Dinamo Zagreb kicked off their Croatian Football League title defense with a comfortable 3-0 home win over HNK Vukovar 1991 on August 9, 2025. The reigning champions sent a clear message to their rivals with a dominant display at Stadion Maksimir. Dinamo took the lead in the first half through a well-worked team move and doubled their advantage just before halftime. They controlled the tempo in the second period and added a third goal to put a gloss on the scoreline. The match result sees Dinamo Zagreb start the season exactly as they finished the last, at the top of the table, while newly promoted Vukovar 1991 experienced a tough introduction to top-flight football. The Dinamo manager praised his team's professional attitude, and the Vukovar coach acknowledged the gulf in class on the day.