Ivica Olic
Encyclopedia
Ivica Olić (ˈiʋitsa ˈɔːlitɕ; born 14 September 1979) is a Croatia
n professional footballer who plays for Bayern Munich
in Germany
and internationally for the Croatian national team
.
near Nova Gradiška
, Croatia
, Yugoslavia
. He started playing football for the local club NK Marsonia
in 1996, and spent two good seasons there before he was acquired by Hertha BSC in 1998. He did not see much play there and returned to Marsonia the following year.
After another successful season at Marsonia — in the 2000–01 season, he scored 17 goals in 29 games — in 2001, he moved to NK Zagreb
where he scored 21 goals in 28 appearances and helped his team win the league. The following season, he moved to Dinamo Zagreb, where he scored 16 goals in 27 games, and became the best striker of the Croatian First League.
in 2005, the Russian Premier League
three times (in 2003, 2005 and 2006), the Russian Cup twice (in 2005 and 2006), and twice the Russian Super Cup
(2004 and 2006).
, playing his first Bundesliga game with them against Energie Cottbus
on 31 January. He was signed because Hamburg were in deep trouble, finishing in the relegation zone before the winter break. It worked out in the end, and Hamburg finished seventh, which even acquired them an Intertoto Cup place, which they eventually won. He scored two goals in the last match in the 2006–07 Bundesliga season against Alemannia Aachen
in a 4–0 win. In October 2007, Olić scored a hat-trick in the Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart
, which Hamburg won 4–1. He was the first player in the club's history to score three successive goals in one half.
Olić effectively won the 2008 Emirates Cup
for Hamburg, with two injury time goals against Juventus
increasing the team's points tally to an unassailable level (due to the points-for-goals system). He endeared himself to Hamburg fans for his commitment and consistent work rate on the pitch. In his last game for the north German club, he sported a t-shirt with the words, "Danke fans" ("Thank you, fans") written on it as he bid farewell to the fans.
rivals Bayern Munich
. He joined the club on a free transfer on 1 July 2009. Initially, he was supposed to be back-up to the likes of Miroslav Klose
and Mario Gómez
, but due to injury and fitness issues, he began to be preferred as first choice. On 8 August, his Bayern debut, he scored the opening goal against TSG Hoffenheim
in a 1–1 draw and soon became a favourite with the Bayern fans. He reached new heights upon scoring a crucial goal in the 2010 Champions League quarter-final (first leg) against Manchester United
in injury time, to give Bayern a slender 2–1 lead. He also scored the first goal in the second leg for his team, but they trailed 3–1. The game ended 3–2. Bayern, however, won on away goals. This knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League. He scored his first hat-trick
for the Bavarians against Olympique Lyonnais
scoring with his left foot, right foot and his head a first in the champions league in the second leg of the semi-finals on 27 April 2010. The victory against Lyon secured his team a place in the UEFA Champion's League final, against Inter Milan which they eventually lost 2-0.
at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
where he played in two games and scored one goal, but an important one against Italy
which ended 2–1 for Croatia. Shortly after scoring, Olić revealed a picture of his newly born child at the time under his jersey. He was remembered as being unable to put his jersey back on, as the material became tangled in the excitement during his celebration. Olić also played three games for Croatia in Euro 2004
, and two games in 2006 FIFA World Cup
.
In September 2006, Olić was dropped from Croatian squad for a qualifying match for one game due to a late-night partying binge together with Darijo Srna
and Boško Balaban
.
Olić was named man of the match
in the very last qualifier of their group in which Croatia defeated England
3–2. He famously scored the second goal in the match, which gave Croatia a two goal lead and knocked England out of contention for a place at the Euro 2008. England manager Steve McClaren
was sacked as a result.
Olić was named in Croatia's 23-man squad for Euro 2008. On 12 June, he scored in the 62nd minute of Croatia's second Group B
match against Germany
to give the Croats a 2–1 shock win over the pre-tournament favourites. He was rested for the last group match as they had already secured qualification for the knockout stages ahead of Germany. Croatia was victorious over Poland
, making Croatia hold a record of 3–0–0 in the first round of Euro Cup 2008. On 15 June 2008, he was, according to Castrol Index sponsors
, the fastest player at Euro 2008.
