GNK Dinamo Zagreb facts for kids

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Dinamo Zagreb

Full name	Građanski nogometni klub Dinamo Zagreb (Citizens’ football club Dinamo Zagreb)
Nickname(s)	Modri, Plavi (The Blues) Purgeri (The Citizens)
Short name	Dinamo, DZG
Founded	26 April 1911; 114 years ago (1911-04-26) (as 1. HŠK Građanski) 9 June 1945; 80 years ago (1945-06-09) (as FD Dinamo)
Ground	Stadion Maksimir
Ground Capacity	35,123 (reduced to 24,851 because of earthquake damage)
President	Zvonimir Boban
Manager	Mario Kovačević
League	Croatian Football League
2024–25	Croatian Football League, 2nd of 10
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Građanski nogometni klub Dinamo Zagreb, often called Dinamo Zagreb, is a professional football club from Zagreb, Croatia. They play their home games at Stadion Maksimir. Dinamo Zagreb is the most successful club in Croatian football. They have won many titles, including twenty-five Prva HNL championships, seventeen Croatian Cups, and eight Croatian Super Cups.

The club has always played in the top league. They were part of the Yugoslav First League from 1946 to 1991. After Croatia became independent, they joined the Prva HNL in 1993. Dinamo is also the only Croatian club to win a European trophy. They won the 1966–67 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup by beating Leeds United in the final. They also reached the final of the same competition in 1963, but lost to Valencia.

For a long time, 1945 was thought to be the club's founding year. However, in the early 1990s, the club started to connect its history to older clubs like Građanski Zagreb and HAŠK. To show this connection, the club changed its name to HAŠK Građanski in 1991. Then, in 1993, it became Croatia Zagreb. Under this name, they won five league titles and played in the UEFA Champions League group stages in 1998–99 and 1999–2000. On 14 February 2000, the club changed its name back to the well-known "Dinamo Zagreb." In 2011, the club officially added "Građanski" to its name, becoming GNK Dinamo, to highlight its link to the original Građanski club founded in 1911.

The team's main color is royal blue. Sometimes, for European matches, they wear a darker navy blue. Dinamo's biggest rivals are Hajduk Split. Their matches are called the "Eternal Derby."

Club History

The Early Years of Građanski (1911–1945)

In 1911, when Croatia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a club called Građanski was started in Zagreb. It was founded by Andrija Mutafelija and his friends. They wanted a sports club with a clear Croatian identity for the people of Zagreb. It had sections for football, handball, and cycling.

Građanski first played on different fields in Zagreb. In 1924, they built their own stadium on Koturaška street. Stjepan Radić, a famous Croatian politician, officially opened it.

The club also had successful international tours. In 1923, during a tour in Spain, Građanski beat famous teams like Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao. They often visited Austria and Hungary to play friendly matches against top local teams. In 1936, they toured England and learned a new football strategy called the WM formation. This helped them win the 1936–1937 Yugoslav championship. Their manager, Márton Bukovi, later helped develop this system further, which was used by the Hungary national team in the 1954 World Cup final.

Građanski played in the Mitropa Cup, an early European club competition, three times. In 1928, they lost in the quarterfinals. In 1937, they also exited early. In 1940, they reached the semifinals but were unlucky. The final match was never played because of the start of World War II.

Građanski team in 1937.

During World War II, sports competitions in Yugoslavia were stopped. However, in the Independent State of Croatia, national competitions continued. Građanski won the 1942–43 season. When the war ended in 1945, the club was reorganized, and its old records were affected. Građanski's last official game was a 2–2 draw against HAŠK on 10 April 1945.

From Građanski to Dinamo (1945–1966)

After World War II, Građanski was reorganized. On 9 June 1945, a new sports society called FD Dinamo was founded. Many players and staff from Građanski joined Dinamo. They kept Građanski's colors and nickname, and many fans continued to support the new club. Dinamo even adopted a badge similar to Građanski's in 1969.

