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| Crvena zvezda | |
|---|---|
| Clubname | Crvena zvezda |
| Fullname | Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Ground | Stadion Rajko Mitić |
| Capacity | 55,538 |
| Chairman | Nebojša Čović |
| Manager | Barak Bakhar |
Crvena zvezda is a multi-sport association based in Belgrade, Serbia, founded in 1945 amid the aftermath of World War II and the establishment of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, achieving prominence across football, basketball, volleyball, handball and other sports with domestic successes and European competitions. The club has produced notable athletes and managers who participated in events such as the European Cup, UEFA Champions League, EuroLeague, FIVB competitions and the Olympic Games, and maintains intense local rivalries and cultural significance in the Balkans, Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav republics.
Founded in March 1945 after liberation of Belgrade and reorganization following World War II, the club emerged during the era of Josip Broz Tito and the creation of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, drawing players from disbanded prewar clubs and wartime teams linked to Red Army-aligned liberation committees. Early years saw participation in the Yugoslav First League and cup competitions such as the Marshal Tito Cup, while the club developed youth structures influenced by coaches connected to Soviet Union and Hungary coaching schools. During the 1960s and 1970s the club navigated transfers involving figures who later worked in La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Premier League systems, and in the 1990s the dissolution of SFR Yugoslavia reshaped domestic competitions leading to matchups with teams from Dinamo Zagreb, Partizan, Hajduk Split and clubs from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The 21st century brought European campaigns against sides from Real Madrid, Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus, while administrative reforms echoed those in UEFA and FIFA governance.
The football section plays at Stadion Rajko Mitić and competes in the Serbian SuperLiga, regularly contending with rivals such as FK Partizan, Hajduk Split, GNK Dinamo Zagreb and clubs from Montenegro and North Macedonia in regional tournaments like the Adriatic League-style competitions and qualifying rounds for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The team roster historically included players who transferred to Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal F.C., Inter Milan and Olympique de Marseille and produced internationals for the Serbia national football team, Yugoslavia national football team and other national sides. Managers with connections to continental competitions, such as figures who worked in La Liga and Bundesliga, shaped tactical approaches that faced continental opponents including Chelsea F.C., SL Benfica and FC Porto in knockout ties. The youth academy has links to player development networks that feed clubs in Belgian Pro League, Eredivisie, Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer.
The basketball section competes in the ABA League and the Serbian League, with appearances in the EuroLeague and a history of players and coaches who later worked in NBA, ACB, Lega Basket Serie A and Turkish Basketball Super League. Notable alumni moved to teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Real Madrid Baloncesto, CSKA Moscow and Panathinaikos B.C., while coaches took roles tied to FIBA competitions, Olympic Games squads and continental championships. The section's domestic rivalry with Partizan mirrored matchups familiar in Radivoj Korać Cup finals and Adriatic rivalries, and the club contributed players to national teams at EuroBasket and FIBA World Cups.
Sections include volleyball, handball, athletics, boxing, wrestling, water polo and fencing, with athletes competing in events such as the FIVB Volleyball World Championship, EHF Champions League, IAAF World Championships, AIBA World Boxing Championships and Olympic tournaments. Competitors have faced clubs like VfB Friedrichshafen, Pro Recco, SKA Saint Petersburg and national teams including Russia national team, Greece national team and Italy national team, while medalists represented Serbia at the Olympics, Yugoslavia at the Olympics and regional multi-sport events like the Mediterranean Games.
Primary venue is Stadion Rajko Mitić in Belgrade, hosting domestic league fixtures, European ties and international friendlies against visitors including Real Madrid CF, Manchester United F.C. and AC Milan, and nearby training grounds are used for youth development and rehabilitation with partnerships similar to those between clubs and sports science centers in Aspetar and facilities influenced by models from Camp Nou and Old Trafford. The basketball arena and indoor halls host ABA League, EuroLeague and FIBA matches, and ancillary facilities supported tournaments akin to those staged in Piraeus and Zagreb.
The organized supporters movement is intertwined with regional identity, producing intense rivalries with clubs like FK Partizan and engaging in choreographed displays comparable to fan cultures at Boca Juniors, Olympiacos F.C. and Galatasaray S.K.. Supporters have organized in groups that participate in commemorations related to events such as the Breakup of Yugoslavia and cultural festivals in Belgrade while media coverage involves outlets like RTS, Blic and Politika. The club's symbolism appears in cultural works referencing artists and intellectuals from Serbia and the broader Balkans.
Honours include multiple national league titles in the Yugoslav First League, Serbian SuperLiga and cup victories in competitions analogous to the Marshal Tito Cup and Serbian Cup, and notable European achievement including the 1991 European Cup in football-level continental competition and a EuroLeague title in basketball-level continental competition, with record attendances at matches versus rivals such as Partizan and visiting continental giants like FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Club records include top goal-scorers and appearance leaders who later moved to leagues such as Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, and players who earned caps for Serbia national football team and Yugoslavia national football team.
Category:Multi-sport clubs in Serbia Category:Sport in Belgrade