Torcida – Europe’s Oldest Football Firm Celebrates 66th Birthday

Torcida turns 66 (photo credit: Hajduk.hr)

Torcida, the famous supporters’ group of legendary Croatian football club Hajduk Split, will celebrate its 66th birthday today with a ‘special’ choreography ahead of their clash with Osijek.

Delegations of Hajduk, 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 66th birthday.

Wreaths and candles lit at the Memorial (photo credit: Hajduk.hr)

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.

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.

(photo credit / hajduk.hr)

Hajduk face Osijek on Sunday 30 October at Poljud stadium with kick off at 17:00, and Torcida have promised a spectacular choreography at the match.