The Croatian Footballer of the Year () is the most prestigious annual association football award in Croatia. It is awarded by the newspaper Večernji list to the best Croatian football player in the preceding year, regardless of the league they play in, based on a points system which measures their performances for both club and country. The award is usually presented in a ceremony hosted by the Croatian Football Federation.
The award was established in 1972 and, until 1990, the award was given to the best Yugoslav player in the preceding year. Since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, the award is given to the best Croatian player. Luka Modrić holds the record for most wins, with fourteen awards. Davor Šuker is second with six awards. They are followed by Dado Pršo with three wins from 2003 to 2005.
In 1995, a separate award, the Hope of the Year (Croatian: Nada godine), was introduced. It is awarded to the best young Croatian player. As of 2026, only Ivica Olić and Luka Modrić have won both the Hope of the Year and Footballer of the Year awards.
List of winners
Yugoslav Footballer of the Year (1972–90) † denotes shared wins YearYugoslav Footballer of the YearPlayer (Wins)AgePos.Club 1972 24 FW Velež 1973 25 GK Velež 1974 26DF Željezničar 1975 26DF Hajduk Split 1976 23MF Hajduk Split 1977 24MF Hajduk Split 1978 † 28DF Dinamo Zagreb †22DF Partizan 1979 †24MF FK Sarajevo †23MF Dinamo Zagreb 1980 25MF Red Star 1981 23FW Hajduk Split 1982 22MF Hajduk Split 1983 29GK Hajduk Split 1984 28MF Panathinaikos 1985 26MF Hajduk Split 1986 22MF Velež 1987 27MF Dinamo Zagreb 1988 23MF Red Star 1989 24MF Red Star 1990 21MF Red Star
Croatian Footballer of the Year (1991–present)
YearCroatian Footballer of the YearHope of the YearPlayer (Wins)AgePos.ClubPlayerAgePos.Club 1991 23MF Milan 1992 25FW Sevilla 1993 23FW Lazio 1994 27FW Sevilla 1995 28FW Sevilla 20DF Croatia Zagreb 1996 29FW Real Madrid 20FW Hajduk Split 1997 †28MF Croatia Zagreb 22MF Croatia Zagreb †30FW Real Madrid 1998 31FW Real Madrid 18MF Osijek 1999 31MF Milan 22FW Croatia Zagreb 2000 29MF Osijek 21FW NK Zagreb 2001 23DF Juventus 22FW NK Zagreb 2002 23GK Hajduk Split 18MF Dinamo Zagreb 2003 29FW Monaco 20FW Osijek 2004 30FW Rangers 19MF Inter Zaprešić 2005 31FW Rangers 22FW Varteks 2006 Eduardo 23FW Dinamo Zagreb 20 FW Šibenik 2007 22MF Dinamo Zagreb 19FW Hajduk Split 2008 23MF Tottenham Hotspur 21 MF Zadar 2009 30FW Bayern Munich 20 MF Dinamo Zagreb 2010 31FW Bayern Munich 18 DF Dinamo Zagreb 2011 26MF Tottenham Hotspur 17MF Dinamo Zagreb 2012 26FW Bayern Munich 21MF Hajduk Split 2013 27FW Bayern Munich 20FW Fiorentina 2014 29MF Real Madrid 19DF Bayer Leverkusen 2015 27MF Barcelona 18MF Dinamo Zagreb 2016 31MF Real Madrid 19DF Dinamo Zagreb 2017 32MF Real Madrid 19MF Lokomotiva 2018 33MF Real Madrid 2019 34MF Real Madrid 2020 35MF Real Madrid 2021 36MF Real Madrid 2022 37MF Real Madrid 2023 38MF Real Madrid 2024 39MF Real Madrid 2025 40MF Milan
Notes on club name changes: Dinamo Zagreb changed their name to "HAŠK Građanski" in June 1991 and then again in February 1993 to "Croatia Zagreb". They reverted to "Dinamo Zagreb" in February 2000. The NK Varteks changed their 52-year-old name to "NK Varaždin" in June 2010, then folded in 2015. Two newer clubs, both unassociated with the defunct team, use the defunct club's names: NK Varteks (founded 2011) and NK Varaždin (founded 2012 as "Varaždin ŠN", picked up the "NK Varaždin" name when the older club folded).
Multiple winners Players in bold are still active. Wins in italics denote wins in Yugoslav competition before 1991. WinsPlayerWinning yearsClub(s)14Luka Modrić2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Dinamo Zagreb, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Milan6Davor Šuker1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998Sevilla, Real Madrid3Dado Pršo2003, 2004, 2005Monaco, Rangers2Velimir Zajec1979, 1984Dinamo Zagreb, PanathinaikosDragan Stojković1988, 1989Red Star BelgradeRobert Prosinečki1990, 1997Red Star Belgrade, Croatia ZagrebZvonimir Boban1991, 1999MilanIvica Olić2009, 2010Bayern MunichMario Mandžukić2012, 2013Bayern Munich
See also Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award, for the HNL footballer of the year, given by the Croatian sport newspaper Sportske novosti, chosen by sport journalists. Football Oscar, given by the Croatian union Football syndicate, chosen by players and managers of league clubs. Prva HNL Best Player of the Year, given by the Croatian web site Tportal, chosen by captains of league clubs.
References
External links Complete list of winners 1972–2010