Famous players like Franjo Wölfl, August Lešnik, and Zvonimir Cimermančić continued their careers at Dinamo. Their coach, Márton Bukovi, also joined. Dinamo first played its home matches at Građanski's old ground. Later, they moved to a new stadium built where HAŠK's old ground used to be.

Dinamo joined the Yugoslav First League in its first season (1946–47) and finished second. In the next season, 1947–48, Dinamo won its first major trophy, becoming Yugoslav champions. The club also won its first Yugoslav Cup in 1951. They added three more cup titles (1960, 1963, 1965) and two more championships (1953–54 and 1957–58).

Dinamo first played in European competitions in 1958. They reached the semi-finals of the 1960–61 European Cup Winners' Cup and the final of the 1962–63 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Many Dinamo stars also played for the Yugoslavia national team, including Željko Čajkovski and Slaven Zambata.

Old enamel badge of the club during communist Yugoslavia

Winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1966–1967)

In the 1966–67 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Dinamo Zagreb made history. They became the first team from Yugoslavia to win a European competition. In the first round, they beat Spartak Brno after a coin toss. In the second round, the new away goals rule helped them advance against Dunfermline.

On their way to the final, Dinamo defeated teams like Dinamo Piteşti, Juventus, and Eintracht Frankfurt. In the final, they played against Leeds United. Dinamo won the first match 2–0 at home with goals from Marijan Čerček and Krasnodar Rora. The second match ended 0–0, which meant Dinamo won the trophy! The president of FIFA, Sir Stanley Rous, presented the trophy to Dinamo's captain, Slaven Zambata.

After European Success (1967–1991)

Dinamo continued its success in the late 1960s by winning the Yugoslav Cup in 1969. However, the 1970s were a tougher decade, and the club did not win any trophies. They played in the UEFA Cup several times but did not repeat their earlier European success.

In the 1978–79 Yugoslav Championship, Dinamo and Hajduk Split had a very close race for the title. There was a dispute over a match result, which caused a lot of discussion. Even though a later ruling favored Dinamo, the championship title was not officially changed. This event is still remembered by Dinamo fans.

In the early 1980s, Dinamo found success again. They won their sixth Yugoslav Cup in 1980 and their fourth Yugoslav championship in 1982. In 1983, they won their seventh Yugoslav Cup, which was their last trophy while part of Yugoslavia. They continued to play in European competitions but were often eliminated by Portuguese clubs like Benfica and Porto.

The Croatia Zagreb Years (1991–2000)

After Yugoslavia became independent countries, Dinamo helped create the Prva HNL. In 1992, the club changed its name to HAŠK Građanski. A year later, in 1993, it changed again to Croatia Zagreb. Many fans did not like these name changes, and on 14 February 2000, the club returned to its original name, Dinamo.

As Croatia Zagreb, the club won six league titles, including five in a row from 1996 to 2000. They also won the Croatian Cup four times during this period. In the late 1990s, Dinamo played in the UEFA Champions League group stage for two seasons. In 1998–99, they finished second in their group but did not advance. In 1999–2000, they played against strong teams like Manchester United and Marseille. They famously held Manchester United to a 0–0 draw at Old Trafford.

The Modern Dinamo Zagreb Era (2000–Present)

Dinamo Zagreb in 2024

A Golden Era of Success (2000–2015)

In the 2000s, Dinamo often reached the third qualifying round of the Champions League. They faced tough opponents like Milan, Arsenal, and Shakhtar Donetsk. They also regularly qualified for the group stages of the UEFA Cup and later the Europa League.

Domestically, this was a very successful period. Dinamo won five league titles, six Croatian Cups, and four Croatian Supercups. The club also helped develop many talented players who went on to play for the Croatia national team. These included stars like Luka Modrić, Eduardo, Vedran Ćorluka, and Niko Kranjčar.

Dinamo qualified for the Europa League group stage in 2010–11. They were close to advancing but finished third in their group. In 2011 and 2012, Dinamo reached the Champions League group stage again. They played against top clubs like Real Madrid, Lyon, Ajax, and Paris Saint-Germain.

Recent Years and European Challenges (2015–2018)

In the 2015–16 Champions League, Dinamo made it to the group stage. They achieved a memorable 2–1 home victory against Arsenal on 16 September 2015. That season, the club won both the league title and the national cup.

