NK Olimpija Ljubljana (1945)

Olimpija

Full name

Nogometni Klub Olimpija Ljubljana

Nickname(s)

Zmaji (The Dragons)
Zeleno-beli (The Green and Whites)

Founded

1945^[1]

Dissolved

2004^[2]^[3]^[4]

Ground

Bežigrad Stadium,
Ljubljana

Capacity

8,211

Home colours

Away colours

Nogometni Klub Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovene pronunciation: [nɔgɔˈméːtni ˈklúːp ɔˈlìːmpija ljubˈljàːna]; English: Olimpija Ljubljana Football Club), commonly referred to as NK Olimpija Ljubljana or simply Olimpija, was a Slovenian association football club based in Ljubljana. The club was founded in 1945 under the name NK Enotnost and adopted the name Olimpija in 1962.^[1]

Since the mid 1940s Olimpija had competed in the Yugoslav football system and between the late 1960s and late 1980s Olimpija was a regular member of the Yugoslav First League. Following Slovenia's independence in 1991 they won four Slovenian Championships and four Slovenian Cup titles, and they had also appeared in European competitions such as the UEFA Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup.^[5]

The club's home ground was Bežigrad Stadium, a 8,211 capacity stadium in Bežigrad District in Ljubljana. Olimpija's nicknames were The Dragons (Zmaji), as dragon is a symbol of Ljubljana, and The Green-Whites (Zeleno-beli), referring to their primary colours, green and white.

The club was dissolved in 2004 due to high financial debt.^[2]^[4] A successor club which claims rights to Olimpija's honours and records was established in 2005 (originally called NK Bežigrad) and they currently compete in the Slovenian top flight bearing the name Olimpija Ljubljana.^[6]^[7]

History

Yugoslav years (1945–1991)

In 1945, players of the former SK Ljubljana joined the newly founded ŠD Tabor and ŠD Udarnik sports clubs, and formed a club called NK Enotnost.^[1]^[8]

Slovenian league and decline (1991–2004)

Club crest during the 1990s.

As a result of Slovenian independence and the breakup of Yugoslavia, Olimpija agreed to join the newly formed Slovenian League. The inaugural 1991–92 season included a number of clubs from the lower tiers of the Yugoslav football league. The average attendance at Olimpija's matches dropped from 7,380 in 1989–90 to 1,075 in 1991–92.^[8]

After finishing the first half of the season in second place three points behind Maribor, Olimpija had a string of good results after the winter break and ended the season with eleven consecutive wins which brought them their first Slovenian League title. The team for their final match included Robert Englaro, Aleš Čeh, Dejan Djuranovič and Sandi Valentinčič, and was coached by Lučjom Pertičem.^[8]

In the 2003–04 UEFA Cup Olimpija beat Irish side Shelbourne in the qualifying round 4–2 on aggregate.^[9] In the next round they met Liverpool, and took the lead through captain Anton Žlogar's goal, the first leg at Bežigrad Stadium ending in a 1–1 draw as Michael Owen scored an eqaliser 12 minutes from time.^[10] Olimpija's last European season was then cut short as they were soundly beaten 3–0 through goals by Anthony Le Tallec, Emile Heskey and Harry Kewell in the away leg at Anfield.^[11]

Green Dragons lighting flares.

Olimpija had a string of mixed results for the remainder of the season, getting knocked out in the round of 16 of the 2003–04 Slovenian Cup and finishing runners-up in the 2003–04 Slovenian PrvaLiga. However, most sponsors (including Schollmayer) decided to abandon the club at the end of the season which led to serious financial difficulties for the club. Following Schollmayer's exit, Olimpija were forced to sell almost all of their players. Although the club had started competing in the 2004–05 championship, the club had struggled on the pitch and failed to obtain competition licences issued by the Football Association of Slovenia, which led to its dissolution.^[2]^[3]^[4] Eventually the club, with a debt consisting of over 700 million Slovenian tolars (around three million euros in 2004 exchange rate),^[12] filed for bankruptcy and was dissolved by the end of year.^[3]^[12] However, the Football Association of Slovenia had exceptionally allowed the club to finish the 2004–05 season and, after finishing sixth in the national championship, Olimpija effectively ceased all operations.^[13]

A successor club which claims rights to Olimpija's honours and records was established in 2005 (originally called NK Bežigrad) and they currently compete in the Slovenian top flight bearing the name Olimpija Ljubljana.^[6]^[7] However, in spite of inheriting old Olimpija's supporters and colours, they are not legally considered to be successors to the original Olimpija and the two clubs' track records and honours are kept separate by the Football Association of Slovenia and the Association of 1. SNL.^[2]^[7]^[14]^[15]^[16] However, some English-language sources regard the current Olimpija club as a continuation of the original club.^[17]^[18]^[19]

