RK Vardar

RK Vardar 1961 (Macedonian: РК Вардар 1961) is a professional handball club from Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. Vardar is the most successful handball team in the country, having won fifteen national League titles and sixteen Cup titles. Also, Vardar is the most successful team in the regional SEHA League, having won five titles. The team has also won two EHF Champions League titles.

This article is about men's handball club. For other uses, see Vardar (disambiguation).
RK Vardar 1961
Full nameRakometen klub
Vardar 1961
Short nameVardar
Founded1961 (1961) in Skopje
ArenaJane Sandanski Arena
Capacity6.000
PresidentMihajlo Mihajlovski
Head coachVlado Nedanovski
LeagueMacedonian Super League
2022–23Macedonian Super League,
3rd
Club colours   
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Home
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Away
Website
Official site
Active departments of Sports Club Vardar
Football Handball Basketball

History

RK Vardar was founded in 1961, as part of the Vardar Sports Club in Skopje, founded in 1947.

The RK Grafichar Skopje club was established in 1948, second only to Rabotnichki in rank and quality. In 1961 Grafičar was renamed Vardar and almost all members of RK Partizan Skopje joined the team. The emergence of the ambitious Vardar presented a challenge to Rabotnički, which was no longer the strong first league team from the past. Notable early members of Vardar who would become mainstrays included goalkeeper Jovanovski, as well as Atanasovski, Zdravkovski, Savevski and Bozinovski.

This talent promised a good future, especially with coach Boskos, who brought great knowledge from his career in Romania, a handball superpower at the time, where he lived until moving to Macedonia. Vardar played ambitiously, and after overcoming numerous obstacles and defeating their fiercest opponents, Vardar joined the first division in 1976. They played there for 2 seasons, while in the 80s they spent most of the time in the second division.

The handball team rose to power again in the late 1990s, becoming one of two clubs, alongside RK Pelister, to dominate the Macedonian handball scene after the independence of the country.

Vardar has participated in the EHF Champions League eleven times and made it to the semifinals of the Cup Winner's Cup three times. Except for 2005, when they came in 4th place, the club has achieved either championship or runner-up in the Macedonian Super League since 1999. They achieved a record win of the Macedonian handball championship by winning their twelfth title in 2018 and are the record cup winner with thirteen victories. On 15 April 2012, Vardar defeated Metalurg at the Zagreb Arena to become the first SEHA League champion.[1][2] The team has won five titles in the SEHA League. The club started the new 2013–14 season with a new management structure, with Sergey Samsonenko as the new proprietor and sport director of the club, and Mihajlo Mihajlovski as the honorary club chairman.

Dibirov Vardars Legendary Winger
The welcoming ceremony after winning 2016–17 EHF Champions League

The season of 2016–17 was the most successful for the team because they managed to win the EHF Champions League and the regional SEHA League, including the two main domestic championships, the national Handball Super League and the national Handball Cup. Two days after winning the EHF Champions League, the team celebrated the victory with approximately 150,000 people in a ceremony on the Macedonia Square in Skopje. Because of the huge success, Gjorgje Ivanov, at the time President of the Republic of Macedonia, awarded the members of the handball club Vardar a Medal of Merit for Republic of North Macedonia for the results they achieved, especially for winning the Champions League title. The club was awarded the national charter of the country.

In the 2018–19 season, the team once again managed to win the EHF Champions League, the regional SEHA League and the main domestic championship, the Handball Super League of North Macedonia. One day after winning the EHF Champions League, the team arrived in the country with a private jet and celebrated the victory with approximately 250,000 people in a central ceremony at the Macedonia Square in Skopje.

  • Cup Winners 2023: There was another thriller match between the heavyweights Vardar and Eurofarm in the Cup Final 2023, held at Ohrids SRC Biljanini Izvori packed with both Komiti and Abdomens supporters. In this great festive atmosphere, both teams gave an outstanding performance. The first half went to the Red Black Army, leaving the score at 15 to 10. In the second half, Eurofarm fought hard for a comeback and the game went into overtime. In the end, due in large part to a brilliant performance by long-time goalkeeper Borko Ristovski, Vardar won 26 to 25, adding a 16th Cup Trophy to their rich collection.
  • At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, the Red Black Army won the Super Cup 2023 against then-champions Eurofarm in Strumitsa Sports Center, a neutral ground chosen for the occasion. The first half finished in a 13 to 13 tie, but in the second half, Vardar made a resurgence and won the match 26 to 30. The Super Cup Trophy returned after 3 years to the home of the Red Black Jane Sandansky's trophy collection.

