Croatian Footballer of the Year

The Croatian Footballer of the Year (Croatian: Nogometaš godine) is the most prestigious annual association football award in Croatia. It is awarded by the newspaper Večernji list to the best football player in the preceding year based on a points system which measures their performances for club and country. The award is usually presented in a ceremony hosted by the Croatian Football Federation.

The award was established in 1972 and until 1990 the award was given to the best Yugoslav player in the preceding year. Since 1991 and the breakup of Yugoslavia the award is given to best Croatian players. Davor Šuker holds the record for most wins with six awards won between 1992 and 1998, followed by Dado Pršo with three consecutive wins from 2003 to 2005.^[1]

In 1995 a separate award named Hope of the Year (Nada godine) was introduced, given to the best Croatian young player.^[2] As of 2010 only Ivica Olić and Luka Modrić have managed to win both the Hope of the Year and Footballer of the Year awards

List of winners

Yugoslav Footballer of the Year

† denotes shared wins

Year	Player (Wins)	Club
1972	Bajević, DušanDušan Bajević (1)	Velež
1973	Marić, EnverEnver Marić (1)	Velež
1974	Katalinski, JosipJosip Katalinski (1)	Željezničar
1975	Buljan, IvanIvan Buljan (1)	Hajduk Split
1976	SurjakIvica Šurjak (1)	Hajduk Split
1977	Mužinić, DraženDražen Mužinić (1)	Hajduk Split
1978 †	Džoni, VilsonVilson Džoni (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
1978 †	Stojković, NenadNenad Stojković (1)	Partizan
1979 †	Sušić, SafetSafet Sušić (1)	Sarajevo
1979 †	Zajec, VelimirVelimir Zajec (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
1980	Petrović, VladimirVladimir Petrović (1)	Red Star
1981	Vujović, ZlatkoZlatko Vujović (1)	Hajduk Split
1982	Gudelj, IvanIvan Gudelj (1)	Hajduk Split
1983	Simović, ZoranZoran Simović (1)	Hajduk Split
1984	Zajec, VelimirVelimir Zajec (2)	Panathinaikos
1985	Slišković, BlažBlaž Slišković (1)	Hajduk Split
1986	Tuce, SemirSemir Tuce (1)	Velež
1987	Mlinarić, MarkoMarko Mlinarić (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
1988	Stojković, DraganDragan Stojković (1)	Red Star
1989	Stojković, DraganDragan Stojković (2)	Red Star
1990	Prosinečki, RobertRobert Prosinečki (1)	Red Star

Croatian Footballer of the Year

Year	Player (Wins)	Club
1991	Boban, ZvonimirZvonimir Boban (1)	Milan
1992	SukerDavor Šuker (1)	Sevilla
1993	Bokšić, AlenAlen Bokšić (1)	Lazio
1994	SukerDavor Šuker (2)	Sevilla
1995	SukerDavor Šuker (3)	Sevilla
1996	SukerDavor Šuker (4)	Real Madrid
1997 †	Prosinečki, RobertRobert Prosinečki (2)	Croatia Zagreb
1997 †	SukerDavor Šuker (5)	Real Madrid
1998	SukerDavor Šuker (6)	Real Madrid
1999	Boban, ZvonimirZvonimir Boban (2)	Milan
2000	Bjelica, NenadNenad Bjelica (1)	Osijek
2001	Tudor, IgorIgor Tudor (1)	Juventus
2002	Pletikosa, StipeStipe Pletikosa (1)	Hajduk Split
2003	Pršo, DadoDado Pršo (1)	Monaco
2004	Pršo, DadoDado Pršo (2)	Rangers
2005	Pršo, DadoDado Pršo (3)	Rangers
2006	Eduardo (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
2007	Modrić, LukaLuka Modrić (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
2008	Modrić, LukaLuka Modrić (2)	Tottenham Hotspur
2009	Olić, IvicaIvica Olić (1)	Bayern Munich
2010	Olić, IvicaIvica Olić (2)	Bayern Munich

Hope of the Year

Year	Player	Club
1995	SimicDario Šimić	Croatia Zagreb
1996	Vučko, JuricaJurica Vučko	Hajduk Split
1997	Marić, SilvioSilvio Marić	Croatia Zagreb
1998	Vranješ, JuricaJurica Vranješ	Osijek
1999	SokotaTomo Šokota	Croatia Zagreb
2000	Lovrek, KrunoslavKrunoslav Lovrek	NK Zagreb
2001	Olić, IvicaIvica Olić	NK Zagreb
2002	Kranjčar, NikoNiko Kranjčar	Dinamo Zagreb
2003	Ljubojević, GoranGoran Ljubojević	Osijek
2004	Modrić, LukaLuka Modrić	Inter Zaprešić
2005	Benko, LeonLeon Benko	Varteks
2006	Rukavina, AnteAnte Rukavina	Šibenik
2007	Kalinić, NikolaNikola Kalinić	Hajduk Split
2008	Tomasov, MarinMarin Tomasov	Zadar
2009	Badelj, MilanMilan Badelj	Dinamo Zagreb
2010	Vrsaljko, ŠimeŠime Vrsaljko	Dinamo Zagreb

Notes on club name changes:

• Dinamo Zagreb changed their name to "HAŠK Građanski" in June 1991 and then again in February 1993 to "Croatia Zagreb". They reverted back to "Dinamo Zagreb" in February 2000.
• The present-day NK Varaždin was called "Varteks" from 1958 until June 2010.

See also

There are also two other awards for best players in the Croatian First League:

• Yellow Shirt Award - awarded by the Zagreb-based Sportske novosti sports daily
• Prva HNL Player of the Year - awarded by the Split-based Slobodna Dalmacija daily

References

1. ^ Puric, Bojan (2 January 2005). ""Vecernji list" Player of the Year". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/vecernjipoy.html. Retrieved 3 May 2011. 
2. ^ Flak, Igor; Jurišić, Predrag (31 December 2010). "U Bayernu će se još jednom klanjati Ivici Oliću" (in Croatian). Večernji list. http://www.vecernji.hr/sport/nogomet/u-bayernu-ce-se-jos-jednom-klanjati-ivici-olicu-clanak-233898. Retrieved 4 May 2011. 

External links

• Complete list of winners 1972–2010