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Encyclopedia > Toronto Croatia
Toronto Croatia
Full name Toronto Croatia
Nickname(s) The Croats
Founded 1956
Ground Hershey Centre
Capacity
Chairman Josip Cvitanović
Manager Tom Granic
League Canadian Soccer League
2007 2nd, Champions
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Away colours

Toronto Croatia (Croatian National Sports Club Toronto Croatia) are a Canadian soccer team, founded in 1956. The team is a member of the Canadian Soccer League, the highest professional Canadian soccer league, and play in the International Division. Toronto Croatia is the current champion of the Canadian Soccer League. The Hershey Centre located in Mississauga, Ontario, is the home arena of the OHL team Mississauga Ice Dogs. ... Rungnado May Day Stadium is the worlds largest football stadium. ... The name Canadian Soccer League has been used by two different professional sports leagues. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... body of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... body of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The name Canadian Soccer League has been used by two different professional sports leagues. ... The name Canadian Soccer League has been used by two different professional sports leagues. ...


The Croatians currently play their home games at the Hershey Centre in the city of Mississauga, Ontario, around 12 miles west of downtown Toronto. The team's colours are red, white and blue, similar to those of the Croatian national football team. The club's identification with its Croatian roots remains strong to this day. It is a regular participant in the Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament. The Hershey Centre located in Mississauga, Ontario, is the home arena of the OHL team Mississauga Ice Dogs. ... For the First Nation, see Mississaugas. ... First International Croatia 4 - 0 U.S.A. (Zagreb, Croatia; 17 October 1990) Largest win Croatia 7 - 0 Australia (Zagreb, Croatia; 6 June 1998) Worst defeat Slovakia 4 - 1 Croatia (Bratislava, Slovakia; 20 April 1994) Portugal 3 - 0 Croatia (Nottingham, England; 19 June 1996) France 3 - 0 Croatia (Saint-Denis... The Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament is a soccer tournament established in 1965 to pit North Americas Croatian teams against each other. ...

Contents

History

The team has had a very storied history, considering it was formed by such a small diaspora group. The team played in the Canadian National Soccer League until 1975 when they purchased the Toronto Metros of the North American Soccer League to form Toronto Metros-Croatia. During this period the team attracted many soccer stars, such as Portuguese superstar Eusébio, and were successful enough that they won Soccer Bowl '76 -- a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Kicks -- at the Kingdome in Seattle. The Canadian National Soccer League, originally just the National Soccer League, until 1993, was a professional soccer league in Canada that existed from 1922 to 1997. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Toronto Metros were a soccer team based out of Toronto that played in the NASL. They played from 1971 to 1974. ... North American Soccer League or (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. ... Toronto Croatias Logo Toronto Croatia is a football (soccer) club from Toronto, Canada established by Croatian immigrants to the area. ... Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM (pron. ... The Soccer Bowl was the championship game of the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1983. ... Minnesota Kicks were a professional soccer team that played in Bloomington, Minnesota from 1976 to 1981. ... The Kingdome, officially known as the King County Domed Stadium, and often referred to as simply The Dome, was owned and operated by King County, Washington. ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ...


However, the NASL was never comfortable with the Croatia link (an obvious ethnic connection), and in 1978, the team was bought out, leaving the Toronto Blizzard in the NASL, while Toronto Croatia returned to the CNSL. In 1994, Toronto Croatia joined the Canadian International Soccer League. In 1997, a new league was formed, the Canadian Professional Soccer League, which Toronto Croatia joined in 1998. The club's successes despite the instabilities it found in each of the leagues in which it has played is a testament to what a small ethnic group could accomplish in North American sport. Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... An ethnic group is a group of people who identify with one another, or are so identified by others, on the basis of a boundary that distinguishes them from other groups. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Toronto Blizzard was a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) was launched in 1997 with the first playing season in 1998. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...