Kits

Accomplishments

Domestic competitions
Winner (15): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–2021, 2021-2022
Winner (16): 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
Winner (4): 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023

European competitions
Winner (2): 2016–17, 2018–19
Third placed: 1998–99, 2004–2005, 2010–2011

Other competitions
Winner (5): 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Runner-up: 2012–13, 2015–16, 2019–20
Third placed: 2017, 2019

Individual Club Awards
  • Double
Winners (9): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
  • Triple Crown
Winners (1): 2016–17

Arena

RK Vardar is the owner of the Jane Sandanski Arena where they play all their home matches in the EHF Champions League, the regional SEHA League and in domestic competitions. It's a modern complex with a sports hall of 7,500 seats. It has its own hotel, spa center, hospital and swimming pool.

Jane Sandanski Arena
Sandanski Arena Hotel and Spa

The arena is named after the Macedonian revolutionary Jane Sandanski.

Team

Current squad
Squad for the 2023–24 season

Staff

Notable former players

Notable former coaches

Notable former presidents

Kit manufacturers

European competitions record

EHF Champions League
Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate:
1999–00 1/16 Switzerland TV Suhr Handball 33–37 26–30 59–67
2001–02 R 2 Turkey ASKI Ankara 37–31 27–28 64–59
GM
(Group D)		 Hungary Fotex KC Veszprém 24–27 22–27 3rd
Germany Sportclub Magdeburg 27–27 19–33
France S. O. Chambery 32–30 28–31
2002–03 QR 1 Belgium HC Eynatten G.o.E. 32–24 31–28 63–52
QR 2 Norway Sandefjord TIF 29–23 26–26 55–49
GM
(Group D)		 Croatia RK Zagreb 25–28 25–30 4th
Germany THW Kiel 27–26 23–34
Romania "Fibrexnylon" Savinesti 26–25 26–38
2003–04
GM
(Group B)		 Germany Sportclub Magdeburg 28–30 24–38 4th
Spain FC Barcelona 27–35 19–41
Iceland Haukar Hafnarfjördur 26–32 33–34
2004–05
GM
(Group A)		 Spain FC Barcelona 12–26 22–31 3rd
Hungary SC Pick Szeged 24–24 18–25
Romania HCM Constanta 22–22 26–25
2007–08 QR 1 Estonia Pölva Serviti 37–22 30–30 67–52
GM
(Group C)		 Switzerland Kadetten Schaffhausen GCZ 27–26 30–36 4th
Croatia HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb 26–34 28–28
Spain C.BM. Ademar Leon 29–28 21–28
2009–10 Q
(Group 1)		 Turkey Besiktas JK 33–30 1st
Montenegro HC Buducnost Podgorica 35–28
Belarus HC Dinamo-Minsk 34–24
GP
(Group D)		 Denmark KIF Kolding 25–32 21–28 5th
Spain Reale Ademar 24–31 28–37
Germany THW Kiel 23–33 23–39
Switzerland GC Amicitia Zürich 22–22 31–24
Spain F.C. Barcelona Borges 28–35 28–35
2013–14 GP
(Group C)		 Spain FC Barcelona 29–29 23–30 4th
Belarus HC Dinamo Minsk 30–22 24–26
France PSG Handball 24–24 25–35
Switzerland Wacker Thun 32–25 37–24
North Macedonia HC Metalurg 18–26 27–22
L16 Germany HSV Hamburg 28–28 30–29 58–57
QF Germany SG Flensburg-Handewitt 27–25 22–24 49–49
2014–15 GP
(Group C)		 Slovenia RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 34–32 27–26 2nd
Russia Chekhovskie Medvedi 39–28 39–34
Germany Rhein-Neckar Löwen 28–25 35–28
France Montpellier Agglomération Handball 30–26 34–34
Hungary MKB-MVM Veszprém 23–24 24–32
L16 Poland Orlen Wisla Plock 31–20 26–32 57–52
QF Poland KS Vive Tauron Kielce 20–22 31–33 51–55
2015–16 GP
(Group B)		 France Montpellier HB 34–26 30–25 3rd
Hungary MOL-Pick Szeged 27–23 31–29
Sweden IFK Kristianstad 38–36 30–25
Germany Rhein-Neckar Löwen 25–19 27–28
Denmark KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 34–24 31–33
Poland KS Vive Tauron Kielce 34–24 20–23
Spain FC Barcelona Lassa 25–27 30–31
L16 Poland Orlen Wisla Plock 25–24 30–30 55–54
QF Hungary MVM Veszprém 26–29 30–30 56–59
2016–17 GP
(Group B)		 Sweden IFK Kristianstad 32–29 28–23 1st
Belarus HC Meshkov Brest 31–27 26–30
Slovenia RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 35–30 32–26
Hungary MOL-Pick Szeged 30–27 23–21
Croatia PPD Zagreb 25–20 27–28
Poland KS Vive Tauron Kielce 40–34 24–27
Germany Rhein-Neckar Löwen 26–29 33–27
QF Germany SG Flensburg-Handewitt 35–27 26–24 61–51
SF (F4) Spain FC Barcelona Handbol 26–25
F (F4) France PSG Handball 24–23
2017–18 GP
(Group A)		 Poland Orlen Wisla Plock 31–31 26–22 1st
France HBC Nantes 27–23 26–27
Croatia PPD Zagreb 28–21 29–23
Hungary MOL-Pick Szeged 34–30 26–26
Spain FC Barcelona Handbol 27–24 28–29
Sweden IFK Kristianstad 31–15 26–23
Germany Rhein-Neckar Löwen 30–26 21–21
QF Germany THW Kiel 27–28 29–28 56–56
SF (F4) France Montpellier HB 27–28
3rd (F4) France PSG Handball 28–29
2018–19 GP
(Group A)		 France Montpellier HB 33–27 27–24 3rd
Sweden IFK Kristianstad 33–25 32–30
Hungary Telekom Veszprém 27–29 27–25
Germany Rhein-Neckar Löwen 29–27 30–27
Poland PGE Vive Kielce 28–27 27–31
Belarus HC Meshkov Brest 30–23 31–31
Spain Barça Lassa 26–30 26–34
L16 Croatia PPD Zagreb 32–30 27–18 59–48
QF Hungary MOL-Pick Szeged 31–23 25–29 56–52
SF (F4) Spain Barça Lassa 29–27
F (F4) Hungary Telekom Veszprém 27–24
2019–20 GP
(Group B)		 France Montpellier HB 27–31 33–31 6th
Portugal FC Porto Sofarma 32–27 22–30
Ukraine HC Motor Zaporizhzhia 38–28 31–30
Germany THW Kiel 20–31 23–34
Hungary Telekom Veszprém 29–38 30–39
Belarus HC Meshkov Brest 36–31 22–31
Poland PGE Vive Kielce 28–28 25–35
2020–21 GP
(Group A)		 Belarus HC Meshkov Brest 32–36 22–24 7th
Norway Elverum Håndball 34–34 35–32
Hungary MOL-Pick Szeged 26–28 33–34
Germany SG Flensburg-Handewitt 31–26 /
Portugal FC Porto 25–25 24–27
France PSG Handball / /
Poland Łomża Vive Kielce 29–33 29–36
Playoffs Hungary Veszprém KC 27–41 30–39 57–80

