FK Vardar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vardar

Full name	Fudbalski klub Vardar / Фудбалски Клуб Вардар
Nickname(s)	Црвено-Црни / Crveno-Crni (The Red-Blacks)
Short name	Vardar, VAR
Founded	22 July 1947; 78 years ago (1947-07-22)
Ground	National Arena Toše Proeski
Ground Capacity	33,011
Owner	Atila Bijen Jalili (85%) Komiti Skopje (15%)
Chairman	Milenko Nedelkovski
Manager	Goce Sedloski
League	Macedonian First League
2024–25	Macedonian First League, 5th
Home colours Away colours

FK Vardar (Macedonian: ФК Вардар) is a professional football club. It is based in Skopje, North Macedonia. The team plays in the Macedonian First League. Vardar is the most successful football club in Macedonia. They have won many titles and cups. This includes eleven Macedonian First League titles. They also won six Macedonian Cups. In 2017, Vardar made history. They became the first Macedonian club to reach the group stage of a European competition.

History

How Vardar Started

FK Vardar was first created in 1911. After World War One, the club was started again in 1919. Vardar Skopje played well in the local league. They even had their own stadium called City Park. In 1926, Vardar joined with another team, Gragjanski Skopje. All of Vardar's players joined the new team. They kept playing at Vardar's home ground.

After World War Two, FK Vardar was re-established. This happened on July 22, 1947. Two city rival teams, FK Pobeda and FK Makedonija, joined together. At first, the club's colors were blue. But soon after, they changed to red and white. Vardar was part of the top Federal League from the start. Over the next ten years, they moved between leagues. The famous red and black jerseys were brought back after the 1963 Skopje earthquake. The Italian club AC Milan sent them new equipment.

Playing in the Top League

Vardar won its first big trophy in 1961. This was the 1960–61 Yugoslav Cup. Many famous players from the region started their careers at Vardar. Winning the Yugoslav Cup was a huge moment for them. Andon Dončevski was a key player from that winning team. He later coached Vardar from 1986 to 1988.

In the 1985–86 season, there was a big problem with the final games. The Football Association of Yugoslavia decided to replay all the last games. Some clubs were even docked points. Vardar Skopje was not docked points. They won the title in the 1986-87 Federal League season. This allowed them to play in the 1987–88 European Cup. However, after more legal steps, the title was later given to FK Partizan. But for UEFA, Vardar was still seen as the champion. The 1986–87 team had amazing players. These included Darko Pančev, Ilija Najdoski, Dragi Kanatlarovski, and Vujadin Stanojković. FK Vardar played for 33 seasons in the top Yugoslav league. They are ranked 11th on the all-time list.

After Independence

Stefan Spirovski played 56 matches and scored 6 goals for FK Vardar.

After Macedonia became independent, Vardar won three titles in a row. They even went unbeaten in the first season, 1992–93. In the 1990s, they were a top team in Macedonian football. They reached five Cup finals and won four of them.

After a short break from winning, they won the league again in 2001–02. The next season, they almost made it to the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League group stage. This was a huge achievement. In the qualifying rounds, they beat CSKA Moscow. They were just one goal away from beating Sparta Prague. In 2011, Vardar was almost moved down to a lower league. But they bought a license from another team, Miravci, and stayed. The next season, they won the league again after nine years.

Vardar has won 17 major trophies so far. In 2012, FK Vardar became the first team in North Macedonia to be set up as a company. FK Vardar played for 24 seasons in the Macedonian First Football League from 1992 to 2017. They are ranked first on the all-time table.

Memorable Matches

FK Vardar has had many exciting matches in its history. One of the first big ones was in 1961 against Dunfermline from Scotland. Vardar won 2-0 at home in the Cup Winners' Cup. A very memorable game was when they beat FK Partizan 5–0. The 2–1 victory over Varteks in the Yugoslav Cup final was their first major trophy.

A game with the most fans was against Trepča. FK Vardar won 2–1 and moved up to the Yugoslav First League. Other games to remember were against big teams like Red Star Belgrade, Partizan Belgrade, Dinamo Zagreb, and Hajduk Split. In 1985, they beat Dinamo București from Romania 1–0 in the UEFA Cup.

When the Macedonian First Football League started, the wins against rival Pelister were very special. This included the first-ever Macedonian Football Cup final in 1993. FK Vardar won 1–0 at the old City Stadium.

The club's biggest international success came in 2003. FK Vardar was just one goal away from reaching the UEFA Champions League group stage. They had a great 3–0 home win against Barry Town from Wales. Then, they had a glorious 2–1 away win over Russian team CSKA Moscow. In the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup, they easily beat Ethnikos Achnas from Cyprus. They won both matches 5–1. They also had a 1–0 home win against Belgian team Gent.

