Ico Hitrec

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ivan Ico Hitrec

| image =

| fullname = Ivan Hitrec

| birth_date = {{birth date|1911|04|13|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Zagreb, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary

| death_date = {{death date and age|1946|10|11|1911|04|13|df=yes}}

| death_place = Zagreb, FPR Yugoslavia

| position = Striker

| youthyears1= 1924–1927

| youthclubs1= Ilirija Zagreb

| nationalyears1= 1929–1939

| nationalteam1= Kingdom of Yugoslavia

| nationalcaps1 = 14

|nationalgoals1 =10

| manageryears1 = 1945 | manageryears2 =1945–1946

| managerclubs1 = OSK Mladost | managerclubs2 =Dinamo Zagreb (assistant)

}}

Ivan "Ico" Hitrec (13 April 1911 – 11 October 1946) was a Croatian and Yugoslav football player.

He was the first technical officer and in his office in the Zagreb power-works in Gundulićeva Street, the best players from Građanski met and discussed forming a new club with blue shirts which later became Dinamo Zagreb.

Club career

The centre-forward became a legend after scoring twice against then famous Spanish keeper Ricardo Zamora during the first night game in Zagreb between Zagreb and Madrid in 1931. As one of the first Croatian international players, he went on to play for Grasshopper of Switzerland, and "Kicker", at the time the foremost sports journal in Europe, chose him as a member of the European elite 11.

International career

Hitrec was a goal-scorer for the Kingdom of Yugoslavia national team. He appeared in 14 international games and scored 9 goals in 7 of them. He was one of seven Croatian players to boycott the Yugoslavia national team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup after the Football Association of Yugoslavia was moved from Zagreb to Belgrade.[http://www.reprezentacija.rs/index.php/statistika/reprezentativci/1088 Career story at Serbian Federation site] His final international was an October 1939 friendly match against Germany.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=8401|title=Player Database|accessdate=29 July 2022|website=EU-football}}

Style of play

Hitrec's play was characterized by excellent technique and dribbling skills. He was able to sprint 100 meters in under 12 seconds in football conditions making him one of the fastest footballers of the era.{{cite web|url=http://povijest.gnkdinamo.hr/iz-medija/100-godina-dinama.html|title=100 godina Dinama - Povijest Dinama|work=gnkdinamo.hr|publisher=GNK Dinamo|location=Zagreb|language=hr|accessdate=31 October 2016|archive-date=21 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921140926/http://povijest.gnkdinamo.hr/iz-medija/100-godina-dinama.html|url-status=dead}} He was also known for very powerful kicks, and was quoted as saying jokingly that he did not like to perform 11 m penalty kicks because they were "too close" (to the goal). Severino Minelli, his Grasshopper teammate, reminisced about Hitrec: "I played many matches where Hitrec was brilliant, the best. But, above all, I remember his kicks. Frightful! Goalkeepers would move away from his balls, I'm not exaggerating, that's indeed how it was."{{cite web|url=https://sportske.jutarnji.hr/sn/nogomet/100-najboljih/imao-je-top-u-nogama-a-englezi-se-nisu-mogli-nadiviti-njegovoj-zabi-to-je-nesvakidasnji-dribling-15003542|title=Imao je top u nogama, a Englezi se nisu mogli nadiviti njegovoj ‘žabi‘: ‘To je nesvakidašnji dribling‘|work=Sportske novosti|date=19 June 2020|language=hr|accessdate=30 March 2021}}