Vaterpolski klub Jug (English: Jug Water Polo Club) is a professional water polo club based in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The club was established in 1923 as part of sports society "JUG". As of the 2025–26 season, VK Jug competes in the Croatian League and Euro Cup.

History

1923–1941

Since establishment in 1923, Jug was one of the most successful water polo clubs in Yugoslavia. It won fourteen Yugoslav Water Polo Championship titles in Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

1945–1991

During the existence of SFR Yugoslavia, Jug was among the elite Yugoslav water polo clubs, winning a total of eights Yugoslav Water Polo Championship titles; three in a row from 1949 to 1951, four in a row from 1980 to 1983, and their last one in 1985. Jug also won its first European title, the Champions Cup, in 1981. It also won the National Cup of Yugoslavia in 1981 and 1983.

1991–2008

After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, Jug won six Croatian First League of Water Polo championships and eight Croatian Water Polo Cup titles until the 2007–08 season. It cemented its dominance in Croatia by winning the top-tier continental 2000–01 LEN Champions League and 2005–06 LEN Euroleague titles.

Dubrovnik City Council honoured the club in 1997 with the City of Dubrovnik Award.

2008–present

In the 2008–09 season, Jug won the inaugural season of the Regional Water Polo League. From 2009–10 to 2014–15, Jug was five-time runner-up in the competition and finished in third place once. In Croatia, it won five consecutive championship titles from 2008–09 to 2012–13 and Croatian Cup in the 2008–09 season.

In the 2015–16 season, Jug set a record by winning all competitions it played in. After taking the Croatian League championship and Croatian Cup title, Jug won the Regional Water Polo League for the second time in club's history and was crowned the 2015–16 LEN Champions League champion for fourth time in club's history.

Starting the 2016–17 season, Jug won the 2016 LEN Super Cup. Jug defended the Regional Water Polo League title in 2016–17, but was stopped in the final of the 2016–17 LEN Champions League by Hungarian team Szolnoki. In the 2017–18 season, Jug won third Regional League title in a row and lost in third-place game of the 2017–18 LEN Champions League.

In the 2018–19 season, Jug failed to defend the Regional Water Polo League title for fourth season in a row, losing to HAVK Mladost. Also, in the 2018–19 LEN Champions League, it lost in the quarterfinals to Hungarian team Ferencvárosi with 10–9.

Honours

Competition#Winning years
National Championships39
National Championship of Croatia172000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022
National Championship of Communist Yugoslavia81949, 1950, 1951, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985
National Championship of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia141925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1940
National Cups18
National Cup of Croatia161994, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
National Cup of Communist Yugoslavia21981, 1983
Regional Championships5
Regional Water Polo League52009, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023
European Cups8
LEN Champions League41981, 2001, 2006, 2016
LEN Super Cup22006, 2016
LEN Cup22000, 2024

Current squad

Season 2021–22

No.Nat.PlayerBirth DatePositionL/R
1CroatiaToni Popadić(1994-11-05)5 November 1994(age 31)Goalkeeper
2CroatiaHrvoje Zvono(2003-01-31)31 January 2003(age 23)Wing
3CroatiaLoren Fatović(1996-11-16)16 November 1996(age 29)Wing
4CroatiaLuka Stahor(2002-04-21)21 April 2002(age 23)CenterR
5CroatiaMaro Joković(1987-10-01)1 October 1987(age 38)WingL
6GreeceAlexandros Papanastasiou(1999-02-12)12 February 1999(age 27)Wing
7CroatiaMarin Tomasović(2001-01-26)26 January 2001(age 25)Wing
8GreeceStylianos Argyropoulos(1996-08-02)2 August 1996(age 29)Wing
9CroatiaFilip Kržić(2000-08-28)28 August 2000(age 25)Wing
10GreeceKonstantinos Kakaris(1999-07-02)2 July 1999(age 26)CenterR
11CroatiaHrvoje Benić(1992-04-26)26 April 1992(age 33)GuardR
12CroatiaMarko Žuvela(2001-12-22)22 December 2001(age 24)GuardR
13CroatiaIvan Jurišić(2003-08-28)28 August 2003(age 22)GoalkeeperR
14CroatiaIvuša Burđelez(2005-07-11)11 July 2005(age 20)GuardR

Staff

Technical Staff
ChairmanCroatia Tomislav Dumančić
Vice-chairmanCroatia Željan Konsuo
Vice-chairmanCroatia Pero Kulaš
Vice-chairmanCroatia Lukša Jakobušić
Club directorCroatia Ognjen Kržić
Head coachCroatia Vjekoslav Kobešćak
Assistant coachCroatia Đani Pecotić
Assistant coachCroatia Miho Bobić
Goalkeeping coachCroatia Maro Balić

Recent seasons

As of 7 May 2025.

SeasonTierLeaguePos.Domestic cupRegional LeagueEuropean competitions
199211. HVL3rdnot held
1992–9311. HVL3rdRunner-up
1993–9411. HVL5thRunner-up
1994–9511. HVL2ndChampion
1995–9611. HVL2ndRunner-up
1996–9711. HVL3rdChampion3 LEN CupSF
1997–9811. HVL4thQuarterfinalist
1998–9911. HVL2ndQuarterfinalist3 LEN CupSF
1999–0011. HVL1stRunner-up3 LEN CupC
2000–0111. HVL1stChampion1 Champions LeagueC
2001–0211. HVL2ndRunner-up1 Champions League4th
2002–0311. HVL2ndChampion2 Cup Winners' CupQF
2003–0411. HVL1stChampion1 EuroleaguePR
2004–0511. HVL1stChampion1 Euroleague4th
2005–0611. HVL1stRunner-up1 EuroleagueC
2006–0711. HVL1stChampionLEN Super CupC
1 EuroleagueF
2007–0811. HVL2ndChampion1 EuroleagueF
2008–0911. HVL1stChampionChampion1 Euroleague3rd
2009–1011. HVL1stChampionRunner-up1 Euroleague4th
2010–1111. HVL1stSemifinalistRunner-up1 EuroleagueSGR
2011–1211. HVL1stRunner-upSemifinalist1 Champions LeagueQF
2012–1311. HVL1stRunner-upRunner-up1 Champions LeagueF
2013–1411. HVL3rdRunner-upRunner-up1 Champions LeaguePR
2014–1511. HVL2ndSemifinalistRunner-up1 Champions League4th
2015–1611. HVL1stChampionChampion1 Champions LeagueC
2016–1711. HVL1stChampionChampionLEN Super CupC
1 Champions LeagueF
2017–1811. HVL1stChampionChampion1 Champions League4th
2018–1911. HVL1stChampionRunner-up1 Champions League5th
2019–2011. HVL1stRunner-upRunner-up1 Champions League1
2020–2111. HVL2ndRunner-upRunner-up1 Champions League5th
2021–2211. HVL1stRunner-upSemifinalist1 Champions League8th
2022–2311. HVL2ndChampionChampion1 Champions LeagueQF
2023–2411. HVL1stChampion3rd2 Euro CupC
2024–2511. HVL3rdChampion8thSuper CupF
1 Champions LeagueQR
2 Euro CupEF

^1 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

External links