A look at Hajduk in history.
Did you know that Hajduk Split was the first club in Yugoslavia to visit all of the continents?
To be totally honest, we didn’t either, and we’d consider that a pretty impressive accomplishment given the timing of it all.
Exactly 68 years ago, and we mean exactly because we’re referring to early September of 1949, Hajduk Split of Yugoslavia traveled to Australia for a series of matches against the Australian national team and a few games against an Australian XI.
And on this day exactly in 1949, Hajduk played a friendly match against Northern Districts at Cessnock Sportsground where they won 2:8.
Hajduk kroz povijest
The paper reads:
The Australian Soccer Association Ltd. Presents
The fifteenth fixture of the Yugoslavian tour
Sunday, 4th, September 1949
Northern Districts v. Yugoslavia at Cessnock Sportsground, 3 p.m.
Early games at 12:30 p.m. and 1:45 p.m.
NEXT SATURDAY, 10th September, is the sporting public’s last opportunity of seeing the clever Yugoslavians in action.
10th September, 1949
The Fifth and Final Test
Australia v. Yugoslavia
Hajduk’s team at the time included some of the greats such as goalkeeper Vladimir Beara, Bernard Vukas and other players including Kokeza, Andrijasevic, Katnic, Matosic, and Mrcic.
Hajduk kroz povijest
Perhaps one of the greatest parts is that we can still view footage of this whole experience today.
Watch below as Australian commentators struggle with the last names of Hajduk players. It’s also safe the say that the Australian side may have also struggled with Hajduk’s skill…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=6LNp_Jr246o
We’ll let you see for yourself.
