NK Varaždin (2012)

This article is about the football club established in 2012. For the dissolved club, see NK Varaždin (1931–2015).

Varaždin
Full nameNogometni klub Varaždin
Founded1 July 2012 (2012-07-01)
GroundStadion Varteks
Capacity8,818
PresidentDražen Vitez
Head coachNikola Šafarić
LeagueCroatian Football League
2024–25Croatian Football League, 4th of 10
Websitevarazdin.club

Nogometni klub Varaždin, commonly referred to as NK Varaždin, is a Croatian professional football club based in Varaždin, that competes in the Croatian Football League, the top tier of Croatian football.

History

The club was founded as FC Varaždin Football School (Croatian: NK Varaždin Škola nogometa, Varaždin ŠN) as a phoenix club of NK Varaždin (1931–2015) in 2012 after the latter's suspension;[1] the club was dissolved during the second part of the 2011–12 season due to high financial debt. Legally, the two clubs' track records and honours are kept separate by the Croatian Football Federation, but the 2012 club is a continuation of the older club, which did return to competition in 2013, overlapping with the life of Varaždin ŠN. However, the older club finally declared bankruptcy and dissolved in 2015, leaving the name NK Varaždin available once again.[2]

After steadily progressing through the levels of the Croatian football league system, NK Varaždin competed in the top division for the first time in the 2019–20 season, where they finished in eighth place.[3] However, they were relegated the following season after finishing bottom of the table.[4]

Players

Current squad

As of 1 March 2026[5]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  CRO Oliver Zelenika (captain)
2 DF  CRO Sven Lesjak
4 MF  CRO Luka Škaričić
6 MF  CRO David Puclin
7 MF  CRO Matej Vuk
8 MF  CRO Tomislav Duvnjak
9 FW  BIH Stipe Jurić
10 FW  MNE Aleksa Latković
12 DF  CRO Petar Bočkaj
13 DF  MKD Mario Mladenovski
14 DF  CRO Roberto Punčec
15 MF  BIH Silvio Ilinković
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 DF  CRO Novak Tepšić
17 FW  CRO Ivan Mamut
20 DF  SVN Gregor Sikošek
22 MF  CRO Luka Mamić
23 DF  CRO Frane Maglica
24 MF  CRO Mario Marina
25 DF  CRO Antonio Boršić
28 MF  CRO Ivan Canjuga
30 DF  CRO Luka Posinković
33 GK  CRO Josip Silić
38 FW  CPV Iuri Tavares
44 DF  CRO Mateo Barać

Dual registration

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
29 DF  CRO Domagoj Begonja (at Sesvete)

Youth academy

The following players have previously made appearances or have appeared on the substitutes bench for the first team.

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW  ANG Filipe Quissequel

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
11 FW  CRO Mate Antunović (at Dugopolje until 30 June 2026)
19 MF  AZE Rufat Abdullazade (at Zira until 30 June 2026)
26 FW  ALB Atdhe Mazari (at Shkëndija until 30 June 2026)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  CRO Vito Težak (at Beltinci until 29 June 2026)
— MF  BRB Tajio James (at Radnik Križevci until 30 June 2026)
— MF  BIH Tin Levanić (at Brinje Grosuplje until 30 June 2026)

Season-by-season record

Season League Cup European competitions Top scorer
Division Pld W D L GF GA Pts Pos. Player Goals
2012–13 2. ŽNL Varaždin County East 22 14 3 5 71 24 45 3rd DNQ
2013–14 2. ŽNL Varaždin County East 22 14 4 4 62 24 46 3rd ↑ DNQ
2014–15 1. ŽNL Varaždin County 30 21 5 4 81 38 68 1st ↑ DNQ
2015–16 3. HNL East 30 10 4 16 40 47 34 11th DNQ
2016–17 3. HNL East 30 18 6 6 53 27 60 2nd ↑[1] R32
2017–18 2. HNL 33 18 7 8 50 32 61 2nd R32
2018–19 2. HNL 26 16 3 7 40 30 51 1st ↑ R16 Leon Benko 22
2019–20 1. HNL 36 9 9 18 29 50 36 8th R16 Domagoj Drožđek
Dejan Glavica 		6
2020–21 1. HNL 36 6 10 20 30 61 28 10th ↓ R16 Jorge Obregón 7
2021–22 2. HNL 30 19 6 5 56 29 63 1st ↑ R16 Igor Postonjski
Michele Šego 		7
2022–23 HNL 36 12 10 14 41 51 46 6th R16 Fran Brodić 12
2023–24 HNL 36 10 12 14 39 47 42 6th QF Fran Brodić
Domagoj Drožđek
Igor Postonjski 		7
2024–25 HNL 36 11 16 9 28 24 49 4th R16 Dimitar Mitrovski 8

Key

  • DNQ = Did not qualify
  • R32 = Round of 32
  • R16 = Round of 16

Notes

1. a : Although NK Međimurje finished top of the 2016–17 3. HNL East, they did not apply for promotion, so runners-up NK Varaždin gained promotion to 2. HNL.

European record

Summary

Competition Pld W D L GF GA Last season played
UEFA Conference League 2 1 0 1 2 3 2025–26
Total 2 1 0 1 2 3

Last updated on 11 August 2025.[6]
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.
2025–26 Conference League QR2 Santa Clara 2–1 0–2 2–3

References

  1. ^ "NK Varaždin – Soccer – Team Profile – Results, fixtures, squad, statistics – Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Promjenom imena do kluba neopterećenog s dugovima" [Bankrupt club changes its name to avoid its debts]. Regionalni tjednik (in Croatian). 19 July 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  3. ^ "1. HNL 2019/2020 – 36. Round". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  4. ^ "1. HNL 2020/2021 – 36. Round". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Ekipa" (in Croatian). NK Varaždin. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  6. ^ "UEFA.com". Retrieved 13 July 2025.
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