FK Sileks

FK Sileks (Macedonian: ФК Силекс) is a professional football club based in Kratovo, North Macedonia, currently playing in the Macedonian First League.

History

FK Sileks was founded in 1965, during the Yugoslav period, and initially competed in the regional leagues. The club was named after the nearby Sileks lead and zinc mine, which played a significant role in the local economy and provided financial backing for the team. Despite being a small club, Sileks gradually built a reputation for itself within the regional competitions.

The club's first major breakthrough came in the early 1990s, after North Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia. In 1992, the Macedonian First Football League was established, and FK Sileks became one of the founding members. Under the guidance of Ljubislav Ivanov "Singo," a key figure in the club's history, Sileks quickly rose to prominence.

During the 1990s, FK Sileks established itself as one of the strongest teams in the Macedonian league. The club won its first Macedonian First League title in the 1995-96 season and successfully defended the title in the following two seasons, achieving a historic "three-peat" by winning the league in 1996-97 and 1997-98. This period of dominance cemented FK Sileks as one of the top teams in the country.

FK Sileks' success wasn't limited to the league. The club also enjoyed considerable success in the Macedonian Football Cup, winning the competition three times—in 1994, 1997, and 2021. The 1994 Cup victory was particularly notable, as it was the first time the club won a major domestic trophy. Their cup victory in 2021 came in spite of relegation from the Macedonian First Football League.

In addition to its three league titles and three cup victories, FK Sileks also won the Macedonian Super Cup in 1997, further solidifying its status as one of the country's top football clubs during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Stadium

City Stadium Sileks (Macedonian: Градски стадион Силекс-Кратово) is a multi-purpose stadium in Kratovo, North Macedonia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of FK Sileks. The stadium holds 1,800 seats.

Honours

• North Macedonia Macedonian First League Winners (3): 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 Runners-up (6): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2019–20 and 2024–25
• North Macedonia Macedonian Second League Winners (2): 2013–14 and 2021–22
• Socialist Republic of Macedonia Macedonian Republic Cup Winners (2): 1988–89 and 1989–90
• North Macedonia Macedonian Football Cup Winners (3): 1993–94, 1996–97 and 2020–21 Runners-up (2): 1994–95 and 2021–22

Recent seasons

1The 2019–20 season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia.

Supporters

The supporters of Fk Sileks are known as krateri and they were founded in 1997

Rivalries

The rivalries of FK Sileks Kratovo with these clubs stem from various historical, regional, and competitive factors:

1. FK Vardar: As it is considered one of the most prominent and widely supported clubs in North Macedonia, Vardar's success and prominence make them a natural rival for many clubs, and has contributed to a competitive relationship with FK Sileks. Matches between these teams are typically regarded as highly competitive due to the disparity in their histories and achievements.

2. FK Pelister:Bitola ed in the same region, Pelister and Sileks have a regional rivalry that fuels their matches. Local derbies often bring out heightened emotions and competitiveness.

3. FK Pobeda: Similar to Pelister, Pobeda’s proximity and historical competition with Sileks create a strong rivalry, with both teams striving to assert their dominance in the region.

4. FK Renova: Renova, based in Tetovo, is another regional competitor. The rivalry is based on geographic proximity and the competitive nature of their encounters.

5. FK Shkëndija: Shkëndija is a strong team in the Macedonian league, and their matches with Sileks are significant due to Shkëndija's competitive stature and recent successes.

6. FK Bregalnica Stip : The rivalry with Bregalnica often reflects the competitive spirit of the Macedonian league and local pride.

7. FK Rudar Probistip : The rivalry between fk sileks an fk rudar is because of how close they are and the derby is called " the Neighborly derby."

These rivalries often involve a mix of historical competition, regional pride, and the quest for dominance in Macedonian football.

Sileks in Europe

UEFA club competition record

Results

Players

Current squad

As of 26 February 2026

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

Technical staff

Source:[citation needed]

Youth players

Players from the U19 Youth Team that have been summoned with the first team in the current season.

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

Out on loan

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

Historical list of coaches

• North Macedonia Zoran Smileski (1995 –1998)
• North Macedonia Gjoko Hadžievski (1998 –1999)
• North Macedonia Lazar Plackov (1999)
• North Macedonia Zoran Mitevski (2000)
• North Macedonia Momcilo Mitevski (2000 –2001)
• Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nenad Stavrić (2001 –2002)
• North Macedonia Momcilo Mitevski (2002 –2003)
• Serbia and Montenegro Nebojša Petrović (2003 –Sep 2005)
• North Macedonia Kire Trajcev (Sep 2005 –Jan 2006)
• Slovenia Josip Pirmajer (10 Jan 2006 –Jun 2006)
• Serbia Slavko Jović (Jul 2006 –Feb 2007)
• North Macedonia Momcilo Mitevski (4 Mar 2007 –Jun 2007)
• North Macedonia Marjan Sekulovski (Jul 2007 –Oct 2008)
• North Macedonia Ane Andovski (19 Oct 2008 –Jun 2012)
• North Macedonia Ljubodrag Milošević (Jul 2012 –Sep 2012)
• Serbia Nebojša Petrović (4 Oct 2012 –Apr 2013)
• North Macedonia Trajce Senev (20 Apr 2013 –Jun 2014)
• North Macedonia Gordan Zdravkov (Jul 2014 –Dec 2014)
• North Macedonia Zoran Shterjovski (Jan 2015 –Jun 2015)
• North Macedonia Momchilo Mitevski (Jul 2015 –May 2016)
• North Macedonia Gordan Zdravkov (Jun 2016 –Jul 2016)
• North Macedonia Zikica Tasevski (25 Oct 2016 –30 Sep 2018)
• Serbia Goran Simov (Apr 2019 –)

External links

• on Facebook (in Macedonian)
• at MacedonianFootball (in English)
• (in Macedonian)
• at UEFA.com (in English)
• 2007-05-02 at the Wayback Machine at EUFO.de (in German)
• at Weltfussball.de (in German)