Olić was recalled to the side for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers
. He contributed three goals in eight games, but Croatia missed out on a play-off spot by a point.
Dinamo Zagreb
CSKA Moscow
FC Bayern Munich
Statistics accurate as of 27 November 2011
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 professional footballer who plays for Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
in 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...
and internationally for the Croatian national team
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...
.
Early career
Olić was born and raised in the village of DavorDavor
Davor is a municipality in Brod-Posavina County, next to the city of Slavonski Brod, Croatia. There are 3,259 inhabitants, of whom an absolute majority are Croats ....
near Nova Gradiška
Nova Gradiška
Nova Gradiška is a city located in the Brod-Posavina County of Croatia, population 14,196 . It is located in the historic region of Slavonia, near the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, Croatia
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 ...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. He started playing football for the local club NK Marsonia
NK Marsonia
NK Marsonia is a Croatian football club based in the town of Slavonski Brod which currently plays in Treća HNL, Croatia's third level league.NK Marsonia was founded in 1909...
in 1996, and spent two good seasons there before he was acquired by Hertha BSC in 1998. He did not see much play there and returned to Marsonia the following year.
After another successful season at Marsonia — in the 2000–01 season, he scored 17 goals in 29 games — in 2001, he moved to NK Zagreb
NK Zagreb
NK Zagreb is a Croatian football club, from the Croatian capital of Zagreb.NK Zagreb's home is the Stadion Kranjčevićeva with capacity of 8,850. The club's fans are known as the White Angels...
where he scored 21 goals in 28 appearances and helped his team win the league. The following season, he moved to Dinamo Zagreb, where he scored 16 goals in 27 games, and became the best striker of the Croatian First League.
CSKA Moscow
In 2003, Olić was acquired by CSKA Moscow. His form rose gradually, and in the 2005 season, he contributed 10 goals in twice as many games. With CSKA Moscow, he won the UEFA CupUEFA 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...
in 2005, the Russian Premier League
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
three times (in 2003, 2005 and 2006), the Russian Cup twice (in 2005 and 2006), and twice the Russian Super Cup
Russian Super Cup
The Russian Super Cup is a one-match football annual competition. Its official sponsored name is TransTeleCom Russian Supercup . The two participating clubs are holders of the Russian Premier League champions title and the Russian Cup...
(2004 and 2006).
Hamburg
In January 2007, Olić moved to Hamburger SVHamburger 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...
, playing his first Bundesliga game with them against Energie Cottbus
Energie Cottbus
FC Energie Cottbus is a German association football club based in Cottbus, Lusatia . It was founded in 1963 as SC Cottbus in what was, at the time, East Germany...
on 31 January. He was signed because Hamburg were in deep trouble, finishing in the relegation zone before the winter break. It worked out in the end, and Hamburg finished seventh, which even acquired them an Intertoto Cup place, which they eventually won. He scored two goals in the last match in the 2006–07 Bundesliga season against Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen is a German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long term fixture of the country's second division, Alemannia enjoyed a three-year turn in the top flight in the late 1960s and, after a successful 2005–06 campaign, returned to first division play...
in a 4–0 win. In October 2007, Olić scored a hat-trick in the Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
, which Hamburg won 4–1. He was the first player in the club's history to score three successive goals in one half.
Olić effectively won the 2008 Emirates Cup
Emirates Cup
The Emirates Cup is an annual two-day pre-season football tournament hosted by English Premier League club Arsenal and held at the Emirates Stadium, the club's home ground...
for Hamburg, with two injury time goals against Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
increasing the team's points tally to an unassailable level (due to the points-for-goals system). He endeared himself to Hamburg fans for his commitment and consistent work rate on the pitch. In his last game for the north German club, he sported a t-shirt with the words, "Danke fans" ("Thank you, fans") written on it as he bid farewell to the fans.