The 2016–17 season was challenging. Dinamo did not win the league title or the cup, losing both to rivals Rijeka. They also had a difficult Champions League group stage campaign, scoring no goals in six matches. In the 2017–18 season, Dinamo won the league but did not qualify for European competition.

The Bjelica Era (2018–2020)

Nenad Bjelica became the manager in 2018. Under his leadership, Dinamo won the 2017–18 Prva HNL title and the 2017–18 Croatian Cup.

In the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League, Dinamo reached the knockout phase. This was the first time in 49 years that the club played in European competitions during the winter. They beat Viktoria Plzeň in the Round of 32. In the Round of 16, they faced Benfica and were eliminated after extra time. Dinamo's success in this competition helped improve Croatia's ranking in European football.

In the 2019–20 season, Dinamo qualified for the Champions League group stage again. They were in a group with Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Atalanta. Dinamo surprised many by beating Atalanta 4–0 at home, which was their biggest Champions League win ever. However, they did not advance to the next round. Nenad Bjelica left the club in April 2020.

The Zoran Mamić Era (2020–2021)

After a short period with Igor Jovićević, Zoran Mamić was appointed as the new manager. After an unsuccessful Champions League qualifying campaign, Dinamo qualified for the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League. They were drawn in a group with Feyenoord, CSKA Moscow, and Wolfsberg.

Dinamo had an amazing group stage, starting with two draws and then winning four games in a row. They finished the group stage undefeated and conceded only one goal, setting a record for the fewest goals conceded in the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League group stage. They also set a record for the longest time without conceding a goal in UEFA competitions, at 526 minutes.

In the Round of 32, Dinamo beat Krasnodar. They then faced Tottenham Hotspur in the Round of 16. After losing the first leg 2–0, Mislav Oršić scored a hat-trick in the second leg, including a goal in extra time, to give Dinamo a 3–2 aggregate win and send them to the quarter-finals! Dinamo's journey in the Europa League ended in the quarter-finals with a 1–3 aggregate defeat against Villarreal.

Club Honours

A mural in Zagreb commemorating the club's 1966–67 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup-winning generation.

Dinamo Zagreb has won 25 Prva HNL titles, which is the most in Croatian football. They have finished second four times and have rarely been outside the top two places. The team is also the most successful in the Croatian Cup, winning 17 of the 29 finals they have played in. They also hold the record for most Croatian Supercup titles, with eight wins. Dinamo has achieved the "double" (winning both the league and the cup) twelve times.

When Dinamo played in the Yugoslav football league system, they won the Yugoslav First League nine times and the Yugoslav Cup eight times. In total, the club has won 72 official domestic titles and one international tournament. The league title in 2014–15 is special because it was an unbeaten season in the Croatian First Football League. The club also recognizes titles won during the HŠK Građanski period (shown in italics).

•      record

Winning Both League and Cup

• League and Cup (13, record): 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2023–24

Other Titles Won

• Category:Croatian First league seasons
  • Winners (2): 1941, 1943
• Croatian Pokal
  • Winners (1): 1941

Dinamo in European Football

GNK Dinamo played its first European Cup match in 1958. The 1960s were a very successful time for Dinamo in Europe. They reached the finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup twice. In the 1963 final, they lost to Valencia. But in 1967, they won the trophy by beating England's Leeds United. This was a historic win for a Yugoslav club.

Dinamo also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1960–61. They made it to the quarter-finals twice more in that competition. More recently, they reached the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals in 2020–21 and the Round of 16 in 2018–19. Dinamo also won the Balkans Cup in 1976.

