There are three golden football eras in the Kvarner Bay - the first was marked by the Marshal Tito Cup in the 1970s, the second eight years ago by the first title in Croatia, while the third will be remembered for the new title at a time when no one saw Rijeka anywhere near the top.
What is common to all periods is that an important part of the history of this club were Montenegrins - from Dragutin Spasojevic i Miodrag Kustudić, across Rada i Marko Vešović, from Radomir Đalović, a man for whom it would not be surprising if one day he received a monument in front of "Rujevica" or "Kantrida".
The former "Falcon" striker, as a player, wowed fans on the Adriatic coast with his goals, leading Rijeka to its second title this season, and is very close to a double crown.
Spassky and the "flying fortress"
For a long time, Rijeka in the greater Yugoslavia was a team that moved from the second to the first tier and vice versa, the cups were too long to wait...
Until 1978, when Dragutin Spasojević, a native of Nikšić and recognizable by his dark glasses, arrived on the bench of this team. The team also had a striker, a Montenegrin born in Lovćenac, Miodrag Kustudić, the “flying fortress” as the Croatian media called him.
With them, Rijeka finally joined the immortals in the very strong league that was Yugoslavia at the time - the Marshal Tito Cup arrived in Kvarner, history was finally written.
Spasojević then left the big four without a trophy, mostly with players from his own school, while Kustudić shook the nets of Partizan, Hajduk and Velež on his way to the trophy.
The foundations were laid, and Rijeka won the Cup the following year, but this time without the Montenegrin tandem.
Two eras of Vešović
Rade Vešović and Rijeka were love at first sight, the former Buducnost footballer was "loved" by the fans as soon as he arrived at the club in 1989, and he left an indelible mark in just two years. He left before the breakup of Yugoslavia, and he spoke years later about how much Rijeka meant to him.
- When I was leaving Rijeka, on August 28, 1991, my twins Marko and Nikola. I boarded the ship for Dubrovnik with great regret. Tears welled up in my eyes when I climbed onto the deck. I looked at Rijeka and wondered if I would ever see this city again. I wanted to stay and live in Kvarner, but unfortunately what happened happened - Vešović once told "Večernji list".
One of the twins born that August would become a Rijeka legend 26 years later - Marko Vešović was one of the most important players for the team from Rujevica in winning the first championship title in history during the unforgettable 2016/17 season.
The "Falcon" defender directed Rijeka's play and was the team's best assistant that season.
Rijeka celebrated a double crown that same year, and part of the team he led from the bench Matjaž Kek there was another Montenegrin - Aleksandar Sofranac.
Đalevo's humanity is priceless
Radomir Đalović first won over the fans in Rijeka with his goals as a player - first in the 2007/08 season, when he was the second top scorer in the Croatian champions with 18 goals, and then when he returned to the club after a short stint at Rapid Bucharest. He played a total of 87 games in the white jersey and scored 37 goals.
A new return to Kvarner followed in 2022, and this time Đalović became one of the assistants on the Rijeka coaching staff.
At the beginning of this season, he was appointed head coach - for the first time in his career, he led a club independently and immediately brought the championship trophy to Rijeka, while the Cup final awaits him on Thursday.
Perhaps more than the title, this city will remember his decision from last season when he was the only one from the Rijeka coaching staff who refused to move with the then coach. Sergej Jakirović to Dinamo.
A special banner appeared at Rijeka's training session these days.
"Djale, your humanity is priceless."
In addition to the aforementioned Montenegrins, the Rijeka jersey from our country was also worn by today's left back "Falcon" Andrija Vukcevic, Momcilo Raspopovic i Milan Djurišić - the three of them did not win any cups, but they played a notable role in the team from Rujevica.
Bonus video:
