Australia Cup 2025: Adelaide Croatia Raiders balance pride and survival as 40-year wait ends
- Antonis Pagonis
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Adelaide Croatia Raiders have waited 40 years to return to the national stage. A forgettable league season is salvaged by a strong cup run, as the proud South Australian Croatian community returns to the spotlight provided by the Australia Cup.
Donatien Niyonkuru (left) and Philemon Uwineza (right) celebrate Adelaide Croatia's return to the national stage of the Australia Cup. (Image: Pagonis Photography)
The phrase "magic of the cup" can often feel overused or cliché. But in the case of Adelaide Croatia Raiders, it is fitting.
The Adelaide Croatia Soccer Club was founded in 1952 by Croatian migrants as a space for the local diaspora to connect while watching the sport they love. Just 10 years into their existence, Croatia earned the right to participate in the inaugural version of the Australia Cup, as well as in the two following years.
League success also saw the club invited to the NSL Cup in 1985, with Raiders going on a famous run after defeating both South Australian-based juggernauts, Adelaide City and West Adelaide, before falling just short of a Semi-Final after going down to Sunshine George Cross in extra time of the Quarter-Final.
While the South Australia Croatian community reflects on the run with pride, it was also the last chance their club had to display itself in a national competition until 2025.
The 40-year wait came to an end in an unorthodox manner. Stuck at the bottom of the ladder after losing at home to rivals FK Beograd, and days from a Federation Cup Semi-Final against the same side, Raiders made the tough decision to part ways with the coach who got them promoted back to the NPL just under two years ago, Vlado Blazeka.
Incoming coach Phil Scardigno only had one session to prepare his players before the big day. But a late penalty sent his side to the Federation Cup Final and the Australia Cup Round of 32.
Phil Scardigno speaks to his team after qualifying for the Australia Cup Round of 32. (Image: Pagonis Photography)
While the depleted Raiders put up a gallant fight against MetroStars, they were unable to overcome their opponents on the day, with attention moving to two imperatives for the rest of the season: pride and survival.
Speaking to Front Page Football, Scardigno, a former Croatia player, is excited by the prospect of his side appearing in the Australia Cup. But he is staying grounded on the challenge at hand: improving his side's performances and avoiding relegation.
"We are in a position that if you focus just on your position on the table and the points, you forget about the performance. For us, it is about where we can improve our game every week," Scardigno said.
"I have taken over a new group of players, and I am learning about them. For me, as the coach, it's about whether we can play better every week, and we've had a couple of good results. I am getting that response from the players; they are conscious of taking care of what matters on the field and letting the result take care of itself."
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With four games to go, Croatia find themselves at the bottom of the table, but crucially only a point away from safety.
While facing a scrap to stay up in the local league, Scardigno knows the national stage cannot be treated as an afterthought, describing it as a "pride piece" for the local Croatian community.
His sudden appointment to the Croatia hot seat means Scardigno is working overtime not just to get familiar with his squad, but also to educate himself on his team's Australia Cup opponents. When asked about taking on Cooks Hill United, Scardigno stated that any team in the Round of 32 of the competition is well-drilled and paid credit to coach Chris Zoricich for getting his side to the national stage.
While many players may have enjoyed an interstate trip, Scardigno is overjoyed with a home tie as his side enters the decisive final stretch of its season.
"I am very happy for it to be a home game, to travel midweek would be very disruptive at the moment, particularly with the amount of important games we've got. For our club, we've got the best facility in South Australia, so the fact that we can house that and our supporters and neutrals can come and watch it in comfort is a fantastic opportunity."
Adelaide Croatia Raiders fans celebrate Australia Cup qualification with their players. (Image: Pagonis Photography)
Most importantly, though, Scardigno recognises the importance of the moment for his club. While many South Australian members of the Croatian community have had to look interstate for a source of representation in the Australia Cup, the 2025 edition sees the local Adelaide side participate on the big stage.
"It's huge, you felt it in the Semi-Final against Beograd where they made a hell of a noise and they were like our 12th man," Scardigno shared on his first experience as Raiders coach.
"I am really happy for the supporters because they are loyal and they have been waiting for this opportunity. They don't just have to support a Melbourne or Sydney side; they can also support their Adelaide team. If we can get out of that first round, it would be even better.
"Many get to witness this for the first time, and hopefully it has a big impact on the junior players and the families to know that they can be part of this at our club."
While Australia Cup participation can feel like a burden for a side battling for survival, the Adelaide Croatia Raiders and their coach, Phil Scardigno, are embracing the opportunity to showcase a proud community on the national stage for the first time in 40 years.
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