Gordon Schildenfeld
Encyclopedia
Gordon Schildenfeld is a Croatia
n football defender
who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt
in the 2nd Bundesliga
.
. His father came from Slovenia
, and is of Austria
n origin.
. The club's then manager Stanko Mršić gave him his senior debut at the age of 16, against NK Kamen Ingrad
. In the 2005–06 season, Schildenfeld helped Šibenik winning promotion to the top flight.
became interested in signing Schildenfeld and his Šibenik teammate Ante Rukavina
. It first seemed likely that Schildenfeld and Rukavina would move to Hajduk together, but then Dinamo entered the race for the two players. In the end, on 2 January 2007, Schildenfeld moved to Dinamo while Rukavina joined archrivals Hajduk. Despite only having five months of top-flight experience at the time, Schildenfeld quickly managed to establish himself as a regular at Dinamo and helped the club winning both Croatian league and cup
titles, also netting the crucial away goal against NK Slaven Belupo
in the second leg of the cup final.
In the first part of the 2007–08 season, Schildenfeld was also one of the regulars in Dinamo Zagreb's UEFA Champions League
and UEFA Cup
campaign, appearing in five Champions League qualifying matches and four UEFA Cup matches before the club was knocked out of the latter competition in the group stage. Schildenfeld became an unlucky figure in Dinamo's 2–1 defeat at Norwegian
side SK Brann in their second match in the UEFA Cup group stage, causing a penalty and being sent off for a professional foul
in the final moments of the first half. He missed the last two group matches, against Hamburger SV
and Stade Rennais, because of the red card.
top club Beşiktaş
in unexpected circumstances on 1 February 2008. Beşiktaş were actually ready to sign Schildenfeld's teammate Dino Drpić
, but the deal fell through due to Drpić's behaviour after a Croatian league match between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split almost two years earlier.
Schildenfeld made his Super League debut on 9 February 2008, coming on as a late substitute in Beşiktaş's 2–0 defeat at Kayserispor
. He played his first full Super League match a week later as Beşiktaş beat Ankaraspor 3–2 at home.
of the 2nd Bundesliga
on loan until the end of the season. He made his league debut for the club on 16 November 2008 in a 4–3 defeat at Greuther Fürth
, coming on as a substitute for Olcay Sahan
in the 83rd minute. He made just four appearances for the club in the league, all of them as a substitute.
of the Austrian Bundesliga on a season-long loan from Beşiktaş. He made his league debut for the club on 26 July 2009 in a 3–0 win at home to SC Magna Wiener Neustadt, coming on as a substitute for Ferdinand Feldhofer
in the 89th minute. He later managed to find his place as a regular at the club, appearing in 34 league matches during the season. His only goal in the league during the season came on 27 March 2010, when he netted the opening goal in a 3–0 win at Kapfenberger SV
.
During his first season with Sturm Graz, he also made ten appearances for the club in the UEFA Europa League and was also a regular feature in their run to the Austrian Cup
title, making six appearances in the competition. On 15 August 2009, he netted a brace against TSV St. Johann in the Austrian Cup, helping Sturm to grab a 4–2 extra-time win in the first-round match. He also completed the full 90 minutes in the Cup final on 16 May 2010, which Sturm won 1–0 against SC Magna Wiener Neustadt. On 8 June 2010, he signed a three-year contract with Sturm Graz.
, coming on as a substitute in a friendly match against Denmark
.
Schildenfeld went on to make his full international debut for Croatia
on 14 November 2009, coming on as a substitute for Darijo Srna
in the 58th minute of a friendly match against Liechtenstein
in Vinkovci
.
In 2010, he made a total of six international appearances, of which four were in friendlies. His competitive international debut came on 9 October 2010 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier at Israel
, in which he played the full 90 minutes. In November 2011, he played the full 90 minutes in both play-off matches against Turkey
, helping Croatia to qualify for the finals after a 3-0 aggregate win.