Claimed connection to Ilirija and the year 1911

Amid political turmoil in early 1990s, during the breakup of Yugoslavia, Olimpija began claiming direct lineage to Ilirija, an association football club established in 1911.^[1]^[7] It was during this time that Olimpija added the year 1911 on the official club crest for the first time in their history.^[1] Ilirija, a member of the Slovenian Second League at the time and the only Ljubljana based club the Football Association of Slovenia officially refers to as founded in 1911,^[7] have always criticized Olimpija actions and accused them of unilaterally appropriating their history.^[20]

Name changes

NK Enotnost (1945–1948; founded as a merger of the newly established ŠD Tabor and ŠD Udarnik sports clubs and joined by former SK Ljubljana players)^[1]
NK Odred (1948–1961)
NK Triglav (1961–1962)
NK Olimpija (1962–2004)

Honours

Olimpija Ljubljana had won four Slovenian Championships, four Slovenian Cups and one Slovenian Supercup in the period between the country's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 until the club's dissolution in 2004. Although the club had spent 22 seasons in top flight during the SFR Yugoslavia period (1945–1991), the club never won any silverware and the closest they came to winning a major domestic trophy was reaching the 1970 Yugoslav Cup final.

Internationally Olimpija had appeared in the UEFA Cup six times, in the UEFA Champions League twice, in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup twice and in the UEFA Intertoto Cup once,^[5] in addition to two appearances in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.^[21] Their best result in European football was reaching the round of 16 in the 1996–97 Cup Winners' Cup. In the following table defunct competitions are indicated in italics.

Honours	No.	Years
League
Slovenian First League Champions	4	1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
Slovenian First League Runners-up	3	1995–96, 2000–01, 2003–04
Slovenian Regional Championship Winners	4	1946–47, 1952, 1961–62, 1986–87
Domestic cups
Slovenian Cup Winners	4	1992–93, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2002–03
Slovenian Cup Runners-up	3	1991–92, 1998–99, 2000–01
Slovenian Supercup Winners	1	1995
Slovenian Supercup Runners-up	1	1996
MNZ Ljubljana Cup Winners	1	1991–92
Yugoslav Cup Runners-up	1	1970
Best European results
UEFA Champions League Round of 32	1	1992–93
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Round of 16	1	1996–97

Notable players

The following Olimpija players have been capped at full international level whilst with the club. Years in brackets indicate their spells at the club.

Zijad Arslanagić (1964–1967)
Branko Oblak (1965–1973)
Danilo Popivoda (1965–1975)
Radoslav Bečejac (1967–1973)
Mihailo Petrović (1979–1984)
Branko Bošnjak (1979–1983; 1984–1985; 1987–1988)
Srečko Katanec (1981–1984)
Džoni Novak (1988–1990; 1993–1996)
Robert Englaro (1988–1996)
Aleš Čeh (1988–1993)

Ivo Šeparović (1989–1992)
Marko Simeunovič (1991–1996)
Samir Zulič (1991–1998; 1999–2000)
Dejan Djuranović (1992–1997)
Miran Pavlin (1993–1996; 2002–2003)
Ermin Šiljak (1993–1996)
Mladen Rudonja (1994–1995; 2002–2004)
Sebastjan Cimirotič (1994–1996; 2000–2001)
Edmond Dosti (1994–1997)
Roland Ntoko (1995–1996)

Kliton Bozgo (1995–1998)
Milan Osterc (1999–2000)
Anton Žlogar (2001–2004)
Borut Mavrič (2002–2004)

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Tim Dobovšek (17 December 2013). "Kdaj je bila ustanovljena Olimpija?" [When was Olimpija founded?] (in Slovenian). snportal.si. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
1 2 3 4 "Competitions". Football Association of Slovenia. Archived from the original on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
1 2 3 Aaron Rogan (13 July 2011). "Bohemians v Olimpija Ljubjana Preview". SportsNewsIreland.com. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
1 2 3 "Simič: "Stefanović pošilja grožnje!"" [Simic: "Stefanovic is threatening me"] (in Slovenian). zurnal24.si. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
1 2 "UEFA.com – Olimpija Ljubljana". UEFA.com. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
1 2 "NK Olimpija Ljubljana – Zgodovina" [NK Olimpija Ljubljana – History] (in Slovenian). nkolimpija.si. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
1 2 3 4 5 "Klubi" [Clubs] (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
1 2 3 "Zgodovina kluba" [Club's history] (in Slovenian). NK Olimpija Ljubljana. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
↑ "Olimpija too strong for Shelbourne". UEFA.com. 28 August 2003. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
↑ "Owen strike rescues Liverpool". UEFA.com. 24 September 2003. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
↑ "Liverpool 3–0 Olimpija Ljubljana". UEFA.com. 15 October 2003. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
1 2 Marjan Horvat (7 June 2011). "Kukavičjih sto let" (in Slovenian). Večer. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
↑ "V naslednji sezoni liga 10" [League 10 in the next season] (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia official website. 15 July 2010. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
↑ "SNL Statistika: Vse sezone" (in Slovenian). prvaliga.si. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
↑ "PrvaLiga: NK Olimpija" (in Slovenian). prvaliga.si. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
↑ M.R. (21 March 2012). "Video: Zadetki z vseh 12 tekem med Olimpijo in Mariborom" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
↑ "NK Olimpija Ljubljana". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
↑ "NK Olimpija Ljubljana: History". UEFA. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
↑ "Olimpija Ljubljana: Profile". worldfootball.net. Heim:Spiel. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
↑ Dušan Gajič (5 March 2010). "NK Ilirija še obstaja" (in Slovenian). Dnevnik. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
↑ Miladinovich, Misha (16 December 1999). "Yugoslav teams in Eurocups". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 23 June 2010.

