Dušan Zinaja (23 October 1893 – 26 September 1948) was a Croatian and Yugoslav cross-country skier and football striker and coach.
Zinaja was born in Budapest (at the time Austria-Hungary). He was member of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes team at the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix where he took part in both cross-country skiing events.[1]
Football career
Zinaja spent his entire career with HAŠK (Croatian Academic & Sports Club). As member of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes national football team, he has played only once, on 10 June 1923 in Bucharest against Romania.[2]
Zinaja became first player in Yugoslav football history to be appointed a national team coach.
He led national team as coach from 28 September 1924 to 4 November 1925, during which time team of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes played three matches.
Death
Zinaja died on 26 September 1948 in a traffic accident near the village of Poklek on Mt. Žumberak, near Zagreb, Croatia (at the time FPR Yugoslavia).
References
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Dušan Zinaja". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Player Database". EU-football. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
External links
- Dušan Zinaja at National-Football-Teams.com
- Dušan Zinaja at EU-Football.info
- Dušan Zinaja at Olympedia
- Dušan Zinaja at Reprezentacija.rs (in Serbian)
- Olimpics in Croatia, Libera Editio d.o.o., 2007
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