European Cup qualification
Incredible series: Traditional club has failed for 15 years
15.08.2025 – 11:22 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
A decades ago, Hajduk Split last played in the group phase of a European competition. Since then, the Croatian top club seems to be occupied with a qualification curse.
This series is unparalleled in Europe. Hajduk Split, traditional club from Croatia, failed for the 15th time in a row in qualification for a European competition. This time was in the Conference League qualification against Albania’s cup winner Dinamo City.
After the 2-1 success in the first leg, the team of coach Gonzalo García was not enough. The Croatians lost the second leg in Tirana on Thursday with 1: 3 after extra time.
The substitution of Ante Rebic at the beginning of the extension was no longer a turn. The former Frankfurter came to Split from US Lecce in the summer.
The list of European opponents where Hajduk failed in qualifications will be longer. In recent years, the club has lost outsiders such as Ruzomberok (Slovakia), Tobol Kostanay (Kazakhstan) or Gzira United FC (Malta).
Croatia’s largest sports newspaper “Sportske Novosti” spoke of a “night that everyone wants to forget as soon as possible”. The departure was referred to as “shame and embarrassment”.
Criticism also came from abroad: The Bosnian Sportsport wrote of a “tragedy for Hajduk in Tirana” and spoke of another “further eyesight for Croatian football”. The Serbische Zeitung Blic heads: “Hajduk is eliminated by the Albanians” – and sees Dinamo a “nightmare” for the club from Split.
Most recently Hajduk survived the qualification in the 2010/11 season, at that time for the Europa League. In the subsequent group phase, however, after only one win in six games, they also left out early.