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 defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
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...
.
Early years
Schildenfeld was born in ŠibenikŠibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
. His father came from Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, and is of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n origin.
Šibenik
Schildenfeld began playing football at his hometown club HNK ŠibenikHNK Šibenik
HNK Šibenik is a Croatian football club based in the city of Šibenik on the Croatian coast.The club was formed in 1932. In 2006 the club finished first in the Croatian Second League's southern division and was promoted to the Prva HNL...
. The club's then manager Stanko Mršić gave him his senior debut at the age of 16, against NK Kamen Ingrad
NK Kamen Ingrad
NK Kamen Ingrad was a Croatian football club from Velika, a small town near Požega in the northeast of Croatia. The club was dissolved is July of 2008 after serious financial problems.-History:The club was formed as NK Velika in 1929...
. In the 2005–06 season, Schildenfeld helped Šibenik winning promotion to the top flight.
Dinamo Zagreb
Midway through his first season in the Croatian first division, the country's top clubs Hajduk Split and Dinamo ZagrebDinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
became interested in signing Schildenfeld and his Šibenik teammate Ante Rukavina
Ante Rukavina
Ante Rukavina is a Croatian footballer currently playing for Dinamo Zagreb. He also played at Šibenik, Hajduk Split and Panathinaikos earlier in his career.-Club career:...
. It first seemed likely that Schildenfeld and Rukavina would move to Hajduk together, but then Dinamo entered the race for the two players. In the end, on 2 January 2007, Schildenfeld moved to Dinamo while Rukavina joined archrivals Hajduk. Despite only having five months of top-flight experience at the time, Schildenfeld quickly managed to establish himself as a regular at Dinamo and helped the club winning both Croatian league and cup
Croatian Cup
The Croatian Cup is an annually held football tournament for Croatian football clubs and is the second most important competition in Croatian football after the Prva HNL league championship. It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation and usually runs from late August to May...
titles, also netting the crucial away goal against NK Slaven Belupo
NK 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 the second leg of the cup final.
In the first part of the 2007–08 season, Schildenfeld was also one of the regulars in Dinamo Zagreb's UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
campaign, appearing in five Champions League qualifying matches and four UEFA Cup matches before the club was knocked out of the latter competition in the group stage. Schildenfeld became an unlucky figure in Dinamo's 2–1 defeat at Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
side SK Brann in their second match in the UEFA Cup group stage, causing a penalty and being sent off for a professional foul
Professional foul
In sports, a professional foul is a deliberate act of foul play, usually to prevent an opponent's scoring.-Association football:The concept gained notoriety in association football after an infamous incident in the 1980 FA Cup Final when Willie Young of Arsenal committed a deliberate foul on Paul...
in the final moments of the first half. He missed the last two group matches, against Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
and Stade Rennais, because of the red card.
Beşiktaş
Although he was initially set to stay at Dinamo Zagreb, Schildenfeld was signed by TurkishTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
top club Beşiktaş
Besiktas J.K.
Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in unexpected circumstances on 1 February 2008. Beşiktaş were actually ready to sign Schildenfeld's teammate Dino Drpić
Dino Drpic
Dino Drpić is a Croatian footballer. A product of Dinamo Zagreb Academy, Drpić turned professional in 2000 and went on to spend nine years with the club...
, but the deal fell through due to Drpić's behaviour after a Croatian league match between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split almost two years earlier.
Schildenfeld made his Super League debut on 9 February 2008, coming on as a late substitute in Beşiktaş's 2–0 defeat at Kayserispor
Kayserispor
Kayserispor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Kayseri. Formed in 1966, Kayserispor are nicknamed Anadolu Yıldızı . The club colours are red and yellow, and the club play their home matches at Kadir Has Stadium.The club have won one Türkiye Kupası, in 2008...
. He played his first full Super League match a week later as Beşiktaş beat Ankaraspor 3–2 at home.
