# RK Vardar

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 also the most successful team in the regional SEHA League, having won five titles. The team has also won two EHF Champions League titles.

## History

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 Yugoslav Handball Championship in 1976. They played there for 2 seasons. In the 1980s 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. Vardar has participated in the EHF Champions League eleven times and made it to the semifinals of the Cup Winner's Cup three times. The club achieved either championship or runner-up status in the Macedonian Super League every since 1999, with the sole exception of 2005, where they finished 4th. In 2018 they became the most winning team in the Macedonian handball championship by winning their twelfth title. They are also the record cup winner with thirteen titles. On April 15, 2012, Vardar defeated Metalurg at the Zagreb Arena to become the first SEHA League champion. 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.
The 2016–17 season was the most successful for the team, as they managed to win the EHF Champions League and the regional SEHA League, 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.
In 2023 they once again won the Macedonian cup. The final was a thriller match between the heavyweights Vardar and Eurofarm, held at a sold out Ohrids SRC Biljanini Izvori. 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

HOME :
| 2014–16 | 2017–19 |
AWAY :
| 2015-17 | 2017-19 | 2019-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023–24 |

## Accomplishments
### Domestic competitions

Macedonian League
* Macedonian Republic League
    Winner:(3) 1959, 1960, 1975
* Macedonian Handball Super League
    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
* Macedonian Handball Cup
    Winner (16): 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
* Macedonian Handball Super Cup
    Winner (4): 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023

### European competitions

* EHF Champions League
    Winner (2): 2016–17, 2018–19
* EHF Cup Winners' Cup
    Third placed: 1998–99, 2004–2005, 2010–2011

### Other competitions

* SEHA League
    Winner (5): 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
    Runner-up: 2012–13, 2015–16, 2019–20
* IHF Super Globe
    Third placed: 2017, 2019

### Individual club awards

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

## Arena

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. The arena is named after the Macedonian revolutionary Jane Sandanski.

## Team
### Current squad

    Squad for the 2024–2025 season

### Transfers

    Transfers for the 2025–26 season

### Former club members
#### Notable former players

* Stojanče Stoilov
* Rubin Lashkoski
* Pepi Manaskov
* Stevče Aluševski
* Petar Misovski
* Branislav Angelovski
* Kiril Kolev
* Vančo Dimovski
* Lazo Majnov
* Naumče Mojsovski
* Zlatko Mojsovski
* Goran Kuzmanoski
* Dejan Pecakovski
* Radoslav Stojanović
* Aco Jonovski
* Marjan Kolev
* Mitko Stoilov
* Vlado Nedanovski
* Martin Popovski
* Marko Kizikj
* Dimitar Dimitrioski
* Zlatko Daskalovski
* Nemanja Pribak
* Filip Lazarov
* Velko Markoski
* Milorad Kukoski
* Gradimir Čanevski
* Petar Angelov
* Goce Ojleski
* Nikola Markoski
* Milan Levov
* Nikola Mitrevski
* Daniel Gjorgjeski
* Nikola Stojčevski
* Dejan Manaskov
* Borko Ristovski
* Filip Taleski
* Martin Tomovski
* Alexey Rastvortsev
* Mikhail Chipurin
* Alexander Dereven
* Dmitrii Kiselev
* Pavel Atman
* Daniil Shishkarev
* Sergei Gorbok
* Gleb Kalarash
* Timur Dibirov
* Strahinja Milić
* Ilija Abutović
* Mijajlo Marsenić
* Dejan Milosavljev
* Marko Vujin
* Vladimir Petrić
* Alem Toskić
* Iñaki Malumbres Aldave
* Alex Dujshebaev
* Arpad Šterbik
* Joan Cañellas
* Jorge Maqueda
* Blaženko Lacković
* Luka Cindrić
* Igor Karačić
* Ivan Čupić
* Lovro Jotić
* Ante Gadža
* Mladen Rakčević
* Stevan Vujović
* Vuk Lazović
* Vasko Ševaljević
* Andrej Dobrković
* Miladin Kozlina
* Matjaž Brumen
* Gregor Ocvirk
* Staš Skube
* Domen Sikošek Pelko
* Ante Kuduz
* Revaz Chanturia
* Jan Sobol
* Rogerio Moraes Ferreira
* José Toledo
* Leonardo Dutra
* Dainis Krištopāns
* Artūrs Kuģis
* Khalifa Ghedbane
* Ali Safar
* Robin Cantegrel
* Bakary Diallo
* Jérémy Toto
* Christian Dissinger
* Patryk Walczak
* Jan Czuwara
* Yoel Cuni Morales
* Olivier Nyokas
* Kévynn Nyokas
* Tawfik Baccar
* Kosuke Yasuhira

