HNK Šibenik

Hrvatski nogometni klub Šibenik (English: Croatian Football Club Šibenik), better known as HNK Šibenik or simply Šibenik (pronounced [ʃîbeniːk]), is a Croatian professional football club based in Šibenik. It competes in the SuperSport HNL,^[1] the top flight of Croatian football and plays their home matches at the Stadion Šubićevac, which has a capacity of 3,970.^[2]

HNK Šibenik

Full name	Hrvatski nogometni klub Šibenik
Nickname(s)	Narančasti (The Oranges)
Short name	ŠIB
Founded	1 December 1932; 91 years ago (1932-12-01) (as RSD Šibenik)
Ground	Stadion Šubićevac
Capacity	3,970
President	Željko Karajica
Head coach	Marko Kartelo
League	SuperSport HNL
2023–24	Prva NL, 1st of 12 (promoted)
Website	http://www.hnk-sibenik.hr
Home colours Away colours
Current season

History

Železničar Maribor vs Šibenik in the Yugoslav Second League, September 1969.

The club was formed in 1932 under the name Radničko sportsko društvo Šibenik (Workers' Sport Association Šibenik). The first president, Dr Martin Čičin-Šain, was only appointed to this role during the first board meeting, which was held in August 1933. They played in a stadium in the town area of Crnica, next to the La Dalmatienne factory. The playing field was officially opened on 31 May 1936. The first matches played were part of a 1936 tournament between Šibenik, Osvit, Split and AŠK. Around the same time the first registered football club in Šibenik was also formed. This club was called Osvit and it was responsible for the construction of Šubićevac Stadium.

The club played its first official league match in 1946 under the name FD Šibenik and the very next year it was crowned the champion of the Dalmatia region. The club's new home ground was opened on 1 May 1948 and bore the name of "the people's hero", Rade Končar. In the 1950–51 season, Šibenik finished top of the Croatian Republic League and gained promotion to the Yugoslav Second League for the first time in its history. However, they were relegated immediately and it was not until 1954–55 that they returned to the second division. In 1957 the club made it to the semi-final of the Yugoslav Cup.

In 1983 Šibenik made it back to the Yugoslav Second League, where they played in the West Division, composed from 18 clubs from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and SAP Vojvodina. In their first season (1983–84) they finished fourth, while in the 1984–85 season they came close second, only three points behind the champion Čelik Zenica, thus falling short of winning promotion to the Yugoslav First League. This was their best result in the Yugoslav Second League ever. After holding the middle position of the table for the next couple of seasons, Šibenik finished fifth in the 1987–88 season. They defended their fifth place in the 1988–89 season, the first Yugoslav Second League season which featured a unified format instead of two divisions (West and East), as well as in the 1989–90 season.

Šibenik played in the Croatian First League for twelve consecutive seasons, from 1992 until 2003. In 2006 the club finished first in the Croatian Second League's southern division and returned to the first league. In the 2009–10 season, Šibenik finished fourth in domestic league, which was their best result ever, and thus qualified for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round for the first time in its history. They were eliminated in the second qualifying round by Anorthosis Famagusta 2–3 on aggregate.

In the 2011–12 season, the club finished fourteenth and were relegated to the second league. In the following season, Šibenik finished fourth but due to financial difficulties, they were once again relegated to the third league. In the 2013–14 season, Šibenik finished in second place with their marksman Miro Slavica scoring 30 goals to take out the league's top goalscorer award, but failed to lead his side to promotion.

At the end of the 2014–15 season, Šibenik gained promotion to the second league, topping the third league – south. Mirko Labrović took over as manager in 2015. They finished close second to Cibalia in the 2015–16 season, failing to beat them in the last match of the season and thus failing to win direct promotion to the first tier by only one point. Šibenik played against Istra 1961 in the relegation play-offs on 29 May and 1 June 2016. Both matches ended 1–1 and Šibenik lost the play-off after penalty shootout.