EHF Cup
Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1994–95 1/16 Spain BM Granollers 35–31 23–34 58–65
1995–96 ER Bulgaria HC Shoumen 29–24 30–26 59–50
1/16 Croatia Zadar Gortan 31–31 24–33 55–64
2011–12 R2 Bosnia and Herzegovina HC Izvidac 27–25 26–29 53–54
2012–13 R2 Czech Republic Lovosice 36–19 24–25 60–44
R3 Germany SC Magdeburg 28–26 27–30 55–56

EHF Cup Winners' Cup
Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1997–98 1/16 Sweden IF Guif Eskilstuna 29–28 25–28 54–56
1998–99 1/16 Sweden IFK Skövde HK 10–0 22–23 32–23
1/8 Slovenia Gorenje Velenje 29–23 24–28 53–51
1/4 France Sporting Toulouse 31 26–19 24–27 50–46
1/2 Spain Prosesa Ademar León 27–29 20–35 47–64
2004–05 1/8 Denmark FCK Handbold Kopenhagen 27–23 29–28 56–51
1/4 Croatia Medvescak Infosistem Zagreb 36–20 31–26 67–46
1/2 Croatia RK Zagreb 23–21 26–34 49–55

Statistics

Individual awards in the EHF Champions League
Season Player Award
2013–14 Russia Timur Dibirov All–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
2014–15 Spain Alex Dujshebaev Best Young Player
2016–17 Spain Alex Dujshebaev All–Star Team (Best Right Back)
Spain Raúl González Best Coach
Spain Arpad Šterbik Final Four MVP
2017–18 Spain Arpad Šterbik All–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper)
2018–19 Serbia Dejan Milosavljev All–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper)
Croatia Ivan Čupić All–Star Team (Best Right Wing)
Latvia Dainis Krištopāns All–Star Team (Best Right Back)
Russia Timur Dibirov All–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
Spain Roberto García Parrondo Best Coach
Croatia Igor Karačić Final Four MVP

References
  1. "Vardar is the SEHA League champion!". Borjan Zafirovski. Archived from the original on 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  2. "Вардар ПРО победник СЕХА лигата". МИА. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
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