Performance by Competition

Note: This summary includes matches played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which was not officially part of UEFA competitions.
Old competitions are listed in italics.
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against

Last updated on 11 December 2025. after match GNK Dinamo 1:3 Real Betis, Source: UEFA.com

Home and Away Records

Last updated on 22 February 2024. after match GNK Dinamo – Real Betis 1:1, Source: UEFA.com

Top International Achievements

Season	Achievement	Notes
European Cup / UEFA Champions League
1998–99	Group stage	Finished 2nd in their group
UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League
2020–21	Quarter-finals	Lost to Villarreal
UEFA Europa Conference League
2023–24	Round of 16	Lost to PAOK
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
1960–61	Semi-finals	Lost to Fiorentina
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
1966–67	Winners	Defeated Leeds United
Balkans Cup
1976	Winners	Defeated Sportul Studențesc

UEFA Team Ranking

This chart shows Dinamo's ranking in European football over the years.

Rank Team Points 33 Real Sociedad 54.000 34 Lille 53.000 35 Dinamo Zagreb 53.000 36 Shakhtar Donetsk 50.000 37 Slavia Prague 50.000

Club Finances

Dinamo Zagreb is set up as a nonprofit organization. This means it doesn't issue shares like a regular company. Instead, its members have a say in how the club is run.

In 2023, Dinamo's operating revenue was €20.12 million, and they made a net profit of €4.44 million after taxes. A big part of their income came from selling players, which brought in €37.42 million. Player wages were €20.95 million. In 2022, their operating revenue was higher at €43.60 million, thanks to playing in the UEFA Champions League.

The club's management has been known for arranging very profitable transfers of Croatian players to top European clubs. Some of these include Boško Balaban to Aston Villa for €7.8 million in 2001, Luka Modrić to Tottenham Hotspur for €21 million in 2008, and Mateo Kovačić to Internazionale for €11 million in 2013.

Home Grounds

Stadion Maksimir exterior

Dinamo Zagreb's home stadium is Stadion Maksimir. It is located in the northeastern part of Zagreb, across from the large urban park, Maksimir. The stadium first opened on 5 May 1912. It has been updated many times, most recently in 2011. The stadium was first used by HAŠK, and Dinamo became its main team in 1948. Before moving to Maksimir, Dinamo played at the old Građanski Zagreb stadium, Stadion Koturaška. Their first official match there was on 23 June 1945.

The original design of Stadion Maksimir had a large stand shaped like a horseshoe. Over the years, the stadium has seen many changes and improvements. In 1998, the north stand was completely rebuilt. In 1997, seats were added to the east and south stands. The west stand, the largest, was renovated in 1999.

Between 2011 and 2013, important work was done. All the seats were replaced, under-soil heating was installed, and the stadium's interior was improved. Today, Stadion Maksimir has 35,123 seats.

Club Culture and Supporters

Dinamo Zagreb has always had many fans. In 1986, their first organized supporters' group was formed, called Bad Blue Boys (BBB). The name was inspired by the 1983 movie Bad Boys. The group became well-known in Zagreb and across Yugoslavia for traveling to away matches to support Dinamo, Zagreb, and Croatia. During home games, the Bad Blue Boys sit in the north stand of Stadion Maksimir. The BBB and other Dinamo fans see Hajduk Split fans, especially their group Torcida Split, as their main rivals.

Bad Blue Boys tifo display

Club Rivalries

Dinamo's biggest rivals are Hajduk Split. Matches between these two teams are called the "Eternal Derby" or "Croatian Derby." This rivalry started in the 1920s when Dinamo's earlier club, HŠK Građanski, played against Hajduk Split. These matches are the most anticipated events in Croatian club football. They attract the largest crowds and media attention. It's often seen as a battle between the north and south of Croatia.

There is also a strong rivalry with HNK Rijeka. This became especially intense in the 2010s when Rijeka became a strong challenger for league titles and cups. In the early 2020s, NK Osijek also became a contender, leading to more rivalry.

In the past, during the time of Yugoslavia, Dinamo also had strong rivalries with Serbian clubs like Red Star Belgrade and Partizan. These rivalries continued even after Yugoslavia separated into different countries. Despite being from the same city, NK Zagreb and NK Lokomotiva Zagreb are not considered major rivals by Dinamo fans.

Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Danijel Zagorac 3 DF Bruno Goda 4 MF Ismaël Bennacer (on loan from AC Milan) 7 MF Luka Stojković 8 MF Miha Zajc 9 FW Dion Drena Beljo 10 MF Gabriel Vidović 11 FW Arbër Hoxha 13 DF Paul Tabinas 14 MF Marko Soldo 15 DF Niko Galešić 16 DF Raúl Torrente 18 DF Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel 21 FW Mateo Lisica 22 DF Matteo Pérez Vinlöf

No. Position Player 23 FW Cardoso Varela 25 DF Moris Valinčić 26 DF Scott McKenna 27 MF Josip Mišić (Captain) 28 DF Kévin Théophile-Catherine 30 FW Fran Topić 33 GK Ivan Nevistić 35 DF Noa Mikić 36 DF Sergi Domínguez 40 GK Dominik Livaković (on loan from Fenerbahçe) 44 GK Ivan Filipović 55 DF Dino Perić 70 FW Juan Córdoba 71 FW Monsef Bakrar

Dual Registration

No. Position Player GK Antonio Rajić (at Kustošija)

Youth Academy Players

The following players have played for or been on the bench for the first team.

No. Position Player 41 MF Sven Šunta

Players Out on Loan

No. Position Player 6 MF Gonzalo Villar (at Elche until 30 June 2026) 8 MF Lukas Kačavenda (at LASK until 30 June 2026) 13 DF Samy Mmaee (at Qarabağ until 30 June 2026) 17 FW Sandro Kulenović (at Torino until 30 June 2026)

No. Position Player 20 MF Robert Mudražija (at AEK Larnaca until 30 June 2026) 24 MF Lovre Kulušić (at Vukovar 1991 until 30 June 2026) 88 GK Nikola Čavlina (at Como until 30 June 2026) MF Vito Čaić (at Vukovar 1991 until 30 June 2026)

Players with Dual Citizenship

Famous Former Players

Here is a list of former Dinamo players who made important contributions to the club. Players named in the club's "Best 11" squad are not included here.

Dinamo's All-Time Best 11

In 2016, experts and fans chose the best squad in Dinamo's history. They picked 11 players to fit into a 4–4–2 formation. The years in brackets show when the players played for the first team.

Goalkeeper

• Dražen Ladić (1984–2000)

Defenders

• Rudolf Belin (1959–1970)
• Velimir Zajec (1974–1984)
• Ivica Horvat (1945–1957)
• Tomislav Crnković (1950–1961)

Midfielders

• Luka Modrić (2000–2008)
• Željko Perušić (1958–1965)
• Zvonimir Boban (1983–1991)
• Marko Mlinarić (1978–1987, 1995–1996)

Forwards

• Dražan Jerković (1954–1965)
• Davor Šuker (1989–1991)

Club Records

Here are the top players for Dinamo Zagreb based on the number of games played and goals scored, as of 15 March 2023. These numbers include only official matches.

Club Personnel

Position	Staff
Manager	Mario Kovačević
Assistant manager	Sandro Bloudek Ivica Landeka Mato Jajalo
Goalkeeping coach	Gojko Mrčela Ivan Kelava
Fitness coaches	Luka Murk Ivan Štefanić Kristijan Blažević
Performance analyst	Mihael Minđek
Technical director	Marko Kuže
Doctor	Božidar Šebečić Ivica Smodek Hrvoje Šojat Saša Janković
Physiotherapists	Ivan Zeba Sebastian Grgac Josip Jurić Zlatko Mihalić Matej Ivić
Kit managers	Tomislav Ciglar Ivan Vučković Tomislav Švedi Fran Šačić

GNK Dinamo Foundation

The GNK Dinamo Foundation "Nema predaje" (meaning "Never give up") is the official charity organization of the football club GNK Dinamo Zagreb. It was started in 2019 and began its work at the end of 2020.

The Foundation helps in areas like humanitarian aid, sports, education, and social support. Since it began, it has given over €500,000 in donations and helped raise another €300,000. See also: GNK Dinamo Zagreb Foundation "Nema predaje".

See also

• ŽNK Dinamo Zagreb
• Futsal Dinamo
• GNK Dinamo Zagreb Foundation "Nema predaje"