Yugoslavia v Netherlands (1990)
Encyclopedia
On June 3, 1990 Yugoslavia
hosted the Netherlands
in an international friendly at Zagreb
's Maksimir stadium
. The match was the last preparation friendly (the so-called dress rehearsal) for Ivica Osim
's Yugoslavia side ahead of the 1990 FIFA World Cup
in Italy
. However, the contest is mostly remembered for the controversy raised due to the spectator behaviour: throughout the match, a nationalist Croat crowd of 20,000 shouted down the Yugoslav national anthem, insulted Yugoslav team players and jeered the head coach. Play on the pitch quickly became secondary as the match turned into another football-related incident reflecting ethnic tensions and rising nationalism
in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
.
was its second largest constituent republic populated mostly by ethnic Croats
with a large ethnic Serb
minority.
Ten years following the death of Yugoslav dictator / lifetime president Josip Broz Tito
, SFR Yugoslavia was crippled by rising ethnic tensions. In parallel, in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall
, the country was transitioning its system of governance from communist one-party system to democratic multi-party system.
SR Croatia's first parliamentary elections
took place from April 22 to May 7 of 1990 with nationalist right-wing Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) led by Franjo Tuđman winning in a landslide.
With tensions running high, a football riot took place
on May 13, 1990 at Maksimir during a Yugoslav First League
match between the Croatia
n club Dinamo Zagreb
and the Serbia
n club Red Star Belgrade
. Croatian midfielder Zvonimir Boban
kicked the policeman Refik Ahmetović and as a result got suspended by the Football Association of Yugoslavia
(FSJ) for six months, causing him to miss the FIFA World Cup 1990 as well as the pre-tournament preparation friendlies.
. Fans cheered for the Netherlands, heckling the Yugoslav team and its manager Ivica Osim
. Many "Dutch" flags were also seen in the crowd, owing to their similarity to the Croatian tricolour (red, white and blue).
played its first international match in Maksimir against the United States
style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center>
NETHERLANDS:
|
GK
1
Hans van Breukelen
DF
2
Berry van Aerle
DF
4
Ronald Koeman
DF
13
Graeme Rutjes
DF
5
Adri van Tiggelen
}
MF
3
Frank Rijkaard
MF
6
Jan Wouters
MF
7
Erwin Koeman
MF
10
Ruud Gullit
(c)
MF
9
Marco van Basten
FW
12
Wim Kieft
Substitutes:
MF
21
Danny Blind
DF
11
Richard Witschge
Manager:
Leo Beenhakker
|}
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
hosted the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in an international friendly at Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
's Maksimir stadium
Maksimir Stadium
Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva....
. The match was the last preparation friendly (the so-called dress rehearsal) for Ivica Osim
Ivica Osim
Ivan "Ivica" Osim is a Bosnian former football player and manager. He was most recently head coach of Japan, before he suffered a stroke in November 2007 and left the post...
's Yugoslavia side ahead of the 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. However, the contest is mostly remembered for the controversy raised due to the spectator behaviour: throughout the match, a nationalist Croat crowd of 20,000 shouted down the Yugoslav national anthem, insulted Yugoslav team players and jeered the head coach. Play on the pitch quickly became secondary as the match turned into another football-related incident reflecting ethnic tensions and rising nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
.
Background
Although on what would soon turn out to be its last legs, SFR Yugoslavia (multi-ethnic federation made up of six constituent republics) still existed as a country in 1990 while Socialist Republic of CroatiaSocialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
was its second largest constituent republic populated mostly by ethnic Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
with a large ethnic Serb
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
minority.
Ten years following the death of Yugoslav dictator / lifetime president Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
, SFR Yugoslavia was crippled by rising ethnic tensions. In parallel, in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
, the country was transitioning its system of governance from communist one-party system to democratic multi-party system.
SR Croatia's first parliamentary elections
Croatian parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats...
took place from April 22 to May 7 of 1990 with nationalist right-wing Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
(HDZ) led by Franjo Tuđman winning in a landslide.
