Sofascore, the Croatian sports-tech company behind one of the world’s most popular sports platforms, is marking its 15th anniversary. The story began in the school desks of Klinča Sela, where friends Zlatko Hrkać and Ivan Bešlić launched a simple blog. Fifteen years later, that idea has grown into a global product used by more than 120 million active users annually.
Today, Sofascore’s sports platform ranks among the most downloaded apps worldwide and offers users the largest number of matches in one place. Through years of continuous development, Sofascore has evolved into a recognizable international brand that covers the entire sports ecosystem, from professional leagues and clubs, to major sporting competitions, as well as local amateur teams. The company now employs 350 experts in more than 10 countries across the globe.
“Our journey was never a sprint, it was a long, persistent and very honest marathon,” the co-founders Hrkać and Bešlić say. “It all started as a hobby, from the desire to create something useful for fans, and today the very large community we’ve built confirms that we’re on the right path.”
Over the years, Sofascore has introduced a number of innovations that have shaped how sports fans follow matches today. The most famous among them is the Sofascore Rating, a globally recognized player-rating algorithm that has become a global standard used by fans, media, and professional footballers themselves. Based on this algorithm, the Player of the Season awards are also granted, awards that have so far been received by some of the world’s best male and female footballers.
The platform has also opened the door to new projects. Torneo by Sofascore, software for managing lower-league and amateur competitions, has digitalized the work of thousands of clubs and organizers around the world. Alongside Torneo, the company has an ambitious goal, to collect every match in the world played on a field with a referee and make them all accessible in one place.
Despite rapid global growth, Sofascore remains deeply committed to developing the local IT community. Since its launch in 2016, Sofascore Academy has seen hundreds of young talents pass through its programs, and more than forty of them are now part of the company.
Sofascore celebrates its 15th anniversary as a global name, but with the same mission it started with: to offer sports audiences an experience that is fast, clear, and relevant.
“We are proud of everything we’ve been through, but even more excited about what lies ahead,” the co-founders conclude. “Sport is changing, technology is changing, and we are changing with them. We have big plans ahead of us, including stronger expansion into the U.S. market and further global growth. We will continue to grow, build, and innovate, always guided by the same idea: to create a platform that fans love to use.”