Aco Stojkov played 56 matches and scored 22 goals for FK Vardar.

First Time in Europa League Group Stage

Felipe scored Vardar's first goal in the Europa League group stage.

In the 2017–18 Champions League qualifying round, Vardar played against Swedish team Malmö FF. They drew 1–1 away and won the second game 3–1 at home. The goals were scored by Boban Grncharov, Tigran Barseghyan, and Boban Nikolov. In the next round, Vardar played against Danish team F.C. Copenhagen. They won the first game in Skopje 1–0 with a goal from Jonathan Balotelli.

In the second game in Copenhagen, Vardar was close to moving on. But Copenhagen scored two goals in the last 15 minutes. Vardar lost 4–1 and was out of the Champions League.

Darko Velkovski

However, Vardar continued in the Europa League play-off round. They played against Turkish team Fenerbahçe. Surprisingly, Vardar won both matches. They won 2–0 at home in Skopje. The goals were by Barseghyan and an own goal by Mehmet Topal. In the second game in Istanbul, they won 2–1. Goals were scored by Jaba Jighauri and Nikola Gligorov. This meant Vardar qualified for the Europa League group stage for the first time ever! They became the first Macedonian club to do this.

In the group stage, Vardar was in Group L. They played against Zenit Saint Petersburg, Rosenborg, and Real Sociedad. In their first group match, Zenit beat Vardar 5–0 in Skopje. They lost 3–1 to Rosenborg in Trondheim. But Juan Felipe scored Vardar's first goal in the group stages of a European competition. In the third match, Real Sociedad beat Vardar 6–0 at home. This was their biggest loss in a European match. However, FK Vardar later earned a historic first point in European Cups. They drew 1–1 in a home match against Rosenborg BK.

Grounds

City Park Arena

The City Park Arena can hold 33,011 fans. It is one of the 10 biggest stadiums in the Balkans. The field is 105 by 68 meters. There are two large screens on the east and west sides. The arena has 494 VIP seats and 386 seats for the media. About 80% of the stadium is covered, which is great for bad weather.

The Toshe Proeski Arena is a sports facility in Skopje, Macedonia. It is mostly used for football games. On July 25, 2012, one of FK Vardar's most visited matches was played here. It was against FC BATE Borisov in the Champions League qualifying round. The west stand is where the "Komiti" fans sit. They are FK Vardar's most loyal supporters. The National Arena Toshe Proeski also hosted the 2017 UEFA Super Cup. This was Macedonia's first UEFA club competition final.

Home Ground

Supporters

The flag of FK Vardar.

FK Vardar's supporters are called "Komiti". Komiti are the first organized fan group for Vardar. They were started on June 4, 1987, in Skopje. This happened during a match between FK Vardar and Red Star Belgrade. The Komiti have made a big impact on Vardar's history. Their support is like having a 12th player on the team. Most Macedonians around the world support FK Vardar.

The "KOMITI" group was first noticed in 1985. This was on the 'Zapad' (West Stand), where Vardar's most passionate fans always gathered. Two years later, on June 4, 1987, a derby match was played. It was between Vardar Skopje and Red Star Belgrade (3:1). For the first time, a banner with "KOMITI" was seen on the 'Zapad' stand. The idea was to create a strong Macedonian fan group. The goal was for 'KOMITI' to lead all activities on the West Stand.

The name 'KOMITI' was chosen for a special reason. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Macedonia was under Ottoman rule. Revolutionaries who were part of IMRO were called komitadjis. This name is very strong and connects to their goals. That's why they chose 'KOMITI' instead of common names like Brigate or Ultras.

Komiti Skopje in 2023 with scarves at the stadium.

The team has always been a symbol for Macedonians at home and abroad. Komiti have good relationships with FK Teteks fans, "Vojvodi". They also have good ties with FC Schalke 04 fans, "Ultras Gelsenkirchen".

Rivalries

Eternal Derby

The match between Vardar and FK Pelister is the biggest and most intense game in North Macedonia. A key part of this rivalry is between the fan groups, Komiti Skopje and Čkembari. This rivalry started in the 1989–90 season. It began during a match in Skopje between FK Vardar and Red Star Belgrade. There was a disagreement between "Skopje fans" and some "Bitola fans". The Bitola fans had come to support FK Vardar, which was the most popular Macedonian club then.

On March 8, 1991, FK Pelister and FK Vardar played in Bitola. This was in the Yugoslav second league. The first big incident between the fans happened then. From that day on, the rivalry between Komiti and Čkembari grew. The Vardar–Pelister match became known as the "eternal derby". In recent years, the rivalry has become a bit less intense. This is because FK Vardar has not been as competitive.

