A native of
Novi Marof in
Varaždin County, Cvek first started playing at the local side
NK Varteks before moving to
NK Dinamo Zagreb in 1965. In the following five seasons between 1965 and 1970 Cvek appeared in 112
Yugoslav First League matches for the Blues and helped them win the 1969
Yugoslav Cup and the
1966–67 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the greatest achievement in club's history (although he did not appear in the
final against
Leeds United). His career was cut short by a
meniscus injury he picked up in the
1969–70 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final away match against
Schalke 04, from which he never fully recovered and which forced the talented defender to retire in 1970 at just 24 years of age. ==International career==