Hajduk Split’s Torcida Celebrates 67th Birthday Today

by croatiaweek
October 28, 2017
in Sport

Hajduk Split’s Torcida celebrate 67th birthday on Saturday (Photo: Hajduk.hr)

Torcida, the famous supporters’ group of legendary Croatian football club Hajduk Split, celebrates its 67th birthday today.

Torcida was founded on 28 October 1950 by a group of students who were studying in Zagreb. The group decided before a match against Red Star Belgrade that they wanted to stage an unprecedented spectacle in order to help their club, and took the name Torcida from the Brazilian Portuguese word for “supporters”, after fans at the 1950 World Cup at the time in Brazil had impressed them so much.

(Photo: Hajduk.hr)

Torcida, which was started by just over 100 students, and has grown to thousands today, have built a fierce reputation around the world for gathering in the north stand behind the goal at Poljud stadium and creating a special atmosphere via their imaginative choreography, chants, and pyrotechnics.

Torcida has a number of branches in other countries, mostly among Croatian communities, but not exclusively. Torcida is the oldest firm in Europe.

(Photo: Hajduk.hr)

Delegates from Hajduk Split, KNH Torcida and the Association Nas Hajduk laid wreaths and lit candles on the Memorial at Poljud North stand for all deceased members of Torcida in the Homeland war on the occasion of Torcida’s 67th birthday on Saturday.