#### Notable former coaches

* Ljubomir Savevski
* Andon Boškovski
* Zoran Kastratović
* Biljana Crvenkoska
* Stevče Aluševski
* Vlado Nedanovski
* Raúl González Gutiérrez
* David Davis
* Roberto García Parrondo
* David Pisonero
* Dragan Đukić
* Dejan Perić
* Josif Petković
* Veselin Vujović
* Goran Simić
* Aleksandar Roganović

#### Notable former presidents

* Sergey Samsonenko

## Kit manufacturers

* Hummel International

## European competitions record
### EHF Champions League

| Season | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate: |
| 1999–00 | 1/16 | TV Suhr Handball | 33–37 | 26–30 | 59–67 |
| 2001–02 | R 2 | ASKI Ankara | 37–31 | 27–28 | 64–59 |
| 2001–02 | GM (Group D) | Fotex KC Veszprém | 24–27 | 22–27 | 3rd |
| 2001–02 | GM (Group D) | Sportclub Magdeburg | 27–27 | 19–33 | 3rd |
| 2001–02 | GM (Group D) | S. O. Chambery | 32–30 | 28–31 | 3rd |
| 2002–03 | QR 1 | HC Eynatten G.o.E. | 32–24 | 31–28 | 63–52 |
| 2002–03 | QR 2 | Sandefjord TIF | 29–23 | 26–26 | 55–49 |
| 2002–03 | GM (Group D) | RK Zagreb | 25–28 | 25–30 | 4th |
| 2002–03 | GM (Group D) | THW Kiel | 27–26 | 23–34 | 4th |
| 2002–03 | GM (Group D) | "Fibrexnylon" Savinesti | 26–25 | 26–38 | 4th |
| 2003–04 |
| 2003–04 | GM (Group B) | Sportclub Magdeburg | 28–30 | 24–38 | 4th |
| 2003–04 | GM (Group B) | FC Barcelona | 27–35 | 19–41 | 4th |
| 2003–04 | GM (Group B) | Haukar Hafnarfjördur | 26–32 | 33–34 | 4th |
| 2004–05 |
| 2004–05 | GM (Group A) | FC Barcelona | 12–26 | 22–31 | 3rd |
| 2004–05 | GM (Group A) | SC Pick Szeged | 24–24 | 18–25 | 3rd |
| 2004–05 | GM (Group A) | HCM Constanta | 22–22 | 26–25 | 3rd |
| 2007–08 | QR 1 | Pölva Serviti | 37–22 | 30–30 | 67–52 |
| 2007–08 | GM (Group C) | Kadetten Schaffhausen GCZ | 27–26 | 30–36 | 4th |
| 2007–08 | GM (Group C) | HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb | 26–34 | 28–28 | 4th |
| 2007–08 | GM (Group C) | C.BM. Ademar Leon | 29–28 | 21–28 | 4th |
| 2009–10 | Q (Group 1) | Besiktas JK | 33–30 | 33–30 | 1st |
| 2009–10 | Q (Group 1) | HC Buducnost Podgorica | 35–28 | 35–28 | | 1st |
| 2009–10 | Q (Group 1) | HC Dinamo-Minsk | 34–24 | 34–24 | | 1st |
| 2009–10 | GP (Group D) | KIF Kolding | 25–32 | 21–28 | 5th |
| 2009–10 | GP (Group D) | Reale Ademar | 24–31 | 28–37 | 5th |
| 2009–10 | GP (Group D) | THW Kiel | 23–33 | 23–39 | 5th |
| 2009–10 | GP (Group D) | GC Amicitia Zürich | 22–22 | 31–24 | 5th |
| 2009–10 | GP (Group D) | F.C. Barcelona Borges | 28–35 | 28–35 | 5th |
| 2013–14 | GP (Group C) | FC Barcelona | 29–29 | 23–30 | 4th |
| 2013–14 | GP (Group C) | HC Dinamo Minsk | 30–22 | 24–26 | 4th |
| 2013–14 | GP (Group C) | PSG Handball | 24–24 | 25–35 | 4th |
| 2013–14 | GP (Group C) | Wacker Thun | 32–25 | 37–24 | 4th |
| 2013–14 | GP (Group C) | HC Metalurg | 18–26 | 27–22 | 4th |
| 2013–14 | L16 | HSV Hamburg | 28–28 | 30–29 | 58–57 |
| 2013–14 | QF | SG Flensburg-Handewitt | 27–25 | 22–24 | 49–49 |
| 2014–15 | GP (Group C) | RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko | 34–32 | 27–26 | 2nd |
| 2014–15 | GP (Group C) | Chekhovskie Medvedi | 39–28 | 39–34 | 2nd |
| 2014–15 | GP (Group C) | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | 28–25 | 35–28 | 2nd |
| 2014–15 | GP (Group C) | Montpellier Agglomération Handball | 30–26 | 34–34 | 2nd |
| 2014–15 | GP (Group C) | MKB-MVM Veszprém | 23–24 | 24–32 | 2nd |
| 2014–15 | L16 | Orlen Wisla Plock | 31–20 | 26–32 | 57–52 |
| 2014–15 | QF | KS Vive Tauron Kielce | 20–22 | 31–33 | 51–55 |
| 2015–16 | GP (Group B) | Montpellier HB | 34–26 | 30–25 | 3rd |
| 2015–16 | GP (Group B) | MOL-Pick Szeged | 27–23 | 31–29 | 3rd |
| 2015–16 | GP (Group B) | IFK Kristianstad | 38–36 | 30–25 | 3rd |
