NK Kustošija

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

The club was founded on 15 July 1929 in Zagreb, at Ilica 55, under the name Sportski klub Metalac. It had 18 members and consisted of football, swimming and chess sections. The initiative to establish the club came from members of the Metal Workers’ Union, Ivan Slugić and Ivan Korošec, who became the club’s first president. The club was a workers’ club for metal industry employees. It was not permitted to operate publicly until its statutes were officially approved in June 1930.^[2] The club statutes from 1930 list it under the name Športski klub Metalac.^[3] The football section of Metalac played its first official match on 14 September 1930 at the Tipografija ground against Esperant (1–2). Metalac initially did not have its own ground and played its home matches at the Grafičar ground, a workers’ club which allowed Metalac to use the pitch free of charge.^[2] The club premises were located at Haulikova Street 10/IV, which from 1933 also served as the headquarters of the “Association of Third-Class Clubs”.

In 1932, the club colours were red and black.^[4] During the interwar period, Metalac was associated with the activities of the illegal Communist Party.^[5]

The club was dissolved on 15 May 1941 during the period of the Independent State of Croatia, along with other workers’ clubs.^[6]

During World War II, almost all members of Metalac’s various sections participated in the Yugoslav Partisan movement. A total of 41 members were killed, seven of whom were proclaimed People’s Heroes of Yugoslavia: Petar Biškup Veno, Marijan Čavić, Dragica Končar, Rade Končar, Ivica Lovinčić, Marko Orešković and Joža Vlahović.^[5] Milutin Baltić and Ivan Šibl were also proclaimed People’s Heroes.^[7]

Metalac was re-established on 9 June 1945, with its first general assembly held ten days later. From that point it operated under the name Fizkulturno društvo Metalac. Josip Broz Tito became a member and honorary president of the club on 2 October 1945.^[5] In 1947, Metalac was granted use of the Šparta ground.^[8] After its post-war re-establishment, the club finished 6th in the 1946 Croatian League, earning promotion to the second tier. In the 1952–53 season, Bogdan Cuvaj became head coach, and in 1954–55 the club achieved its best league result, finishing third in the Yugoslav Second League. Metalac reached the quarter-finals of the Yugoslav Cup in 1948 and 1951. From 7 August 1953, the club operated under the name Sportsko društvo Metalac. The club competed in the second and third tiers until the 1972–73 season, after which it played exclusively in lower-division competitions.

In 1964, the club merged with NK Kustošija (formerly Sloboda) and acquired the football ground in Sokolska Street. Until then, it had played at the Munjarski put ground.^[9] On 18 March 1969, the club changed its name to Radničko sportsko društvo Metalac.

Since 1993, the club has been known as NK Kustošija.^[10]

In the 2015–16 season, Kustošija won the MŽNL Središte and was promoted to the 3. HNL – West. In 2016–17, after finishing second, the club earned promotion to the 2. HNL.

Kustošija was relegated from the First NL in the 2022–23 season (the second tier since the 2022–23 season). In February 2023, 18-year-old Senegalese player Mikayil Faye joined the club. After making 14 appearances, he was sold in the summer to Barcelona for €5 million plus bonuses, a record fee for a player from the Croatian second tier.

In September 2025, the team presented a rebranding, adopting a new badge. In December they presented gold and black as main colors.

Croatian football league system

• Druga NL (tier 3)
  • Second place (2): 2016–17; 2023–24
• MŽNL - Center (tier 4)
  • Winners (1): 2015–16
• 1. ŽNL Zagreb (tier 5)
  • Winners (1): 2006–07

Yugoslav football league system

• Croatian Republic Football League
  • Winners (1): 1946–47
• Podsavezna liga Zagreb
  • Winners (1): 1952
• Nogometno prvenstvo Jugoslavije – Hrvatsko-slovenska
  • Winners (1): 1953–54
• Zagrebačka zona
  • Winners (3): 1959–60; 1965–66; 1967–68

As of 17 September 2026^[11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.