Danijel Štefulj
Encyclopedia
Danijel Štefulj is a retired Croatia
n football
player who played as a defender
and midfielder
.
During his 16-year-long professional career, Štefulj played for several clubs in Croatia and Germany
, most notably Croatia Zagreb (now Dinamo Zagreb) and Hannover 96
. He retired in 2008 with NK Međimurje.
. In 1999, he moved to German
side Hannover 96
, who played in the 2nd Bundesliga
at the time. He established himself as a regular at the club, appearing in a total of 95 league matches over the following three seasons and helping the club gain promotion to the 1st Bundesliga
in 2002. He scored a total of 14 league goals during the three seasons.
During the 2002-03 season, he appeared in a total of 22 Bundesliga matches for Hannover, scoring his only goal of the season in a 4-2 win against 1. FC Nuremberg in February 2003. The following season, he made 9 more Bundesliga appearances for Hannover before being loaned to Nuremberg in February 2004, making 16 appearances for the club in the 2nd Bundesliga until the end of the season and scoring two goals for the club in a 4-3 win at VfL Osnabrück
in May 2004. He also helped Nuremberg return to the top flight for the 2004-05 season.
He then returned to Hannover following the end of the 2003-04 season, but only made 4 Bundesliga appearances for the club throughout the entire 2004-05 Bundesliga season. In the summer of 2005, he moved to SC Paderborn 07
, where he only made one appearance in the 2nd Bundesliga before moving to Rot-Weiss Essen
in the winter break of the 2005-06 season and making 10 appearances for the club in the Regionalliga Nord. He also helped Essen gain promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga for the 2006-07 season, but made no appearances in the league before leaving for NK Međimurje in January 2007. He finished his career with Međimurje during the 2007-08 season.
between 1993 and 1996, all in international friendlies. He also won two full international caps for Croatia
in their friendly matches against Poland
and Hungary
in 1996.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player who played as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
and midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
During his 16-year-long professional career, Štefulj played for several clubs in Croatia and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, most notably Croatia Zagreb (now Dinamo Zagreb) and Hannover 96
Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.-Foundation to WWII:...
. He retired in 2008 with NK Međimurje.
Club career
Štefulj started his professional career with NK Varteks in 1992, before transferring to Croatia Zagreb in the winter break of the 1995-96 season. During the 1997-98 season, he also spent a few months on loan to NK Slaven BelupoNK Slaven Belupo
NK Slaven Belupo, often referred to simply as Slaven and known internationally as NK Slaven Koprivnica, is a Croatian football club based in the city of Koprivnica in the north of the country...
. In 1999, he moved to German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
side Hannover 96
Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.-Foundation to WWII:...
, who played in the 2nd Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
at the time. He established himself as a regular at the club, appearing in a total of 95 league matches over the following three seasons and helping the club gain promotion to the 1st Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
in 2002. He scored a total of 14 league goals during the three seasons.
During the 2002-03 season, he appeared in a total of 22 Bundesliga matches for Hannover, scoring his only goal of the season in a 4-2 win against 1. FC Nuremberg in February 2003. The following season, he made 9 more Bundesliga appearances for Hannover before being loaned to Nuremberg in February 2004, making 16 appearances for the club in the 2nd Bundesliga until the end of the season and scoring two goals for the club in a 4-3 win at VfL Osnabrück
VfL Osnabrück
VfL Osnabrück is a German multi-sport club in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony. It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis, but is by far best known for its football section.- Foundation to WW2 :...
in May 2004. He also helped Nuremberg return to the top flight for the 2004-05 season.
He then returned to Hannover following the end of the 2003-04 season, but only made 4 Bundesliga appearances for the club throughout the entire 2004-05 Bundesliga season. In the summer of 2005, he moved to SC Paderborn 07
SC Paderborn 07
SC Paderborn 07 is a German association football club based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the 2. Bundesliga.-History:...
, where he only made one appearance in the 2nd Bundesliga before moving to Rot-Weiss Essen
Rot-Weiss Essen
Rot-Weiss Essen is a German association football club based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- Early years :The club was formed as SV Vogelheim on 1 February 1907 out of the merger of two smaller clubs: SC Preussen and Deutsche Eiche. In 1910, Vogelheim came to an arrangement with Turnerbund...
in the winter break of the 2005-06 season and making 10 appearances for the club in the Regionalliga Nord. He also helped Essen gain promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga for the 2006-07 season, but made no appearances in the league before leaving for NK Međimurje in January 2007. He finished his career with Međimurje during the 2007-08 season.
International career
Štefulj made four international appearances for the Croatian national under-21 football teamCroatia national under-21 football team
The Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
between 1993 and 1996, all in international friendlies. He also won two full international caps for Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
in their friendly matches against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
and Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
in 1996.
External links
- Štefulj Danijel profile at Nogometni MagazinNogometni MagazinNogometni Magazin is a news organization that focusses on Croatian football news. It was launched in March of 2002. The site's editor-in-chief is Vladimir Benić and it is based out of Zagreb....
- National Football Teams - Stefulj, Danijel Player Details
- Croatian Football Federation: Statistics - Danijel Štefulj