October 28, 2021 - Torcida, the oldest supporters group in Europe, celebrates its 71st birthday today. A look back on the Hajduk fan group history and how it all began.

One soul and two bodies, as the quote reads, best depicts how intertwined Torcida and Hajduk are. And today, Hadjuk's beloved fan group celebrates its 71st birthday, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

For decades, October 28, 1950, has become as crucial in the history of Hajduk as the date of its founding on February 13, 1911. 

Namely, on October 28, 1950, a group of Hajduk fans organized in Zagreb, with students from Dalmatia, and made their way to Split. The next day, Hajduk played the decisive championship match against Red Star (Crvena Zvezda). Hajduk ultimately won 2:1 and thus became champions with goals by Bernard Vukas and Božo Broketa. It was a famous title for Hajduk, which they clinched without a defeat.

But why 'Torcida'? In the summer of 1950, when the World Cup was played in Brazil, five Hajduk members (Vladimir Beara, Bernard Vukas, Božo Broketa, Ervin Katnić, and Ivo Radovniković) were part of the Yugoslavia national team. They spoke about the chants and cheering they experienced in Rio de Janeiro, at the Maracana, the pride of Brazil, and the largest stadium in the world.

"Those fans in Brazil, their name is Torcida, and they make such a loud noise that at the start of the game, you are immediately at a loss. It is difficult to resist that and get a favorable result in that atmosphere!"

Those words published in the press drummed in the ears of Dalmatians. As a result, Vjenceslav Žuvela, a student from Korčula, became the ideological leader of that first Zagreb gathering, leaving the capital for Split on a Hajduk fan train.

Today, Žuvela's grave on Korčula is regularly visited by delegations from Hajduk and Torcida. The fan group has become somewhat of a social movement with incredible influence on the Split club. And with its founding on October 28, 1950, Torcida is the oldest supporters group in Europe.

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October 28, 2020 - Torcida celebrates 70 years on October 28, 2020. A look at the birthday bash around Split, the beloved home of Hajduk. 

Torcida did not let the people of Split down when they promised a spectacle bigger than Hajduk's 100th birthday. Anyone that made it to midnight last night, and trust me, there were thousands, now have memories that will last with them for a lifetime thanks to the flare-filled spectacle. 

And what a sight it was. 

At midnight, the sky lit pink when Torcida launched flares and fireworks high above to celebrate 70 years of their firm, which is the oldest organized fan group in Europe. Torcida alone was said to have some 8,000 flares for the event.

But the celebration didn't stop there. 

At exactly at noon today, the bells rang on the bell tower of Saint Domnius Cathedral in Split, where Torcida hoisted a 30-meter flag.

And then to the Riva, which was draped in a rainbow of colors this afternoon. 

But Split and Dalmatia were not the only places celebrating. The chants of the famous fan group could be heard far east - in Slavonia!

Namely, DPH Vukovar published a video of Torcida Slavonia, which marked its jubilee birthday in the same spectacular way. The torchlight procession in Osijek's Tvrđa lit up the entire city in red, confirming there are Hajduk fans all over Croatia.

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October 27, 2020 - On Wednesday, October 28, 2020, Torcida celebrates 70 years. A spectacle is promised in Split and across Dalmatia. 

"Dear fellow citizens, on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, Torcida celebrates its 70th birthday, and on the occasion of this jubilee anniversary, on Tuesday, October 27, at exactly midnight, we are preparing a spectacle never before seen in the world.

We have all witnessed the magnificent celebration of Hajduk's 100th anniversary, and this time we decided to raise the bar even higher to show once again that our city has no equal in celebrations.

In these 70 years, Torcida, as the oldest European fan group, has grown into a movement that goes beyond the frame of fans, and today we proudly highlight our contribution to the community. Whenever needed, Torcida was the first to respond; whether it was humanitarian action, blood donation, or the prevention of natural disasters, Torcida is always on the front line!

On the night we celebrate 70 years of our existence, our immeasurable love and loyalty to Hajduk and our city are connected. On that night, all the kilometers we went through because of our beloved club, all our festivities and victories are connected.

Therefore, we invite you to join us, to prove on Tuesday at midnight what we often like to emphasize: We are all Torcida! So don't be extras; on the contrary, be one of us that evening, take to the streets, go out on your balconies and windows, invite relatives, neighbors, and friends to join you, wake up your children to see an unseen spectacle, let our whole city be Torcida that night!

For history, for the present, for the future! ” Torcida announced. 

To get an idea of what you can witness at midnight, have a look at the spectacle for Hajduk's 100th in the video below:

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March 17, 2020 - Hajduk fan group Torcida Split steps up to fight the coronavirus crisis.

It was announced earlier this week that all the institutes, clinics and departments from Split’s Križine Hospital will make its first-ever move to Firule Hospital, as Križine prepares to accommodate those with respiratory problems caused by the coronavirus.

Hajduk fan group Torcida Split has thus stepped up in this time of need. 

After announcing a call on Monday, Torcida members showed up to Križine Hospital in numbers on Tuesday to get the job done as soon as possible, moving the equipment necessary for a seamless move. They even took protective measures in the process and wore masks and gloves.

About 60 Torcida members were at the scene on Tuesday morning, and were said to be joined by members of KK Split who made available all their first-team players and coaches of all categories. Torcida was welcomed by the Head of the Internal Medicine Clinic, Dr. Daniela Marasović Krstulović and Head Nurse of the Clinic, Dolores Poljak.

This isn't the first time Torcida stepped up to help those in need. Recall, when the wildfires broke out in Dalmatia in 2017, Hajduk’s biggest fans were on the front line.

The hospital complex on Križine will thus be intended for the needs of patients with the coronavirus who, fortunately, are not yet present in Split or Split-Dalmatia County. Firule Hospital will only receive emergency and acute cases.

“Their Clinical Department of Hemodialysis Nephrology can be hermetically sealed so they have absolutely no contact with the outside world. There would be guards at the entrance to the ward to control who was entering. There are also hematologic patients at Križine who are staying at the Clinical Department of Hematology and who need complete isolation. Fortunately, we do not have severe hematologic patients now. If necessary, hematologic patients will be sent home and more difficult cases transferred to Firule, and there is a possibility of transporting them to Zagreb,” reported Slobodna Dalmacija. 

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Hajduk Split’s famous fan group celebrates their 67th birthday today.

The greatest football club with the most passionate fans in the most beautiful city in the world - that is Hajduk Split.

Torcida will remember the heroism of the firefighters that lost their lives on the island of Kornati 10 years ago.

Some rather relieving news from UEFA this morning for Hajduk fans.

The moment we have all been waiting for...bitter rivals Dinamo and Hajduk will meet tomorrow for the first eternal derby of the season!

The season hasn't even started yet, but Hajduk fans have done a lot already