In the 2018–19 season, Šibenik finished a close second to Varaždin, and again played relegation play-offs over Istra 1961. The first match played in Šibenik ended 1–1 but in the second match played on Stadion Aldo Drosina, Istra beat them by a scoreline of 0–2. On 6 May 2020, by a decision of the Croatian Football Federation to suspend the 2019–20 Croatian Second League season, Šibenik was promoted to the first tier after eight seasons.^[3]

Honours

• Yugoslav Third League (South):
  • Winners (3): 1950–51, 1975–76, 1982–83
• Croatian Second Football League / First Football League:
  • Winners (3): 2005–06, 2019–20, 2023–24^[3]
  • Runners-up (2): 2015–16, 2018–19
• Croatian Cup:
  • Runners-up (2): 2009–10,^[4] 2022–23

Recent seasons

Season	League									Cup	European competitions		Top goalscorer
	Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos				Player	Goals
1992	1. HNL	22	2	7	13	18	41	11	12th				Mile Petković, Dean Računica	4
1992–93	1. HNL	30	4	8	18	21	45	16	16th	QF			Ismet Mulavdić	6
1993–94	1. HNL	34	12	8	14	36	42	32	13th	R2			Ylli Shehu	7
1994–95	1. HNL	30	9	10	11	44	46	37	9th	R2			Ylli Shehu	22
1995–96	1. A HNL	36	15	6	15	44	43	51	7th	R2			Mate Baturina	11
1996–97	1. A HNL	30	11	8	11	35	30	41	7th	R1			Robert Banđen, Ylli Shehu	6
1997–98	1. HNL	32	9	8	15	35	45	34	9th	R1			Joško Popović	9
1998–99	1. HNL	32	12	5	15	48	59	41	8th	R2			Joško Popović	21
1999–2000	1. HNL	33	8	10	15	33	50	34	9th	R2			Klaudio Vuković	12
2000–01	1. HNL	32	12	7	13	40	40	43	7th	R2			Paul Matas	12
2001–02	1. HNL	30	10	6	14	33	36	36	11th	R2			Mate Dragičević	12
2002–03	1. HNL	32	8	7	17	37	53	31	12th ↓	R2			Ivan Bulat	9
2003–04	2. HNL South	32	15	4	13	45	42	49	4th	R1
2004–05	2. HNL South	32	13	12	7	42	26	48(−3)	4th	R1			Ivan Božić	12
2005–06	2. HNL South	32	21	6	5	71	38	69	1st ↑	R1			Ivan Božić	14
2006–07	1. HNL	33	14	7	12	50	47	49	4th	R2			Marko Kartelo	10
2007–08	1. HNL	33	9	12	12	34	52	39	10th	R2			Frane Vitaić, Ermin Zec	8
2008–09	1. HNL	33	13	7	13	44	35	46	6th	R1			Ermin Zec	14
2009–10	1. HNL	30	14	8	8	34	37	50	4th	RU			Ermin Zec	11
2010–11	1. HNL	30	8	11	11	37	38	35	12th	R2	Europa League	QR2	Mehmed Alispahić	11
2011–12	1. HNL	30	6	9	15	27	40	27	14th ↓	R1			Stipe Bačelić-Grgić	4
2012–13	2. HNL	30	13	10	7	42	31	48	4th ↓	R1			Franjo Tepurić	12
2013–14	3. HNL South	34	21	8	5	73	27	71	2nd	R1			Miro Slavica	30
2014–15	3. HNL South	34	23	5	6	78	25	74	1st ↑	R2			Igor Prijić	14
2015–16	2. HNL	33	20	9	4	54	21	69	2nd	R2			Theophilus Solomon	11
2016–17	2. HNL	33	12	9	12	32	33	45	7th	R2			Miro Slavica	9
2017–18	2. HNL	33	11	9	13	39	43	42	7th	R2			Davor Kukec	7
2018–19	2. HNL	26	13	7	6	38	25	46	2nd	R2			Prince Ampem	7
2019–20	2. HNL	19	13	2	4	26	15	41	1st ↑	QF			Luka Juričić	8
2020–21	1. HNL	36	9	8	19	32	47	35	6th	R2			Deni Jurić	11
2021–22	1. HNL	36	9	5	22	46	75	32	8th	R2			Ivan Delić, Marin Jakoliš	10
2022–23	HNL	36	5	12	19	24	56	27	10th ↓	RU			Ivan Dolček	5
2023–24	1. NL	33	26	4	3	68	18	82	1st ↑	R1			Josip Majić	14

