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RK Vardar

(Redirected from RK Vardar Vatrostalna Skopje)
This article is about the men's handball club. For other uses, see Vardar (disambiguation).

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. 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.

РК Вардар 1961
RK Vardar 1961
Full nameRakometen klub
Vardar 1961
Short nameVardar
Founded1961; 63 years ago (1961) in Skopje
ArenaJane Sandanski Arena
Capacity5.800
PresidentMihajlo Mihajlovski
Head coachGuillermo Milano
LeagueMacedonian Super League
2023–24Macedonian Super League,
2nd
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

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RK Vardar was founded in 1961 as a part of the Vardar Sports Club in Skopje, which was 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 team 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. Vardar joined the first division[clarification needed] 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.

 
Legendary Captain "Stole"

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 secured the 4th place, the club achieved either championship or runner-up status in the Macedonian Super League since 1999. They achieved a record win in the Macedonian handball championship by winning their twelfth title in 2018 and are the record cup winner with thirteen victories. On April 15, 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 sports director of the club, and Mihajlo Mihajlovski as the honorary club chairman.

 
Dibirov Vardar's 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 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 the 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 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 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 13–13 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

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Accomplishments

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Domestic competitions

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Macedonian League

  Winner:(3) 1959, 1960, 1975
  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

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

Other competitions

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  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

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Winners (9): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
Winners (1): 2016–17

Arena

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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 5, 850 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

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Current squad

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Squad for the 2024-2025 season

Transfers

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Transfers for the 2025–26 season

Staff

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Former club members

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Notable former players

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Notable former coaches

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Notable former presidents

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Kit manufacturers

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European competitions record

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EHF Champions League

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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 10-0
Portugal  FC Porto 25–25 24–27
France  PSG Handball 0-10 5-5
Poland  Łomża Vive Kielce 29–33 29–36
Playoffs Hungary  Veszprém KC 27–41 30–39 57–80

EHF Cup

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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

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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

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Individual awards in the EHF Champions League

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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

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  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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