| 2015–16 | GP (Group B) | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | 25–19 | 27–28 | 3rd |
| 2015–16 | GP (Group B) | KIF Kolding Kobenhavn | 34–24 | 31–33 | 3rd |
| 2015–16 | GP (Group B) | KS Vive Tauron Kielce | 34–24 | 20–23 | 3rd |
| 2015–16 | GP (Group B) | FC Barcelona Lassa | 25–27 | 30–31 | 3rd |
| 2015–16 | L16 | Orlen Wisla Plock | 25–24 | 30–30 | 55–54 |
| 2015–16 | QF | MVM Veszprém | 26–29 | 30–30 | 56–59 |
| 2016–17 | GP (Group B) | IFK Kristianstad | 32–29 | 28–23 | 1st |
| 2016–17 | GP (Group B) | HC Meshkov Brest | 31–27 | 26–30 | 1st |
| 2016–17 | GP (Group B) | RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko | 35–30 | 32–26 | 1st |
| 2016–17 | GP (Group B) | MOL-Pick Szeged | 30–27 | 23–21 | 1st |
| 2016–17 | GP (Group B) | PPD Zagreb | 25–20 | 27–28 | 1st |
| 2016–17 | GP (Group B) | KS Vive Tauron Kielce | 40–34 | 24–27 | 1st |
| 2016–17 | GP (Group B) | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | 26–29 | 33–27 | 1st |
| 2016–17 | QF | SG Flensburg-Handewitt | 35–27 | 26–24 | 61–51 |
| 2016–17 | SF (F4) | FC Barcelona Handbol | 26–25 | 26–25 | 26–25 |
| 2016–17 | F (F4) | PSG Handball | 24–23 | 24–23 | 24–23 |
| 2017–18 | GP (Group A) | Orlen Wisla Plock | 31–31 | 26–22 | 1st |
| 2017–18 | GP (Group A) | HBC Nantes | 27–23 | 26–27 | 1st |
| 2017–18 | GP (Group A) | PPD Zagreb | 28–21 | 29–23 | 1st |
| 2017–18 | GP (Group A) | MOL-Pick Szeged | 34–30 | 26–26 | 1st |
| 2017–18 | GP (Group A) | FC Barcelona Handbol | 27–24 | 28–29 | 1st |
| 2017–18 | GP (Group A) | IFK Kristianstad | 31–15 | 26–23 | 1st |
| 2017–18 | GP (Group A) | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | 30–26 | 21–21 | 1st |
| 2017–18 | QF | THW Kiel | 27–28 | 29–28 | 56–56 |
| 2017–18 | SF (F4) | Montpellier HB | 27–28 | 27–28 | 27–28 |
| 2017–18 | 3rd (F4) | PSG Handball | 28–29 | 28–29 | 28–29 |
| 2018–19 | GP (Group A) | Montpellier HB | 33–27 | 27–24 | 3rd |
| 2018–19 | GP (Group A) | IFK Kristianstad | 33–25 | 32–30 | 3rd |
| 2018–19 | GP (Group A) | Telekom Veszprém | 27–29 | 27–25 | 3rd |
| 2018–19 | GP (Group A) | Rhein-Neckar Löwen | 29–27 | 30–27 | 3rd |
| 2018–19 | GP (Group A) | PGE Vive Kielce | 28–27 | 27–31 | 3rd |
| 2018–19 | GP (Group A) | HC Meshkov Brest | 30–23 | 31–31 | 3rd |
| 2018–19 | GP (Group A) | Barça Lassa | 26–30 | 26–34 | 3rd |
| 2018–19 | L16 | PPD Zagreb | 32–30 | 27–18 | 59–48 |
| 2018–19 | QF | MOL-Pick Szeged | 31–23 | 25–29 | 56–52 |
| 2018–19 | SF (F4) | Barça Lassa | 29–27 | 29–27 | 29–27 |
| 2018–19 | F (F4) | Telekom Veszprém | 27–24 | 27–24 | 27–24 |
| 2019–20 | GP (Group B) | Montpellier HB | 27–31 | 33–31 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | GP (Group B) | FC Porto Sofarma | 32–27 | 22–30 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | GP (Group B) | HC Motor Zaporizhzhia | 38–28 | 31–30 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | GP (Group B) | THW Kiel | 20–31 | 23–34 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | GP (Group B) | Telekom Veszprém | 29–38 | 30–39 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | GP (Group B) | HC Meshkov Brest | 36–31 | 22–31 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | GP (Group B) | PGE Vive Kielce | 28–28 | 25–35 | 6th |
| 2020–21 | GP (Group A) | HC Meshkov Brest | 32–36 | 22–24 | 7th |
| 2020–21 | GP (Group A) | Elverum Håndball | 34–34 | 35–32 | 7th |
| 2020–21 | GP (Group A) | MOL-Pick Szeged | 26–28 | 33–34 | 7th |
| 2020–21 | GP (Group A) | SG Flensburg-Handewitt | 31–26 | 10-0 | 7th |
| 2020–21 | GP (Group A) | FC Porto | 25–25 | 24–27 | 7th |
| 2020–21 | GP (Group A) | PSG Handball | 0-10 | 5-5 | 7th |
| 2020–21 | GP (Group A) | Łomża Vive Kielce | 29–33 | 29–36 | 7th |
| 2020–21 | Playoffs | Veszprém KC | 27–41 | 30–39 | 57–80 |