Bayern Munich
On 3 January 2009, Olić signed a three year contract with BundesligaFußball-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...
rivals Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
. He joined the club on a free transfer on 1 July 2009. Initially, he was supposed to be back-up to the likes of Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Josef Klose is a German footballer who plays as a striker for Lazio in the Serie A. Since bursting onto the international stage at the 2002 World Cup, he has become well known for his knack of scoring headers, front-flip goal celebrations, and decisive short passing.Klose holds German...
and Mario Gómez
Mario Gómez
Mario Gómez García is a German footballer who plays as a striker for FC Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga. Gómez joined Bayern after six years in Stuttgart. The fee was a record for a player transferred in the Bundesliga, estimated to be 30–35 million euro...
, but due to injury and fitness issues, he began to be preferred as first choice. On 8 August, his Bayern debut, he scored the opening goal against TSG Hoffenheim
TSG Hoffenheim
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim is a German association football club based in Hoffenheim, a suburb of Sinsheim, Baden-Württemberg. In 2007 the club decided to adopt the use of the short form name 1899 Hoffenheim in place of the traditional TSG Hoffenheim...
in a 1–1 draw and soon became a favourite with the Bayern fans. He reached new heights upon scoring a crucial goal in the 2010 Champions League quarter-final (first leg) against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in injury time, to give Bayern a slender 2–1 lead. He also scored the first goal in the second leg for his team, but they trailed 3–1. The game ended 3–2. Bayern, however, won on away goals. This knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League. He scored his first hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
for the Bavarians against Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
scoring with his left foot, right foot and his head a first in the champions league in the second leg of the semi-finals on 27 April 2010. The victory against Lyon secured his team a place in the UEFA Champion's League final, against Inter Milan which they eventually lost 2-0.
International career
Olić was part of the Croatian national teamCroatia 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...
at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
where he played in two games and scored one goal, but an important one against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
which ended 2–1 for Croatia. Shortly after scoring, Olić revealed a picture of his newly born child at the time under his jersey. He was remembered as being unable to put his jersey back on, as the material became tangled in the excitement during his celebration. Olić also played three games for Croatia in Euro 2004
2004 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in...
, and two games in 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
In September 2006, Olić was dropped from Croatian squad for a qualifying match for one game due to a late-night partying binge together with 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...
and Boško Balaban
Boško Balaban
Boško Balaban is a Croatian footballer who currently plays for Panionios in the Super League Greece as a striker. He is a former member of the Croatia national team.-Early career:...
.
Olić was named man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
in the very last qualifier of their group in which Croatia defeated England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
3–2. He famously scored the second goal in the match, which gave Croatia a two goal lead and knocked England out of contention for a place at the Euro 2008. England manager Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
was sacked as a result.
Olić was named in Croatia's 23-man squad for Euro 2008. On 12 June, he scored in the 62nd minute of Croatia's second Group B
UEFA Euro 2008 Group B
Group B of the 2008 UEFA European Championships was one of four groups of competing nations at UEFA Euro 2008. The first of the three rounds of matches were played on 8 June, and the final round was completed on 16 June. All six of the group's matches were played at venues in Austria, in Vienna and...
match against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
to give the Croats a 2–1 shock win over the pre-tournament favourites. He was rested for the last group match as they had already secured qualification for the knockout stages ahead of Germany. Croatia was victorious over 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...
, making Croatia hold a record of 3–0–0 in the first round of Euro Cup 2008. On 15 June 2008, he was, according to Castrol Index sponsors
Castrol Performance Index
The Castrol Performance Index is a ranking system created by Castrol for men's club association football as part of a sponsorship package with FIFA. The system uses mathematical formulas which evaluate various player performance in terms of how individual actions either assist or prevent goals...
, the fastest player at Euro 2008.
Olić was recalled to the side for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 6
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 6 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised Croatia, England, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.The group was won by England, who qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup...