Key

League: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; Pts = Points won; Pos = Final position;

Cup: R1 = First round; R2 = Round of 16; QF = Quarter-final; SF = Semi-final; RU = Runner-up; W = Competition won;

European record

Summary

Competition	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Last season played
UEFA Europa League	4	2	1	1	5	3	2010–11
Total	4	2	1	1	5	3

Last updated on 10 September 2010.^[5]
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against

By season

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home	Away	Agg.
2010–11	Europa League	QR1	Sliema Wanderers	0–0	3–0	3–0
		QR2	Anorthosis	0–3 (aet)	2–0	2–3

Players

Current squad

As of 7 October 2024^[6]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  CRO Antonio Đaković (captain) 2 DF  CRO Bruno Brajković 4 DF  CRO Josip Gačić 5 DF  CRO Duje Dujmović (on loan from Rijeka) 6 MF  CMR Joseph Iyendjock 7 MF  CRO Josip Majić 8 MF  MNE Ognjen Bakić 9 FW  CRO Ivan Božić 11 FW  CRO Ivan Laća 15 DF  GHA Morrison Agyemang 17 FW  BRA Lucas Cini 18 FW  CRO Ivan Santini 19 FW  CRO Ivan Delić 21 MF  ESP Iker Pozo

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 FW  CRO Toni Kolega 23 FW  COL Carlos Torres 24 DF  CRO Roberto Punčec 25 GK  CRO Patrik Mohorović 27 MF  CRO Lovre Kulušić 28 MF  CRO Ivan Roca 30 FW  CRO Bruno Zdunić (on loan from Dugopolje) 36 MF  CRO Ante Kavelj 43 DF  CRO Šime Gržan 44 DF  MKD Leonard Zuta 55 DF  AUT Stefan Perić 77 FW  CRO Ivan Baković 88 MF  CRO Marin Prekodravac 92 MF  CRO Jakov-Anton Vasilj

Dual registration

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 74 GK  CRO Luigi Mišević (at Solin)

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 99 FW  CRO Diego Sekulić (at BSK Bijelo Brdo until 30 June 2025) — MF  BRA Kayky Alves (at Croatia Zmijavci until 29 June 2025)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  CRO Zlatan Koščević (at Dugopolje until 30 June 2025)

Personnel

Coaching staff

As of 31 January 2023^[7]

Position	Staff
Director of football	Hrvoje Kulušić
Head coach	Mario Carević
Assistant coaches	Armin Alibegović Ivo Šupe
Goalkeeper coach	Marko Mihaljević
Fitness coaches	Frane Cinotti Ante Rak
Physiotherapists	Ivan Čular Duje Protega Mario Petrović
Team manager	Josip Maleš
Analyst	Armin Alibegović

Notable players

The following HNK Šibenik players have been capped at full international level. Years in brackets indicate their spells at the club.

Petar Nadoveza (1959–1963) Krasnodar Rora (1962–1964) Nikica Cukrov (1971–1975) Petar Nikezić (1982–1984) Dean Računica (1986–1992) Slaven Bilić (1988–1989) Tomislav Erceg (1990–1991) Mate Baturina (1993–1996) Ylli Shehu (1994–1995) Mario Jurić (1995–1999, 2007) Amarildo Zela (1996–1997)

Ivica Križanac (1997–1998) Joško Popović (1997–1999) Gordon Schildenfeld (2001–2007) Mate Maleš (2003–2007) Ante Rukavina (2004–2007) Nikola Kalinić (2006–2007) Ermin Zec (2007–2010) Mehmed Alispahić (2008–2011, 2016–2017, 2017–2018) Samir Duro (2009) Daniel Georgievski (2010–2012) Duje Ćaleta-Car (2012–2013)