In 2006, the club celebrated its 50th anniversary. To commemorate this, the team went on a tour of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Toronto Croatia played the Dinamo Zagreb B team at Maksimir Stadium before the Croatian Supercup, NK Široki Brijeg and NK Primorac Biograd. Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dinamo is one of the most famous and successful Croatian football clubs. ... Maksimir Stadium (official name: Stadion Maksimir, English: Maksimir Stadium) is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. ... The Croatian Supercup is an annually held football match between the football club that has won the Croatian First League and the club that has won the Croatian Cup. ... NK Å iroki Brijeg is a Bosnia-Herzegovinan football team from the town of Å iroki Brijeg that currently plays in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...


In 2007, Toronto Croatia participated in the first ever Croatian World Club Championship in which clubs from the Croatian diaspora compete against each other. The club emerged as the victor of the first tournament with a 3 - 1 win over Canberra Croatia in the final. The team was awarded the championship trophy by Croatian Football Federation president Vlatko Marković. Toronto Croatia capped off its stellar year with a 4-1 aggregate victory over the Serbian White Eagles to claim the Canadian Soccer League title. Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The Croatian World Club Championship is a football competition organized chiefly by the Croatian Football Federation in which clubs from the Croatian diaspora compete against each other. ... Canberra Football Club is an Australian football (soccer) club from the city of Canberra that competes in the ACT competitions including the ACT Premier League. ... Categories: Football (soccer) stubs | Football (soccer) governing bodies | Croatian football ... Vlatko Marković (born 1 January 1937 in Bugojno, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina)) was a Croatian football player, football manager, and current president of Croatian Football Federation (as of 2006). ... Serbian White Eagles (Српски бели орлови) are a Canadian soccer team, founded in 2006. ...


Supporters

The Toronto Croatia fan base is mostly made up of people from the local Croatian community of the Greater Toronto Area. This fan base is made up of both Croatian and Canadian-born Croats. The club is highly regarded amongst the Croatian community across North America. This respect was particularly garnered during its North American Soccer League days. The club's storied history is a symbol of pride for the Croatian community in Canada. A map of Torontos Census Metropolitan Area, which contains a large portion of the Greater Toronto Area. ... Croats (Croatian: Hrvati) are a south Slavic people mostly living in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (where theyre one of the constitutive nations). ...


Its fans appear in several highly rated videos on Youtube; in particular, the battles involving the rival Serbian White Eagles. These videos are viewed by Croatian-Canadian soccer fans including Croats as far as Croatia and throughout the worldwide Croatian diaspora. YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. ... Serbian White Eagles (Српски бели орлови) are a Canadian soccer team, founded in 2006. ... Croatian Diaspora refers to the Croatian communities that have formed outside the traditional homeland of the Croatian people. ...


Secondary Roles of the Club

Social

The club has and continues to play an important social role for the local Croatian community. Post World War II migration to Canada changed the demographic make-up of the country. Croatians along with other European migrants entered a society that was at the time quite unwelcoming to these new arrivals. Soccer clubs were formed based around ethnic communities. Toronto Croatia became a focal point for the local Croatian community, as it was just as much a social club as a soccer club. It provided Croatians with a place to gather where they could feel comfortable in their new home. A place where they could associate with their own and speak their mother tongue. The club allowed for the preservation and celebration of Croatian identity, tradition, culture and language, as well as promoting it to others. The club continues to be an important institution for the local Croatian community as Croatian culture and tradition gets passed onto the next generation. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A demographic or demographic profile is a term used in marketing and broadcasting, to describe a demographic grouping or a market segment. ... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ... First language (native language, mother tongue, or vernacular) is the language a person learns first. ...


Political

In its early years Toronto Croatia played an important political role, with the club being a symbol of Croatian nationalism. The local Croatian community was made up of people who had fled from the communist regime of Yugoslavia. Thus, Toronto Croatia served as a political statement of their desire for an independent Croatian state. Using the club, the community was able to promote and bring awareness to the Croatian plight and independence movement. This role continued into the 1990s, after Croatian independence in 1991, with the outbreak of war in Croatia and Bosnia. Toronto Croatia served as a symbol of pride for the community in this dark period, energizing the community’s support for the club. Since then with Croatia being independent and stable this political role no longer exists in the same manner. Eugène Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolising French nationalism during the July Revolution 1830. ... This article is about a form of government in which the state operates under the control of a Communist Party. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in the Latin alphabet, Југославија in Cyrillic; English: South Slavia, or literary The Land of South Slavs) describes three political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Combatants Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Predominantly Bosniak) Army of Republika Srpska, Yugoslav Peoples Army, various paramilitary units from Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian) Croatian Defence Council, Croatian Army (Croatian) Commanders Alija Izetbegović (President of Bosnia and Herzegovina) Sefer Halilović (Army chief of staff 1992-1993) Rasim...