. He contributed three goals in eight games, but Croatia missed out on a play-off spot by a point.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | 17 April 2002 | Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva.... , Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city... , Croatia 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 ... |
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... |
|||
| 02. | 8 June 2002 | Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima Kashima, Ibaraki is a port city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 66,249 and a population density of 708.02 persons per km². The total area is 93.57 km². Kashima was formerly a town in Kashima District and became a city after merging with the... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
2002 World Cup 2002 FIFA World Cup The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0... |
|||
| 03. | 30 April 2003 | Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm and named after Råsunda, a zone of Solna.-History:... , Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
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... |
|||
| 04. | 11 October 2003 | Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva.... , Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city... , Croatia 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 ... |
2004 Euro Qualifying | |||
| 05. | 29 May 2004 | Kantrida Stadium, Rijeka Rijeka Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants... , Croatia 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 ... |
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... |
|||
| 06. | 5 June 2004 | Parken Stadium Parken Stadium Parken Stadium is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, built from 1990–1992. It currently has a capacity of 38,065 for football games, and is the home ground of F.C. Københaven and the Danish national football team... , Copenhagen Copenhagen Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region... , Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
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... |
|||
| 07. | 16 October 2007 | Kantrida Stadium, Rijeka Rijeka Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants... , Croatia 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 ... |
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... |
|||
| 08. | 16 October 2007 | Kantrida Stadium, Rijeka Rijeka Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants... , Croatia 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 ... |
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... |
|||
| 09. | 21 November 2007 | Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
2008 Euro Qualifying | |||
| 10. | 12 June 2008 | Hypo-Arena, Klagenfurt Klagenfurt -Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters... , 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... |
Euro 2008 | |||
| 11. | 15 October 2008 | Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva.... , Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city... , Croatia 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 ... |
2010 World Cup Qualifying 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 6 The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 6 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised Croatia, England, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.The group was won by England, who qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup... |
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| 12. | 12 August 2009 | Dinamo Stadium Dinamo Stadium (Minsk) Dynama Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Minsk, Belarus. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Dynama Minsk. The stadium has a seating capacity for 40,000 people. Dynama Stadium was constructed in 1934, but was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in... , 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... , Belarus Belarus Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,... |
2010 World Cup Qualifying 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 6 The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 6 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised Croatia, England, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.The group was won by England, who qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup... |
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| 13. | 12 August 2009 | Dinamo Stadium Dinamo Stadium (Minsk) Dynama Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Minsk, Belarus. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Dynama Minsk. The stadium has a seating capacity for 40,000 people. Dynama Stadium was constructed in 1934, but was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in... , 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... , Belarus Belarus Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,... |
2010 World Cup Qualifying 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 6 The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 6 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised Croatia, England, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.The group was won by England, who qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup... |
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| 14. | 3 September 2010 | Skonto Stadium, Riga Riga Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,... , Latvia Latvia Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden... |
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... |
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| 15. | 11 November 2011 | Türk Telekom Arena, Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... , Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
Euro 2012 Qualifying |
Club
NK ZagrebNK Zagreb
NK Zagreb is a Croatian football club, from the Croatian capital of Zagreb.NK Zagreb's home is the Stadion Kranjčevićeva with capacity of 8,850. The club's fans are known as the White Angels...
- Croatian League: 2001-02
Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo 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...
- Croatian League: 2002-03
CSKA Moscow
- Russian Premier LeagueRussian Premier LeagueThe Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
: 2003, 2005Russian Premier League 2005- Final standings :- Top goalscorers :-Season statistics:*Goals: 539 **From penalties: 58 **Saved/Missed penalties: 17 **Goals scored home: 324 **Goals scored away: 215...
, 2006Russian Premier League 2006Russian Premier League 2006 was the 15th season of Russian Football Championship, and 5th under the current Russian Premier League name. The league was won by defending champions CSKA Moscow. Torpedo Moscow and Shinnik were relegated... - Russian Cup: 2005, 2006
- Russian Super CupRussian Super CupThe Russian Super Cup is a one-match football annual competition. Its official sponsored name is TransTeleCom Russian Supercup . The two participating clubs are holders of the Russian Premier League champions title and the Russian Cup...
: 20042004 Russian Super CupThe 2004 Russian Super Cup was the 2nd Russian Super Cup match, a football match which was contested between the Russian Premier League 2003 champion, CSKA Moscow and the winner of Russian Cup 2002-03, Spartak Moscow. The match was held on 7 March 2004 at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow, Russia...
, 20062006 Russian Super CupThe 2006 Russian Super Cup was the 4th Russian Super Cup match, a football match which was to be contested between the Russian Premier League 2005 champion and the winner of Russian Cup 2004-05... - UEFA Cup: 20052005 UEFA Cup FinalThe 2005 UEFA Cup Final was between Sporting CP of Portugal and CSKA Moscow of Russia. The match took at place at Sporting's home, Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, on 18 May 2005. CSKA Moscow won their first UEFA Cup and became the first Russian club to win a major European championship.-Match details:...
