Croatian Prva Liga, also known as Hrvatski Telekom Prva Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional football league in Croatia. Here is an overview of its history, league system, stats, audience, and players:
History
The Croatian Prva Liga was founded in 1991, following Croatia’s independence from Yugoslavia. The inaugural season took place in the same year, with 12 teams competing for the title. Dinamo Zagreb (formerly known as Dinamo Zagreb) won the first-ever Croatian championship and have since become the most successful team in the league, with over 20 titles to their name.
League system
The Croatian Prva Liga currently consists of 10 teams that play each other twice (once at home and once away) during the regular season, for a total of 36 matches per team. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned the champion, while the bottom-placed team is relegated to the second division, also known as Druga HNL.
Stats
As of the 2021-2022 season, Dinamo Zagreb is the most successful team in the history of the Croatian Prva Liga, having won the title 22 times. Hajduk Split is the second most successful team with six titles, followed by NK Zagreb with four. The league’s all-time top scorer is Tomislav Erceg, who scored 157 goals during his career in the Croatian Prva Liga.
Audience
The Croatian Prva Liga is popular among Croatian football fans, with an average attendance of around 3,000 to 5,000 spectators per match. The league’s biggest and most intense rivalry is between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split, known as the “Eternal Derby.”
Players
The Croatian Prva Liga has produced a number of talented players over the years, many of whom have gone on to play for top European clubs. Some notable players who have played in the league include Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, and Dario Srna. In recent years, the league has also attracted a growing number of foreign players, particularly from other European countries.