Current squad

No. Position Player
1 Flag of Canada GK George Azcurra
2 Flag of Croatia DF Robert Fran
3 Flag of Croatia DF Ante Brkic
4 Flag of Croatia DF Domagoj Sain
5 Flag of Argentina MF Jonathon Bustamante
6 Flag of Croatia DF Mario Kulis
7 Flag of Croatia FW Tommy Ples
8 Flag of Trinidad and Tobago MF Hayden Fitzwilliams
9 Flag of Croatia FW Tihomir Maletic
No. Position Player
10 Flag of Croatia MF Mario Pupic
11 Flag of Croatia FW Peter Curic
16 Flag of Jamaica DF Halburto Harris
19 Flag of Croatia MF Robert Grnja
21 Flag of Uruguay GK Roy Blanche
22 Flag of Argentina FW Hugo Herrera
23 Flag of Croatia MF Boris Tomac
24 Flag of Croatia GK Marko Culjak
33 Flag of Croatia MF Mario Beljo

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Argentina. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The striker (wearing the red shirt) has run past the defender (in the white shirt) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to attempt to stop the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The striker (wearing the red shirt) has run past the defender (in the white shirt) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to attempt to stop the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The striker (wearing the red shirt) has run past the defender (in the white shirt) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to attempt to stop the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Jamaica. ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Uruguay. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Argentina. ... The striker (wearing the red shirt) has run past the defender (in the white shirt) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to attempt to stop the ball. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ...

Year-by-year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs
1997 "1" NSL 2nd Quarter Final
1998 "1" CPSL 8th Did not qualify
1999 "1" CPSL 2nd Final
2000 "1" CPSL 2nd Champions
2001 "1" CPSL 6th Did not qualify
2002 "1" CPSL 1st, Western Semi Final
2003 "1" CPSL 3rd, Western Semi Final
2004 "1" CPSL 2nd, Western Champions
2005 "1" CPSL 2nd, Eastern Semi Final
2006 "1" CSL 2nd, International Semi Final
2007 "1" CSL 2nd, International Champions

Honours

  • National Soccer League: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
  • NSL Cup Champions: 1971, 1972; NSL Playoff Champions 1971, 1974
  • North American Soccer League: 1976
  • Canadian National Soccer League: 1992
  • CNSL Cup Champions: 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993
  • Canadian International Soccer League: 1995, 1996
  • Canadian Soccer League: 2000, 2004, 2007
  • Croatian World Club Championship: 2007

Notable former players

Aljoša Asanović (born December 14, 1965 in Split) is a retired Croatian footballer, today working in the youth system of the Croatian Football Federation. ... Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... Dinamo is one of the most famous and successful Croatian football clubs. ... Jack Brand (born in West Germany 4 April 1953) is a former professional soccer goalkeeper. ... Brian Budd was a professional soccer player who became known to sports television audiences in Canada and briefly in the United States through his exploits in the Superstars multi-discipline sports competition in the late 1970s. ... Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM (pron. ... Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... NK Osijek is a Croatian football club, from Osijek in the east of Croatia. ... Robert Bob Iarusci (born August 11, 1954 in Toronto) is a former star NASL player and member of the Canadian national soccer team. ... Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... Peter Roe (born in 1956 in Manchester) is a Canadian international soccer player from the 1970s. ... This article is considered orphaned, since there are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... Dinamo is one of the most famous and successful Croatian football clubs. ...

External links

  • Toronto Croatia
  • Canadian Soccer League

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