NK Neretvanac Opuzen is a

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

n football team from

Opuzen Opuzen ( it, Forte Opus) is a small town in Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Croatia. The town is located upstream from the mouth of the river Neretva, in southern Dalmatia. This settlement is known as a major center of tangerine production in Croatia ...

founded in 1932 currently playing in the

Treća HNL The Druga nogometna liga ( eng, Second football league), commonly Druga NL or 2. NL) is the third tier of the football league system. The league was established in 1991 following the dissolution of the Yugoslav League. It is operated by the Cro ...

. Neretvanac played four seasons in the Croatian second division in the 1990s. The club is named after the river which runs through Opuzen.

History

In 1976, Neretvanac hosted

Hajduk Split Hrvatski nogometni klub Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split () or simply Hajduk, is a Croatian professional football club based in Split, that competes in the Croatian First League, the top tier in Croatian football. Since 1979, t ...

in a friendly organised after Opuzen fans sent in over 50,000 coupons to match sponsor

Slobodna Dalmacija ''Slobodna Dalmacija'' () is a Croatian daily newspaper published in Split. The first issue of ''Slobodna Dalmacija'' was published on 17 June 1943 by Tito's Partisans in an abandoned stone barn on Mosor, a mountain near Split, while the city ...

. Hajduk won 6:0 in front of 6,000 spectators, which was noted to be twice the number the population of Opuzen at the time. Neretvanac played in the Croatian second division from independence to 1995, when they finished last and were relegated. NK Neretvanac most recently qualified for the 2016 Croatian Cup, losing to

NK Istra 1961 Nogometni klub Istra 1961 ( en, Istra 1961 Football Club), commonly referred to as NK Istra 1961, or simply Istra 1961 or Istra, is a Croatian professional football club from Pula, currently playing in the Croatian First League. It is a common ...

in the first round. In 2017, Neretvanac signed a cooperative development agreement with nearby 1.HNL club

Derby

NK Neretvanac share a longstanding rivalry with

NK Neretva Nogometni klub Neretva Metković ( en, Neretva Football Club), commonly referred to as NK Neretva or simply Neretva, is a Croatian professional Association football, football club based in the town of Metković, in the region of Dubrovnik-Neretv ...

from

Metković Metković () is a town in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the river Neretva and on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Demographics The total population of the city municipal ...

, entitled "El Clasico" which dates back to 1946. NK Neretva won the first derby match 3-0. They also have a smaller derby with Jadran Ploče.

Former players

* Marko Grgić * Nikola Katić (2014–15) returned to Neretvanac after joining

and being placed in their reserves team. Katić was capped once by Croatia in 2017.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neretvanac Opuzen, NK Football clubs in Dubrovnik-Neretva County 1932 establishments in Croatia Association football clubs established in 1932