### EHF Cup

| Season | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 1994–95 | 1/16 | BM Granollers | 35–31 | 23–34 | 58–65 |
| 1995–96 | ER | HC Shoumen | 29–24 | 30–26 | 59–50 |
| 1995–96 | 1/16 | Zadar Gortan | 31–31 | 24–33 | 55–64 |
| 2011–12 | R2 | HC Izvidac | 27–25 | 26–29 | 53–54 |
| 2012–13 | R2 | Lovosice | 36–19 | 24–25 | 60–44 |
| 2012–13 | R3 | SC Magdeburg | 28–26 | 27–30 | 55–56 |

### EHF Cup Winners' Cup

| Season | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 1997–98 | 1/16 | IF Guif Eskilstuna | 29–28 | 25–28 | 54–56 |
| 1998–99 | 1/16 | IFK Skövde HK | 10–0 | 22–23 | 32–23 |
| 1998–99 | 1/8 | Gorenje Velenje | 29–23 | 24–28 | 53–51 |
| 1998–99 | 1/4 | Sporting Toulouse 31 | 26–19 | 24–27 | 50–46 |
| 1998–99 | 1/2 | Prosesa Ademar León | 27–29 | 20–35 | 47–64 |
| 2004–05 | 1/8 | FCK Handbold Kopenhagen | 27–23 | 29–28 | 56–51 |
| 2004–05 | 1/4 | Medvescak Infosistem Zagreb | 36–20 | 31–26 | 67–46 |
| 2004–05 | 1/2 | RK Zagreb | 23–21 | 26–34 | 49–55 |

## Statistics
### Individual awards in the EHF Champions League

| Season | Player | Award |
| 2013–14 | Timur Dibirov | All–Star Team (Best Left Wing) |
| 2014–15 | Alex Dujshebaev | Best Young Player |
| 2016–17 | Alex Dujshebaev | All–Star Team (Best Right Back) |
| 2016–17 | Raúl González | Best Coach |
| 2016–17 | Arpad Šterbik | Final Four MVP |
| 2017–18 | Arpad Šterbik | All–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper) |
| 2018–19 | Dejan Milosavljev | All–Star Team (Best Goalkeeper) |
| 2018–19 | Ivan Čupić | All–Star Team (Best Right Wing) |
| 2018–19 | Dainis Krištopāns | All–Star Team (Best Right Back) |
| 2018–19 | Timur Dibirov | All–Star Team (Best Left Wing) |
| 2018–19 | Roberto García Parrondo | Best Coach |
| 2018–19 | Igor Karačić | Final Four MVP |