Skopje Derby

FK Vardar and FK Shkupi (formerly FK Sloga Jugomagnat) have the main derby in their city. Both clubs have active fan groups. This rivalry is often linked to ethnic backgrounds. FK Vardar fans are Macedonians and Orthodox Christians. FK Shkupi fans are Albanians. Rabotnički is another team in Skopje with organized fans. Their rivalry is not as strong in football. But it is very strong in handball and basketball.

Other Rivalries

Vardar has a strong rivalry with FK Pobeda. They also have a rivalry with GFK Tikvesh. There is also a friendly "brotherhood derby" with FK Teteks. The fans of these two clubs are sometimes called "Orthodox Brothers".

Honours

Domestic

• Macedonian First League
  • Winners (11): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2019–20
• Macedonian Football Cup
  • Winners (6): 1992–93, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2006–07, 2024–25
• Macedonian Football Supercup
  • Winners (2): 2013, 2015
• Yugoslav Cup
  • Winners (1): 1960–61
• Macedonian Republic Cup
  • Winners (12): 1955–56, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1991–92

European

• Balkans Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 1972, 1974

European Competitions

FK Vardar's first competitive European match was a 0–5 loss. This was against Dunfermline Athletic in the 1961–62 European Cup Winners' Cup. Muarem Zekir has played the most matches in Europe for the club, with 21 appearances. The top scorer in UEFA club competitions is Wandeir with 13 goals. Vardar's biggest win in UEFA competition was against Ethnikos Achna FC. This happened in the 2004 Intertoto Cup. They beat them twice by a score of 5–1, making it 10–2 overall.

FK Vardar made history by becoming the first Macedonian club to reach the group stages of a European competition. This happened after they beat Fenerbahçe S.K. in the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League playoffs.

Filip Gačevski is a legendary goalkeeper for FK Vardar.

UEFA Ranking

Rank	Country	Team	Points
416		Mons Calpe S.C.	1.158
417		FC Struga	1.100
418		FK Vardar	1.100
419		FK Rabotnichki	1.100
420		Atlètic Club d'Escaldes	1.033

Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Metodija Velkovski 3 DF Mihail Manevski 4 DF Mislav Matić 5 DF Filip Najdovski 7 MF Danel Dongmo 9 FW Azer Omeragikj 10 FW Goran Zakarić (captain) 11 MF Dimitar Danev 13 DF Andrej Murdjeski 14 MF Gorjan Cvetkov 15 MF Darko Sekovski 17 FW Ediz Spahiu 18 DF Nenad Mishkovski 19 FW Mihail Talevski 20 MF Kristijan Nikolovski 21 DF Georgije Jankulov

No. Position Player 22 MF Dimitar Todorovski 23 MF Filip Duranski 26 DF Mite Cikarski 27 DF Manuel Cuestas 29 MF Ibrahim Olaosebikan 31 FW Ivo Markovski 32 MF Diego Castañeda 47 FW Rogers Mato 74 GK Goce Jovchev 75 DF Faustin Senghor 87 GK Filip Gačevski 88 MF Nemanja Bosančić 95 GK Davor Taleski GK Ili Ziberi MF Darko Micevski MF Warren Tchimbembé

Youth Players

These players from the U19 Youth Team have been called up to play with the first team this season.

No. Position Player 12 GK Pavel Grbevski

Out on Loan

Club Officials

Technical Staff

Source:

Board Members

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Club Records

• Most goals scored: Andon Dončevski (217 goals).
• Best goal scoring ratio: Darko Pančev (132 goals in 207 matches). This means he scored about 0.65 goals per match.
• Most league goals scored: Vasil Ringov (97 goals).
• Most league goals scored in one Macedonian First League season: Saša Ćirić in 1992–93 (36 goals).
• Most goals scored in European competition: Wandeir from 2003–05 (12 goals).
• Most appearances: Kočo Dimitrovski played 845 matches (416 league matches). Metodije Spasovski played 647 matches (375 league matches). Gjore Jovanovski played 486 matches (271 league matches).
• Most accomplished coach: Gjoko Hadžievski (5 league titles and 2 national cups).
• Biggest win in Macedonian league: May 30, 1993, FK Vardar 11–0 FK Vardarski.
• Biggest win in UEFA competition: June 19, 2004, Ethnikos Achnas 1–5 FK Vardar.
• Biggest single game attendance: 1985–86 Yugoslav First League, FK Vardar–Red Star Belgrade (30,000 spectators). Also, FK Vardar-FC Bate Borisov 0:0 (31,322 spectators) in the Champions League First Round (2012–2013).

See also

In Spanish: Fudbalski Klub Vardar para niños