vladimir Klaić (NK Zagreb)
- Manager: Rudolf Sabljak
| Inter Milan | 4–0 | Zagreb XI |
|---|---|---|
| Skoglund 8', 89' Lorenzi 43', 50' |
Report |
- Team: Branko Kralj (Dinamo), Tomislav Crnković (Dinamo), Vladimir Čonč (Dinamo), Ivica Horvat (Dinamo), Lav Mantula (NK Zagreb), Vilim Medved (NK Zagreb), Branko Režek (Dinamo), Ivan Šantek (NK Zagreb), Josip Šikić (Dinamo), Aleksandar Benko (Dinamo), Luka Lipošinović (Dinamo).
- Substitutes: Željko Matuš (Dinamo), Dionizije Dvornić (NK Zagreb)
- Manager: Rudolf Sabljak
1958–59
[edit]- First round
| Zagreb XI | 4–2 |  Újpesti Dózsa |
|---|---|---|
| Győrvari 19' (o.g.) Jerković 33', 55'Lacković 70' |
Report | Szusza 31' Bencsics 40' |
| Újpesti Dózsa | 1–0 | Zagreb XI |
|---|---|---|
| Szini 73' |
Report |
- Quarter-finals
| Birmingham City | 1–0 | Zagreb XI |
|---|---|---|
| Larkin 41' |
Report |
1960
[edit]- First round
| Zagreb XI | 1–1 |  Barcelona |
|---|---|---|
| Gensana 61' (o.g.) |
Report | Villaverde 25' |
- Team: Mirko Stojanović (Dinamo), Tomislav Crnković (Dinamo), Vlatko Marković (Dinamo), Željko Matuš (Dinamo), Josip Šikić (Dinamo), Stjepan Lamza (Dinamo), Željko Perušić (Dinamo), Ivan Šantek (Dinamo), Ivica Cvitković (Dinamo), Dragoljub Blažić (Dinamo), Dražan Jerković (Dinamo).
- Manager: Milan Antolković
- Team: Gordan Irović (Dinamo), Tomislav Crnković (Dinamo), Vlatko Marković (Dinamo), Željko Matuš (Dinamo), Vladimir Čonč (Dinamo), Stjepan Lamza (Dinamo), Željko Perušić (Dinamo), Ivan Šantek (Dinamo), Josip Šikić (Dinamo), Dragoljub Blažić (Dinamo), Ilijas Pašić (Dinamo).
- Manager: Milan Antolković
See also
[edit]- Football in London
- Football in England
- List of football clubs in England
- Copenhagen XI
- Madrid autonomous football team
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Dart, James (1 June 2005). "Are Liverpool the worst European champions ever?". The Guardian.
- ^ EC 1 & Fairs Cup 1595-1960. International Federation of Football History & Statistics. pp. 158–171.