Torcida Split

Torcida
Abbreviation Th1950
Founded 28 October 1950 (1950-10-28)
Type Supporters' group, Ultras group
Club HNK Hajduk Split
Motto Hajduk živi vječno (Hajduk lives forever)
Location Split, Croatia
Arenas Stadion Poljud
Stand North (at home)
Colors          
Website Torcida.hr
Torcida fans decorating the stands of Poljud stadium during the Eternal Derby.

Torcida Split is a HNK Hajduk Split supporters' group in Croatia with the branches in other countries, mostly, (but not exclusively) among Croat communities. Founded on 28 October 1950, Torcida is the oldest supporters group in Europe.[1] They are one of the major football fan groups in Croatia and the one of the largest in Southeast Europe.

Their mascot is a donkey, but common symbol of Torcida is caricatura of legendary Hajduk's supporter Žan Ojdanić.

History

The Torcida was founded in 1950 by a group of sailors from Korčula who had witnessed the passion of the crowd at the World Cup Final in Brazil.[2]

The name "Torcida" returned to public use in 1980, when the new generation of fans of Hajduk wanted, by old name and tradition, to celebrate and support the club. Since then, the fans began to assemble in the north stand of the new stadium in Poljud.

Alliances

They are in very good terms with another ultra group from Dalmatia, Tornado Zadar. They are in good terms with the biggest ultra group of Portuguese club Benfica, No Name Boys (NN). It started during the Croatian war, when NN showed a message "Freedom for Croatia", and some time later, Benfica played in Croatia against Hajduk and in a car accident in Mérida, Spain, 3 members of NN lost their lives (including the leader of NN, Gullit).[3]

Apart from that, they also have a good relationship with the fans of Gornik Zabrze, a Polish football club, who also call themselves Torcida. The two groups have visited each other on their respective stadiums on multiple occasions, and this friendship reached its peak in February 2018 when Gornik Zabrze invited Hajduk Split for a friendly match on March 24, which would celebrate Gornik's 70th anniversary[4].

References

  1. ↑ "TORCIDA SPLIT 1950 | Fans Sportal", Fans-Sportal.com, 31 October 2011, webpage: FS31.
  2. ↑ Jamie Rainbow (10 April 2013). "Hajduk Split Torcida: trailblazers across Europe". World Soccer. Time Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  3. ↑ "Jovens dos NN morrem em Espanha" [NN youngsters die in Spain]. O Benfica. September 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "Hajduk to mark 70th anniversary of Gornik Zabrze!". hajduk.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2018-03-19.

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