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
- BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe 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...
: 2009-102009–10 Fußball-BundesligaThe 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 47th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season commenced on 7 August 2009 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart. The last games were played on 8 May 2010... - DFB-PokalDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 20102010 DFB-Pokal FinalThe 2009–10 DFB-Pokal season came to a close on 15 May 2010 when Bayern Munich played defending champions Werder Bremen at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Bayern thrashed Bremen 4-0 with goals from Robben, Olić, Ribéry, and Schweinsteiger. The title capped off a successful season, with Bayern... - DFB-SupercupDFB-SupercupThe DFL-Supercup is a match between the winner of the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal. In 1997, this was superseded by a league cup called DFB-Ligapokal. In 2008, although not officially sanctioned by the DFB, the match returned as the T-Home Supercup featuring Bundesliga champions FC...
: 2010
Individual
- Croatian Football Player of the Year: 2009
- Croatian First League Player of the YearSportske novosti Yellow Shirt awardThe Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award or SN Yellow Shirt for short is an annual football award given by the only Croatian sports daily Sportske novosti...
: 2002, 2003
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Marsonia NK Marsonia NK Marsonia is a Croatian football club based in the town of Slavonski Brod which currently plays in Treća HNL, Croatia's third level league.NK Marsonia was founded in 1909... |
1996–97 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 1997–98 | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| Total | 42 | 17 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| Hertha BSC | 1998–99 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1999–00 | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| Marsonia NK Marsonia NK Marsonia is a Croatian football club based in the town of Slavonski Brod which currently plays in Treća HNL, Croatia's third level league.NK Marsonia was founded in 1909... |
1999–00 | 13 | 4 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| 2000–01 | 29 | 17 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| Total | 42 | 21 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| NK Zagreb NK Zagreb NK Zagreb is a Croatian football club, from the Croatian capital of Zagreb.NK Zagreb's home is the Stadion Kranjčevićeva with capacity of 8,850. The club's fans are known as the White Angels... |
2001–02 | 29 | 21 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? |
| Total | 29 | 21 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2002–03 | 27 | 16 | ? | ? | 4 | 3 | ? | ? |
| Total | 27 | 16 | ? | ? | 4 | 3 | ? | ? | |
| CSKA Moscow | 2003 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8 |
| 2004 Russian Premier League 2004 Lokomotiv won their second Premier League title, while Krylya Sovetov finished in the top three for the first time, winning bronze. Kuban were relegated after just one season in the Premier League. They were joined by Rotor who played at the top level since the beginning of the Russian league.- Top... |
24 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 37 | 10 | |
| 2005 Russian Premier League 2005 - Final standings :- Top goalscorers :-Season statistics:*Goals: 539 **From penalties: 58 **Saved/Missed penalties: 17 **Goals scored home: 324 **Goals scored away: 215... |
20 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 11 | |
| 2006 Russian Premier League 2006 Russian Premier League 2006 was the 15th season of Russian Football Championship, and 5th under the current Russian Premier League name. The league was won by defending champions CSKA Moscow. Torpedo Moscow and Shinnik were relegated... |
24 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 35 | 12 | |
| Total | 78 | 35 | 15 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 109 | 41 | |
| Hamburg 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... |
2006–07 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 5 |
| 2007–08 | 32 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 46 | 18 | |
| 2008–09 | 31 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 50 | 25 | |
| Total | 78 | 29 | 9 | 8 | 24 | 11 | 111 | 48 | |
| Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups.... |
2009–10 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 47th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season commenced on 7 August 2009 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart. The last games were played on 8 May 2010... |
29 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 40 | 19 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 48th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on the weekend of 21 August 2010 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions and ended with the last games on 14 May 2011. The winter... |
6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga is the 49th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on 5 August 2011 with the season opening match involving defending champions Borussia Dortmund and will end with the last games on 5 May 2012... |
7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |
| Total | 42 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 58 | 20 | |
| Career total | 339 | 151 | ? | ? | 63 | 25 | ? | ? | |
Statistics accurate as of 27 November 2011