Rudolf Rupec

Rudolf Rupec , (born November 17, 1896 in Grubišno Polje , Austria-Hungary ; † July 3, 1983 in Zagreb , Yugoslavia ) was a football player and later football coach who played for the national teams of Austria and Yugoslavia .

Career in Austria

Rudolf Rupec moved with his parents from his Croatian homeland to Vienna in 1911, where he first played in the junior team of SK Rapid Wien . His first appearance in the fighting team was in the 1913/14 season , when he immediately scored a goal against Vienna . He rose to become a regular in the Halves series in the 1915/16 season , which the Hütteldorfer could also end with the championship title. The green-whites were also successful in the following season. After a second place, two more championship titles and a cup victory followed.

In 1917 Rupec made his debut in the Austrian national team in a 1-1 draw against Hungary . In the next one and a half years, nine more assignments in the national team and two calls to the Viennese city selection should follow. In the course of 1919 Rupec lost his regular place at Rapid to Leopold Nitsch , his number of championship appearances decreased continuously, and he was no longer in demand in the national team.

Career in Yugoslavia

In 1920 he decided to accept an offer from his home country and moved to HŠK Građanski in Zagreb. In the same year, the newly founded Yugoslav Football Association played its first international match against Czechoslovakia at the Summer Olympics , in which Rupec also took part, but had to leave the field after 13 minutes due to injury. The game ended in a 7-0 debacle. With Građanski he achieved two championship titles in 1923 and 1926, Rupec was an essential pillar of the team and was considered the first professional player in Yugoslavia.

He was also a constant in the national team and when the Yugoslavs took part in the Summer Olympics again in 1924 , Rupec was there again. But this time too, the tournament was over quickly after a 7-0 draw in the opening game against the eventual Olympic champion Uruguay . Then he ended his career in the national team, for which he was used a total of nine times, in addition, he was called up nine times in the city selection of Zagreb. At Građanski he remained active until 1928.

After the end of his active career, Rupec also worked as a coach and led the HAŠK Zagreb to its first Yugoslav championship in 1938.

successes

• 4 × Austrian champion : 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920
• 3 × Yugoslav champions : 1923, 1926 (as a player), 1938 (as a coach)
• 1 × Austrian Cup winner : 1919
• 10 games for the Austrian national soccer team
• 9 games for the Yugoslav national soccer team

Web link

• Entry in the rapid archive