Mitropa Cup

1992 was the last year that the Mitropa Cup was competed. Boruc Banja Luca of Bosnia-Herzogovnia were the last winners of this illustrious trophy. But what was it? And who competed in it?

The Mitropa Cup was the first ever international tournament competed by club sides from different countries. Over the years the teams were drawn from around southern Europe. Italy, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia were all represented throughout the years.

In the 20s and 30s it was one of the most important football tournaments in Europe. Famous clubs such as Sparta Prague (the first winners of the tournament), Ferencvaros, Rapid Vienna and Bologna were amongst the winners.

There was an inevitable break during the war years before the tournament resumed in 1951 under the name of the "Zentropa Cup". In the 50s the Hungarian teams unsurprisingly dominated with Red Star Belgrade breaking up the wins by Budapest clubs in 1958.

The 1960 tournament (known as the Danube Cup) took a slight break from tradition with all countries invited to send three teams to Budapest to contest the tournament. Rather than the best club emerging victorious a country was marked as the winner. Hungary's three clubs Ferencvaros, Tatabanyai Banyasz and Ujpest Dozsa performed the best winning the trophy for the Magyars pushing the Yugoslavs into second place. Can you imagine Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal representing England in a tournament like this? Seems unlikely doesn't it?

As the European Cup, Fairs Cup and UEFA Cup began to take the focus away from tournaments such as the Mitropa Cup the competition was fought by the winners of the second flights in each country. Italian countries dominated with giants AC Milan winning the cup in 1982, Udinese, Pisa (1985 - see picture) and Bari all won the cup in the 80s.

Interest in the tournament continued to wane and the last final in 1992 was contested by Boruc Banja Luca of (the then) Yugoslavia and Budapest VSC of Hungary at Foggia's stadium in front of around 1000 people.

Boruc Banja Luca - holders of the Mitropa Cup.