Damir Petrunić Passed Away

 Dear member of our blue family, former junior from Maksimir, and later a member of the first team, Damir Petrunić, has left us forever at the age of 85.

Petrunić was a prominent member of the famous Dinamo junior generation from the late fifties and early sixties, a team that with its attractive performances represented a kind of a hit in Zagreb football, attracting numerous fans.

He was one of the best players of his generation, in the young team at that time also played Zlatko Škorić, Rudolf Belin, Slaven Zambata, Zdenko Kobešćak, Mirko Charlie Braun, Zlatko Haraminčić, Berislav Ribić...

It is interesting that in the autumn of 1961, as members of Dinamo II, they played in the same stage of the competition as the first Dinamo team. The young Maksimir footballers passed the ZNS Cup filter by defeating Borovo and Karlovac, thus breaking through to the 1st round of the national Cup.

He made his debut in the first team in April 1961 in a draw against Velež in Mostar, 0:0, on the same day as his teammate from the junior team, our later celebrated goalkeeper Škorić. The team was then led by our celebrated coaches Marton Bukovi and Milan Antolković.

Petrunić was born on September 30, 1941 in Zagreb, grew up in the Maksimir school as one of the best products of his generation. He played as a forward and offensive midfielder, characterized by excellent technique and precise shooting.

He shone on the European scene in the Central European Cup by scoring a goal in a 2-0 victory against Ferencvaros. He also participated in the goal in the 1963 Cup Winners' Cup victory.

Later he played for Lokomotiva.

We express our deep and sincere condolences to the family and friends of our Damir Petrunić.