Duisburg
In September 2008, Schildenfeld joined MSV DuisburgMSV Duisburg
MSV Duisburg is a German association football club based in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia. Nicknamed "the Zebras" for their traditional striped jerseys, the club was one of the original members of the Bundesliga when it was formed in 1963.-Early years:...
of 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...
on loan until the end of the season. He made his league debut for the club on 16 November 2008 in a 4–3 defeat at Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a German association football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. The club was formed when the senior football side of newcomer Turn- und Sportverein Vestenbergsgreuth joined traditional club Spielvereinigung Fürth on 1 July 1996...
, coming on as a substitute for Olcay Sahan
Olcay Sahan
Olcay Şahan is a Turkish football player currently playing for 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He also holds German citizenship.-External links:...
in the 83rd minute. He made just four appearances for the club in the league, all of them as a substitute.
Sturm Graz
In July 2009, Schildenfeld joined SK Sturm GrazSK Sturm Graz
SK Sturm Graz is an Austrian association football club, based in Graz, Styria, playing in the Austrian Bundesliga. The club was founded in 1909 and the club colours are black and white....
of the Austrian Bundesliga on a season-long loan from Beşiktaş. He made his league debut for the club on 26 July 2009 in a 3–0 win at home to SC Magna Wiener Neustadt, coming on as a substitute for Ferdinand Feldhofer
Ferdinand Feldhofer
Ferdinand Feldhofer is an Austrian football player, who currently plays as a defender for Sturm Graz.-Club career:Feldhofer started his career as a youth player with USV Riegersberg, TuS Vorau and TSV Pöllau in Styria before joining Sturm Graz with whom he won the double in 1999...
in the 89th minute. He later managed to find his place as a regular at the club, appearing in 34 league matches during the season. His only goal in the league during the season came on 27 March 2010, when he netted the opening goal in a 3–0 win at Kapfenberger SV
Kapfenberger SV
Kapfenberger SV is an Austrian association football club from Kapfenberg. In the 2007/08 Austrian Football First League season they became champion and advanced to Austrian Bundesliga. The club was founded in 1919 as Kapfenberger SC...
.
During his first season with Sturm Graz, he also made ten appearances for the club in the UEFA Europa League and was also a regular feature in their run to the Austrian Cup
Austrian Cup
The Austrian Cup, in German: ÖFB-Cup is an annual football competition held by the Austrian Football Association, the ÖFB.It has been held since 1919, with the exception of the time of the Anschluss between 1939 and 1945 and the period between 1950 and 1958 when the competition was deemed of...
title, making six appearances in the competition. On 15 August 2009, he netted a brace against TSV St. Johann in the Austrian Cup, helping Sturm to grab a 4–2 extra-time win in the first-round match. He also completed the full 90 minutes in the Cup final on 16 May 2010, which Sturm won 1–0 against SC Magna Wiener Neustadt. On 8 June 2010, he signed a three-year contract with Sturm Graz.
International career
On 1 March 2006, Schildenfeld won his only international cap for the Croatian national under-21 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....
, coming on as a substitute in a friendly match against Denmark
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
.
Schildenfeld went on to make his full international debut 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...
on 14 November 2009, coming on as a substitute for Darijo Srna
Darijo Srna
Darijo Srna is a Croatian footballer who plays for Shakhtar Donetsk as a captain and is also the captain of the Croatian national team.-Club career:Srna's talent was seen by many scouts in Croatia while he was young...
in the 58th minute of a friendly match against Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein national football team
The Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German. The team's first match was an unofficial match against Malta in Seoul, a...
in Vinkovci
Vinkovci
Vinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
.
In 2010, he made a total of six international appearances, of which four were in friendlies. His competitive international debut came on 9 October 2010 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier at Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
, in which he played the full 90 minutes. In November 2011, he played the full 90 minutes in both play-off matches against Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
, helping Croatia to qualify for the finals after a 3-0 aggregate win.