With tensions running high, a football riot took place
Dinamo Zagreb-Red Star Belgrade riot
The Dinamo Zagreb–Red Star Belgrade riot was a football riot that took place on May 13, 1990 at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, Croatia between the Bad Blue Boys and the Delije...
on May 13, 1990 at Maksimir during a Yugoslav First League
Yugoslav First League
The Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and socialist Yugoslavia...
match between the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n club Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
and the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n club Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
. Croatian midfielder Zvonimir Boban
Zvonimir Boban
Zvonimir Boban is a Croatian former football midfielder who played most of his professional career for Serie A club Milan, with whom he won four Serie A titles and the Champions League. He was a member of the Croatia national team which attained third place at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, with Boban...
kicked the policeman Refik Ahmetović and as a result got suspended by the Football Association of Yugoslavia
Football Association of Yugoslavia
The Football Association of Yugoslavia was the governing body of football in Yugoslavia, based in Belgrade, with a major administrative branch in Zagreb....
(FSJ) for six months, causing him to miss the FIFA World Cup 1990 as well as the pre-tournament preparation friendlies.
Game
The exhibition versus the Netherlands took place on June 3 and was the last exhibition before the FIFA World Cup 1990. The crowd of 20,000 booed the Yugoslav national anthem Hey, SlavsHey, Slavs
Hey, Slavs is an anthemic song dedicated to Slavic peoples. Its first lyrics were written in 1834 under the title Hey, Slovaks by Samuel Tomášik and it has since served as the anthem of the Pan-Slavic movement, the anthem of the Sokol physical education and political movement, the anthem of the...
. Fans cheered for the Netherlands, heckling the Yugoslav team and its manager Ivica Osim
Ivica Osim
Ivan "Ivica" Osim is a Bosnian former football player and manager. He was most recently head coach of Japan, before he suffered a stroke in November 2007 and left the post...
. Many "Dutch" flags were also seen in the crowd, owing to their similarity to the Croatian tricolour (red, white and blue).
Aftermath
The match was the last of the Yugoslav team to be played in Maksimir. On October 17 of that year the Croatian national teamCroatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
played its first international match in Maksimir against the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
Match details
| style="font-size:90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | YUGOSLAVIA: | |||
| GK | 1 |  Tomislav IvkovićTomislav Ivkovic Tomislav Ivković is a retired Croatian footballer who played as a goalkeeper.... |
||
| DF | 4 | Zoran Vulić Zoran Vulic Zoran Vulić is a retired Croatian footballer, who is currently working as a football manager.-Playing career:For hometown HNK Hajduk Split Vulić, a central defender with a powerful shot, played eight seasons, amassing 167 league games, with 25 goals.He then had successful abroad stints with RCD... |
||
| DF | 18 | Mirsad Baljić Mirsad Baljic Mirsad "Žvaka" Baljić is a former Yugoslav and Bosnian football player who played as an offensive full-backHe got his nickname Žvaka for his constant use of chewing gum during the game.... |
||
| DF | 3 | Predrag Spasić Predrag Spasic Predrag Spasić is a retired Serbian footballer who played as a central defender.Over the course of his career Spasić played for FK Radnicki Kragujevac , FK Partizan, Real Madrid, CA Osasuna, Atlético Marbella and FK Radnički Novi Beograd, retiring at only 31.He was capped 31 times for the... |
||
| DF | 5 | Faruk Hadžibegić |
||
| DF | 6 | Davor Jozić Davor Jozic Davor Jozić is a former footballer of Bosnian Croat ethnicity.Jozić started playing at a local club FK Igman Konjic and then he moved to FK Sarajevo where he played in 450 games. After came clubs such as Cesena, Club América, and Spezia... |
||
| MF | 10 | Dragan Stojković Dragan Stojkovic Dragan Stojković , also known under the nickname Piksi is a Serbian former footballer and current manager of J... |
