VNK Dinamo Zagreb-Ribnjak claimed their maiden Croatian veterans title at the 26th edition of the national championship, completing an impressive three-day tournament on the auxiliary pitches of the Opus Arena in Osijek.
And they did it in suitably dramatic fashion.
After 2–2 in regular time against Dilj Vinkovci, the final was decided from the penalty spot, with Dinamo eventually prevailing 7–6 to secure a historic championship.
It was the club’s first national title at veterans level and, fittingly, the trophy arrived after a tournament in which Dinamo were among the most impressive teams from start to finish.
A Historic First for Dinamo
Dinamo completed the championship with five victories — including the final shootout success — and one draw, producing an overall goal difference of 16–7.
The achievement carried extra significance because no previous Dinamo veterans side had won the Croatian national championship.
For former Dinamo players now wearing the blue shirt again at veterans level, that made the victory about considerably more than another medal.
Ivan Krstanović, who became the tournament’s leading scorer despite missing Dinamo’s opening match, believes the title reflected the quality of the team throughout the competition.
Speaking after the tournament, he said Dinamo had shown they were the strongest side in Osijek and deserved to finish as champions.
Marin Leovac shared that assessment.
“For everything there is a first time,” Leovac said, adding that Dinamo had played the best football at the tournament and ultimately deserved the title.
Krstanović Still Knows Where the Goal Is
Individual honours reinforced Dinamo’s dominance.
Krstanović scored eight goals to finish as the championship’s top scorer — an even more notable achievement considering he did not participate in the opening game.
The former Dinamo striker, who also played for clubs including Zagreb, Rijeka and Zadar during his professional career, remained characteristically modest about the award.
He credited his teammates for creating the opportunities that allowed him to finish as the competition’s leading marksman.
At the other end of the pitch, Leovac was recognised as the best player of the championship.
The former Croatia international and Dinamo defender also placed the emphasis on the collective achievement rather than his individual award, arguing that strong teams are what allow individuals to stand out.
The tournament’s best goalkeeper award went to Dilj Vinkovci’s Dalibor Brkić, whose performances helped his team reach the final and push Dinamo all the way to the decisive penalty shootout.
A Final Worthy of the Championship
Dilj ensured that Dinamo’s road to the trophy would not end comfortably.
The Vinkovci side matched the eventual champions over the course of regular time, with the 2–2 scoreline sending the championship to penalties.
There, Dinamo finally found the decisive edge.
A 7–6 shootout victory settled a final in which neither side had managed to separate themselves during normal play.
Behind the finalists, NK Sabunjar Privlaka claimed third place after another penalty shootout, defeating VHNK Dubrovnik 6–5.
The number of close knockout matches was fitting for a tournament that brought together an unprecedented field.
A record 45 teams participated in the 26th Croatian Veterans Championship, making the Osijek edition the largest in the competition’s history. NK Osijek hosted the tournament for the second consecutive year, with matches played around the Opus Arena complex.
Veterans football can sometimes be viewed primarily through nostalgia — an opportunity to see familiar names back on the pitch years after their professional careers have ended.
Dinamo’s success in Osijek demonstrated that the competitive element remains very much alive.
Krstanović and Leovac are two obvious examples.
Both enjoyed significant careers at senior level and both returned to wearing Dinamo colours with the same clear desire to win.
For Krstanović, the connection remains particularly strong.
The striker described wearing the Dinamo shirt again as a source of pride and said the club’s badge still carries enormous personal meaning for him.
Leovac expressed a similar feeling, describing his previous period at Dinamo as containing some of the finest moments of his career. The former defender also has another family connection to Maksimir today, with his son playing within Dinamo’s system.
Those comments help explain why the national veterans championship means more to the players involved than the word “veterans” might suggest.
The pace may be different and the careers behind them, but the competitive instinct has clearly survived.
A New Trophy for the Dinamo Family
For Dinamo, the victory adds another chapter to a club culture built around winning — even if this particular chapter took longer than most to arrive.
The senior club described the veterans’ triumph as the first trophy to reach Maksimir this season.
More importantly, it is one that had never arrived before.
The names of Krstanović and Leovac were already part of Dinamo’s recent history long before the tournament in Osijek. Both experienced European nights, domestic competitions and the pressure that comes with representing Croatia’s most decorated club.
Now they and their teammates have added another distinction: the first Dinamo veterans side to become Croatian champions.
And judging by their performances after the tournament — Dinamo’s veterans subsequently beat HAŠK 7–0 in Premier League action — there appears to be little interest in treating the Osijek title as a farewell achievement.
For the moment, though, one result matters most.
After 26 editions of the Croatian Veterans Championship, Dinamo finally have their name on the trophy — secured through five wins, one draw, a dramatic final and a penalty shootout that turned an impressive tournament into a historic one.
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