External links

Weltfussballarchiv profile

Slovenian PrvaLiga
Seasons	1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18
2017–18 teams	Aluminij Ankaran Celje Domžale Gorica Krško Maribor Olimpija Ljubljana Rudar Velenje Triglav Kranj
Former teams	Bela Krajina Beltinci Drava Ptuj Dravograd Interblock Izola Jadran Dekani Kočevje Koper Korotan Prevalje Krka Livar Ljubljana Medvode Mura Mura 05 Nafta Lendava Naklo Olimpija Pohorje Primorje Radomlje Rudar Trbovlje Slavija Vevče Slovan Steklar Svoboda Šmartno Tabor Sežana Zagorje Zavrč Železničar Maribor
Associated competitions	Slovenian Cup Supercup Second League Third League UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League

Slovenian Republic League
Seasons (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)	1920 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41
Teams (1920–1941)	I. SSK Maribor Amater Athletik Bratstvo Celje Čakovec Disk Gradjanski Grafika Hermes Hertha Hrastnik Ilirija Jadran Jugoslavija Korotan Kovinar Kranj Mars Merkur Mura Olimp Primorje Ptuj Rapid Reka Rote Elf SK Ljubljana Red Star Slavija Ljubljana Slavija Maribor Slovan Sparta Svoboda Celje Svoboda Ljubljana Svoboda Maribor Šoštanj Železničar Maribor
Seasons (SFR Yugoslavia)	1946 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1950 1951 1952 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91
Teams (1946–1991)	Aluminij Branik Maribor Branik Solkan Brežice Domžale Drava Dravinja Elan Elkroj Grafičar Hrastnik Ilirija Izola Jadran Dekani Jesenice Kamnik Kladivar Koper Kovinar Maribor Kovinar Štore Krim Litija Ljubljana Maribor Medvode Mura Nafta Naklo Olimp Olimpija Partizan Žalec Piran Pohorje Postojna Primorje Proletarec Rudar Trbovlje Rudar Velenje Slavija Slivnica Sloga Slovan Steklar Stol Svoboda Tabor Šmartno Triglav Kranj Triglav Ljubljana Vozila Železničar Maribor ŽŠD Celje

Yugoslav First League

Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes / Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1923–1940)
Seasons	1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40
Clubs	Bačka BASK BSK Belgrade Concordia Crnogorac Građanski Niš Građanski Skoplje Građanski Zagreb Hajduk Split HAŠK Ilirija Jedinstvo Beograd Jugoslavija Krajišnik Banja Luka Ljubljana Mačva NAK Novi Sad Pobeda Skoplje Primorje Ljubljana Radnički Kragujevac SAŠK SAND Subotica Slavija Osijek Slavija Sarajevo Slavija Varaždin Somborski SK Sparta Zemun Viktorija Zagreb Vojvodina ŽAK Subotica ŽAK Velika Kikinda

FPR Yugoslavia / SFR Yugoslavia (1945–1992)
Seasons	1945 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1950 1951 1952 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92
Clubs	14. Oktobar Bor Borac Budućnost Crvenka Čelik Dinamo Vinkovci Dinamo Zagreb Hajduk Split Iskra Lokomotiva Mačva Maribor Nafta Napredak Naša Krila Novi Sad OFK Belgrade Olimpija Osijek Partizan Pelister Ponziana Priština Proleter Rabotnički Rad Radnički Belgrade Radnički Kragujevac Radnički Niš Red Star Belgrade Rijeka Sarajevo Sloboda Spartak RNK Split Sutjeska Teteks Trepča Trešnjevka Vardar Velež Vojvodina NK Zagreb Zemun Željezničar

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