||
| MF | 8 | Safet Sušić Safet Sušic Safet "Pape" Sušić is a Bosnian former footballer and current manager of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team. In his playing days, he operated as playmaking attacking midfielder... |
||
| MF | 13 | Srečko Katanec Srecko Katanec Srečko Katanec is a Slovenian football manager and a former player capped for Yugoslavia and Slovenia. His last position was as the manager of the United Arab Emirates national football team.-Career:... |
||
| MF | 19 | Dejan Savićević Dejan Savicevic Dejan Savićević , is a Montenegrin former football player and is the president of the Montenegrin FA.... |
||
| FW | 11 | Zlatko Vujović Zlatko Vujovic Zlatko Vujović is a retired Bosnian Croat footballer who played as a striker.... (c) |
||
| Substitutes: | ||||
| MF | 7 | Dragoljub Brnović Dragoljub Brnovic Dragoljub Brnović is a former Montenegrin football player. He was born on 2 November 1963 in Montenegro, Yugoslavia. He played at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy for the Yugoslav team, where he became notorious for missing one of the penalty kicks in the quarter-finals against Argentina, sending... |
||
| FW | 15 | Robert Prosinečki Robert Prosinecki Robert Prosinečki is a Croatian football manager and former football midfielder. Prosinečki is regarded by many as the player with best technique that ever played in and for Croatia. Former national squad teammate Zvonimir Boban, humbly, also agreed with this. His dribbling is considered... |
||
| FW | 9 | Darko Pančev Darko Pancev Darko Pančev is a retired Yugoslav and Macedonian footballer, and winner of the Golden Boot award in 1991.-Club career:Pančev was the highest scorer in top-division European football in the 1990–91 season with 34 goals, and should have won the European Golden Boot award... |
||
| Manager: | ||||
| Ivica Osim Ivica Osim Ivan "Ivica" Osim is a Bosnian former football player and manager. He was most recently head coach of Japan, before he suffered a stroke in November 2007 and left the post... |
||||
Hans van Breukelen Berry van Aerle Ronald KoemanRonald Koeman
Ronald Koeman is a former Dutch footballer, and the current manager of Feyenoord. He is the younger brother of former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman...
Graeme RutjesGraeme Rutjes
Graeme Wayne Rutjes is a former Australian-born Dutch footballer, who played for Excelsior Rotterdam , Y.R. K.V. Mechelen and R.S.C...
Adri van TiggelenAdri van Tiggelen
Adrianus A. "Adri" van Tiggelen is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a left defender.His career in football was intimately connected to Sparta Rotterdam, in which he began as a professional footballer, going on to manage the side in several categories and capacities, but he also played with...
Frank RijkaardFrank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
Jan Wouters Erwin KoemanErwin Koeman
Erwin Koeman is a former football player and Dutch football manager. Currently he is the manager of FC Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie. He is the son of Dutch international footballer Martin Koeman, and, alongside his younger brother Ronald, has also represented the Netherlands...
Ruud GullitRuud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
(c)
Marco van Basten Wim KieftWim Kieft
Willem "Wim" Cornelis Nicolaas Kieft is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a centre forward.A prolific goalscorer whose main asset resided in his heading ability, he played in his country for two of the most important clubs, Ajax Amsterdam and PSV Eindhoven, with equal team and individual...
Danny BlindDanny Blind
Dirk Franciscus "Danny" Blind is a football coach and former Dutch international player. He played as a defender for Sparta Rotterdam, AFC Ajax and the Dutch national team.Blind was born in Oost-Souburg, Netherlands...
Richard WitschgeRichard Witschge
Richard Peter Witschge is a retired Dutch footballer. He could appear as either a left or a defensive midfielder.In an 18-year professional career, he played mainly for Ajax, but also represented, amongst other teams, Barcelona...
Leo BeenhakkerLeo Beenhakker
Leo Beenhakker is an international Dutch football coach, who is the current Sports Director of Újpest FC.- Coaching career :...
|}