Prva HNL Player of the Year

The Prva HNL Player of the Year award (Croatian: Najbolji nogometaš HNL) is an annual association football award given by the Croatian newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija. It is awarded to the best football player who plies his trade in the Prva HNL (or "1. HNL"), Croatian top flight and winners are chosen by the newspaper's sports editors. Winners for the preceding year are usually announced around 1 January and all players who had spent the entire calendar year playing in the league are eligible for the award, regardless of their nationality.^[1]

The award was established in 1992. Igor Cvitanović holds the record for most wins with three awards won between 1992 and 1997, followed by Stipe Pletikosa and Niko Kranjčar with two wins each.^[1] The current award holder is Sammir of Dinamo Zagreb.^[2]

Another similar award is the Yellow Shirt Award which is based on aggregate player ratings in matches throughout the season as judged by the country's only sports daily Sportske novosti.

Winners

† denotes shared wins

Year	Player (Wins)	Club(s)
1992 †	Bilić, SlavenSlaven Bilić (1)	Hajduk Split
1992 †	Cvitanović, IgorIgor Cvitanović (1)	Varteks / HAŠK Građanski
1992 †	Kozniku, ArdianArdian Kozniku (1)	Hajduk Split
1993	Jeličić, JoškoJoško Jeličić (1)	Hajduk Split / Croatia Zagreb
1994	Hibić, MirsadMirsad Hibić (1)	Hajduk Split
1995	Pralija, NenadNenad Pralija (1)	Hajduk Split
1996	Cvitanović, IgorIgor Cvitanović (2)	Croatia Zagreb
1997 †	Cvitanović, IgorIgor Cvitanović (3)	Croatia Zagreb
1997 †	Jurić, GoranGoran Jurić (1)	Croatia Zagreb
1998	Ladić, DraženDražen Ladić (1)	Croatia Zagreb
1999	Rukavina, TomislavTomislav Rukavina (1)	Croatia Zagreb
2000	Bjelica, NenadNenad Bjelica (1)	Osijek
2001	Pletikosa, StipeStipe Pletikosa (1)	Hajduk Split
2002 †	Olić, IvicaIvica Olić (1)	NK Zagreb / Dinamo Zagreb
2002 †	Pletikosa, StipeStipe Pletikosa (2)	Hajduk Split
2003	Kranjčar, NikoNiko Kranjčar (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
2004	Kale, TvrtkoTvrtko Kale (1)	Zadar / Hajduk Split
2005	Kranjčar, NikoNiko Kranjčar (2)	Hajduk Split
2006	Eduardo (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
2007	Modrić, LukaLuka Modrić (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
2008	Kalinić, NikolaNikola Kalinić (1)	Hajduk Split
2009	Mandžukić, MarioMario Mandžukić (1)	Dinamo Zagreb
2010	Sammir (1)	Dinamo Zagreb

Notes on club name changes:

• Dinamo Zagreb changed their name to "HAŠK Građanski" in June 1991 and then again in February 1993 to "Croatia Zagreb". They reverted to "Dinamo Zagreb" in February 2000.
• The present-day NK Varaždin was called "Varteks" from 1958 until June 2010.

See also

• Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award, for the HNL footballer of the year, given by the Croatian sport newspaper Sportske novosti, chosen by sport journalists.
• Prva HNL Player of the Year (Tportal), given by the Croatian web site Tportal, chosen by captains of league clubs.
• Croatian Footballer of the Year, given by the Croatian newspaper Večernji list, chosen by sport journalists.

References

1. Alfirević, Slaven (1 January 2010). "Tradicionalni izbor Slobodne Dalmacije: na vrhu usamljen Mandžukić" (in Croatian). Slobodna Dalmacija. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
2. Vulas, Frane; Alfirević, Slaven (5 January 2011). "Najbolji u HNL-u 2010. godine: Sammir ipak ispred Ibričića i Vukušića" (in Croatian). Slobodna Dalmacija. Retrieved 4 May 2011.

External links

• Complete list of winners 1992–2009