Haris Medunjanin
Encyclopedia
Haris Medunjanin is a Bosnian
footballer who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in Israel
. Mainly a attacking midfielder, he can also appear as an left midfielder
.
He has dual citizenship, Bosnian
and Dutch
.
. Due to the Bosnian War
in 1992, he moved to the Netherlands
at the age of seven, with his mother and sister.
debut on February 20, 2005, with AZ Alkmaar, but opportunities were scarce during his three-year spell at the club. In 2006–07, he was loaned to Sparta Rotterdam
, being essential as the modest outfit finished 13th in the season, with seven league goals.
After another unassuming season with AZ, Medunjanin was snapped by Spain
's Real Valladolid
in August 2008, being relatively used in his debut season (mainly from the bench).
In June 2010, after Valladolid's relegation
– during the season, he scored all of his five La Liga
goals as a late substitute – Medunjanin signed for Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. of Israel
for €
1.800.000, penning a four-year contract. On July 15, he made his official debut for the club, in a UEFA Europa League second qualifying round against FK Mogren
, and scored in a 2–0 home win.
that won the 2006
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
. In 2007, he was called up by coach Foppe de Haan
to be part of his squad for the 2007 edition
, held in the Netherlands.
The Dutch went on to retain their 2006 title by beating Serbia
4–1 in the final, and in the process qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games
in Beijing
.
In a 2009 interview, Medunjanin expressed strong desire to play for his native Bosnia
, as new FIFA
rules would allow. In August of the same year, his paperwork for change of footballing citizenship was submitted to FIFA. On October 31, 2009, national coach Miroslav Blažević
invited Medunjanin for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
playoff games
against Portugal
. He made his debut – as a starter – in the decisive second leg, a 0–1 loss in Zenica
(0–2 aggregate).
On 2 September 2011, Medunjanin scored his third international goal against Belarus
, in a 2–0 away win, and added another the following month against Luxembourg
(5–0, home), helping his native country to the second place in its group in the Euro 2012 qualifiers
and the subsequent playoffs.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
footballer who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Mainly a attacking midfielder, he can also appear as an left 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...
.
He has dual citizenship, Bosnian
Bosnians
Bosnians are people who reside in, or come from, Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the modern state definition a Bosnian can be anyone who holds citizenship of the state. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the constituent ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and...
and Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Early years
Medunjanin was born in SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
. Due to the Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
in 1992, he moved to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
at the age of seven, with his mother and sister.
Club career
Medunjanin made his EredivisieEredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
debut on February 20, 2005, with AZ Alkmaar, but opportunities were scarce during his three-year spell at the club. In 2006–07, he was loaned to Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
, being essential as the modest outfit finished 13th in the season, with seven league goals.
After another unassuming season with AZ, Medunjanin was snapped by Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
in August 2008, being relatively used in his debut season (mainly from the bench).
In June 2010, after Valladolid's relegation
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
– during the season, he scored all of his five La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
goals as a late substitute – Medunjanin signed for Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
1.800.000, penning a four-year contract. On July 15, he made his official debut for the club, in a UEFA Europa League second qualifying round against FK Mogren
FK Mogren
FK Mogren is a football club based in Budva, Montenegro, currently competing in the Montenegrin First League.-History:The club was founded in 1920.The Mogren at its inception called Budva FK, and from 1991 was called FK Mogren....
, and scored in a 2–0 home win.
International career
Medunjanin was part of the Dutch U-21 teamNetherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
that won the 2006
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
. In 2007, he was called up by coach Foppe de Haan
Foppe de Haan
Foppe de Haan OON is a Dutch football coach. He is known for his long association with Frisian club SC Heerenveen. De Haan is currently manager of the Tuvalu national football team.-Career:...
to be part of his squad for the 2007 edition
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
, held in the Netherlands.
The Dutch went on to retain their 2006 title by beating Serbia
Serbia national under-21 football team
The Serbia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Serbia and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia....
4–1 in the final, and in the process qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held in Beijing and several other cities in the People's Republic of China from 6 August to 23 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23 teams to participate...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
In a 2009 interview, Medunjanin expressed strong desire to play for his native Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, as new FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
rules would allow. In August of the same year, his paperwork for change of footballing citizenship was submitted to FIFA. On October 31, 2009, national coach Miroslav Blažević
Miroslav Blaževic
Miroslav "Ćiro" Blažević is a Bosnian Croat football manager. He is the current head coach of Mes Kerman in Iran Pro League....
invited Medunjanin for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
playoff games
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of...
against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
. He made his debut – as a starter – in the decisive second leg, a 0–1 loss in Zenica
Zenica
Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
(0–2 aggregate).
On 2 September 2011, Medunjanin scored his third international goal against Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
, in a 2–0 away win, and added another the following month against Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
(5–0, home), helping his native country to the second place in its group in the Euro 2012 qualifiers
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...
and the subsequent playoffs.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 17 November 2010 | Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... |
3–2 | Win | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2. | 7 June 2011 | Zenica Zenica Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity... |
2–0 | Win | Euro 2012 qualifying UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine... |
|
| 3. | 2 September 2011 | Minsk Minsk - Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened... |
2-0 | Win | Euro 2012 qualifying UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine... |
|
| 4. | 7 October 2011 | Zenica Zenica Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity... |
5-0 | Win | Euro 2012 qualifying UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine... |
Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup Trophy A trophy is a reward for a specific achievement, and serves as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
International | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AZ | 2005–06 | 10 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 12 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Sparta Sparta Rotterdam Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887.... |
2006–07 | 32 | 7 | ||||||||
| 32 | 7 | ||||||||||
| AZ | 2007–08 | 12 | 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 14 | 1 | ||||||||||
| Valladolid Real Valladolid Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived.... |
2008–09 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| 21 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2009–10 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | 0 | 28 | 5 | ||||||||
| Total | 42 | 6 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 49 | 7 | |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | 2010–11 | 32 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 46 | 14 |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Israeli Premier League The 2010–11 Israeli Premier League is the thirteenth season since its introduction in 1999 and the 70th season of top-tier football in Israel. It began on 20 August 2011 and will end on 12 May 2012... |
5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| Total | 37 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 57 | 16 | |
| Total | 133 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 164 | 33 | |