Lokomotiva Zagreb NK Lokomotiva Zagreb holds a distinctive position in Croatian football, serving as the historical sporting emblem of the capital's railway workers and one of the region's most productive talent academies. Founded on 1 May 1914 as ŽŠK Victoria (Željezničarski športski klub Victoria), the club underwent several name changes, including Željezničar, before adopting the name Lokomotiva in 1945. The team traditionally plays in blue and white kits, earning the widely recognized nickname 'Lokosi' (The Railwaymen) in reference to its heritage.
For most of its early history, the club operated in the shadow of Zagreb's larger institutions, residing at its traditional home ground, Igralište na Kajzerici, in the Novi Zagreb district. Following its rise to the top flight (Prva HNL), licensing requirements led the club to host top-tier fixtures at Stadion Maksimir before establishing its long-term matchday home at the historic Stadion Kranjčevićeva. The club's earliest golden era occurred between 1947 and 1955 in the Yugoslav First League, highlighted by a 3rd-place finish in 1952 behind Hajduk Split and Red Star Belgrade. In modern Croatian football, Lokomotiva has finished as Prva HNL runners-up on 2 occasions (2012–13 and 2019–20) and reached the Croatian Cup (Hrvatski nogometni kup) final in both of those landmark seasons. Iconic players who launched or developed their careers at the club include Andrej Kramarić, Lovro Majer, Ante Budimir, Lirim Kastrati, and Myrto Uzuni.
In European competitions, NK Lokomotiva Zagreb made its continental debut in the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League qualifiers against Dinamo Minsk. The club's greatest international campaign occurred during the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, where Lokomotiva navigated three qualifying rounds to reach the play-off round before falling to Belgian side KRC Genk. In the 2020–21 season, following their domestic runners-up finish, the club featured in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds for the first time, facing Rapid Wien.
Today, Lokomotiva remains a fixture in the top tier of Croatian football, celebrated for its progressive scouting network and consistent ability to hone elite young talent for European leagues.