Todor Todoroski (2019–2021) Sandesh Jhingan (2021–2022)

Coaching history

• Ivica Šangulin (1983–1985)
• Petar Nadoveza (1985–1986)
• Đorđe Milić (1986–1987)
• Milan Ribar (1987–1988)
• Žarko Nedeljković (1988–1989)
• Mladen Vranković (1989–1990)
• Nikica Cukrov (1990–1992)
• Franjo Džidić (1992–1993)
• Krasnodar Rora (1993)
• Branko Tucak (1993–1994)
• Ivica Matković (1993–1994)
• Ivica Šangulin (1994–1995)
• Rajko Magić (1995)
• Željko Maretić (1995–1996)
• Vinko Begović (1996–1997)
• Željko Maretić (1997–1998)
• Ivan Buljan (1998)
• Stipe Kedžo (1998)
• Rajko Magić (1998–1999)
• Stanko Mršić (1999)
• Anđelko Godinić (1999)
• Goran Krešimir Vidov (1999)
• Željko Maretić (1999–2000)
• Vjekoslav Lokica (2000)
• Milo Nižetić (2000–2001)
• Vjekoslav Lokica (2001–2002)
• Franko Bogdan (2002)
• Stanko Mršić (2002–2003)
• Luka Bonačić (2003)
• Franko Bogdan (2003–2004)
• Milan Petrović (2004)
• Petar Bakotić (2004–2005)
• Ivan Pudar (2005–2007)
• Anel Karabeg (2007)
• Ivica Kalinić (2007–2009)
• Anđelko Godinić (interim) (2009)
• Branko Karačić (2009–2010)
• Anđelko Godinić (interim) (2010)
• Vjekoslav Lokica (2010–2011)
• Goran Tomić (2011–2013)
• Ivo Šupe (2013)
• Damir Petravić (2013)
• Ivan Bulat (interim) (2013)
• Nikica Cukrov (2013–2014)
• Damir Petravić (2014)
• Mirko Labrović (2014–2016)
• Krešimir Sunara (2016)
• Goran Tomić (2016)
• Ivan Katalinić (2016)
• Anđelko Godinić (2016)
• Stipe Balajić (2016–2017)
• Zoran Slavica (2017)
• Borimir Perković (2017–2019)
• Krunoslav Rendulić (2019–2021)
• Sergi Escobar (2021)
• Mario Rosas (2021–2022)
• Ferdo Milin (2022)
• Marko Kartelo (interim) (2022)
• Marko Kartelo (2022)
• Ivica Matas (interim) (2022)
• Dean Računica (2022)
• Damir Čanadi (2022)
• Mario Cvitanović (2022–2023)
• Damir Čanadi (2023)
• Mario Carević (2023–2024)
• Marko Kartelo (2024–present)

References

1. "Šibenik je novi prvoligaš! U izravnom dvoboju nadigrao Zrinski (2:0) i osvojio drugu ligu" [Šibenik is the new first league team! It outplayed Zrinski (2:0) in a direct duel and won the second league]. Vecernji.hr (in Croatian). 2 June 2024. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
2. "Javna ustanova športski objekti "Šibenik"". www.juso-sibenik.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
3. "Nastavak nogometnih natjecanja 30. svibnja" (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. 6 May 2020. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
4. "Hajduk's five-year wait comes to an end". UEFA.com. UEFA. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
5. "UEFA.com". Archived from the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
6. "Momčad" [First Team] (in Croatian). HNK Šibenik. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
7. "Prva momčad". HNK Šibenik. Retrieved 13 March 2023.

External links

• Official website (in Croatian)
• HNK Šibenik profile at UEFA.com
• HNK Šibenik profile at Sportnet.hr (in Croatian)
• HNK Šibenik profile at Nogometni magazin (in Croatian)