Nikola Budalic
Encyclopedia
Nikola “Niki” Budalić (born August 1, 1978 in Kitchener, Ontario
) is a retired Canadian-born Serbian professional footballer
.
with the James Madison University
, in 2001 he was selected by the Toronto Lynx
in the first round of the USL First Division 2001 College Draft, but decided to continue his education back home at Wilfrid Laurier University
where he led the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
to the CIS championship. In order to maintain his CIS eligibility he did not turn pro that year but instead played for Glen Shields in the Canadian Soccer League
.
Budalić would sign with the Lynx in 2002, making his debut on April 20, 2002 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
. He scored his first goal on April 26 against Richmond Kickers
in a 1-1 draw. Budalić had an astonishing rookie season nearly helped the Lynx make the playoffs, but a tie in the final game of season against Atlanta Silverbacks
made the Charlotte Eagles
take the final playoff spot. He finished his rookie season with twelve goals, was named Team of the Week three times. And the Club recognized Budalić with their Best Offensive Player Award and, was also named 2002 A-League Rookie of the Year.
Just weeks before the start of the 2003 season, the Lynx announced Budalić had been transferred to Örebro SK
in the Swedish First Division, where he was re-united with former Lynx player Chris Pozniak
. The same year he was named to the Canada national soccer team
roster for a friendly against Germany
, but did not feature in the match.
In 2004 Budalić returned to the USL First Division
to sign with Montreal Impact
, where he faced stiff competition with well-established strikers, gaining Budalić difficulty getting sufficient playing time with the club. He was later transferred to F.K. Haugesund
where he and fellow former Lynx players Milan Kojić
, Chris Pozniak
, and Kevin De Serpa
helped the team win promotion to the Adeccoligaen
in 2005. In 2006, he was released by Haugesund. After his release, Budalić signed with newly expansion Serbian White Eagles
of the Canadian Soccer League
. With the Serbian White Eagles he reached the final of the Rogers Cup
but lost to the Italia Shooters
by a score of 1:0.
On September 17, 2007, Budalić played a game for the Toronto FC
reserve team against the Real Salt Lake
reserve team, and scored a goal in the 22nd minute.
Budalić was named team captain of the Serbian White Eagles
for the 2008 season.
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
) is a retired Canadian-born Serbian professional footballer
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...
.
Club career
Before turning pro he played college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
with the James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
, in 2001 he was selected by the Toronto Lynx
Toronto Lynx
Toronto Lynx is a Canadian soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Great Lakes Division of the Central Conference....
in the first round of the USL First Division 2001 College Draft, but decided to continue his education back home at Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
where he led the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks is the name used by the varsity sports teams of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The university's varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport and, where applicable, in the west...
to the CIS championship. In order to maintain his CIS eligibility he did not turn pro that year but instead played for Glen Shields in the Canadian Soccer League
Canadian Soccer League (current)
The Canadian Soccer League is the top soccer league in Canada and is controlled by the Canadian Soccer Association. It was formerly known as the Canadian Professional Soccer League , and was officially re-branded on May 17, 2006...
.
Budalić would sign with the Lynx in 2002, making his debut on April 20, 2002 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
. He scored his first goal on April 26 against Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in a 1-1 draw. Budalić had an astonishing rookie season nearly helped the Lynx make the playoffs, but a tie in the final game of season against Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks is an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having previously sat out the 2009 and 2010 seasons while the ownership...
made the Charlotte Eagles
Charlotte Eagles
Charlotte Eagles is an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
take the final playoff spot. He finished his rookie season with twelve goals, was named Team of the Week three times. And the Club recognized Budalić with their Best Offensive Player Award and, was also named 2002 A-League Rookie of the Year.
Just weeks before the start of the 2003 season, the Lynx announced Budalić had been transferred to Örebro SK
Örebro SK
Örebro SK, also known as ÖSK or just Örebro, is a Swedish football club based in Örebro. The club, formed on 28 October 1908, is currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan.-The first years:...
in the Swedish First Division, where he was re-united with former Lynx player Chris Pozniak
Chris Pozniak
Chris Pozniak is a Polish-born Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Haugesund in the Tippeligaen.-Club career:Pozniak emigrated with his parents, Tadeusz and Elżbieta, and sister Kinga, to Canada in 1990....
. The same year he was named to the Canada national soccer team
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
roster for a friendly 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....
, but did not feature in the match.
In 2004 Budalić returned to the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
to sign with Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
, where he faced stiff competition with well-established strikers, gaining Budalić difficulty getting sufficient playing time with the club. He was later transferred to F.K. Haugesund
F.K. Haugesund
Fotballklubben Haugesund is a Norwegian football club from the city of Haugesund. It was founded on October 28, 1993, after a merger between the football clubs Djerv 1919 and SK Haugar. FK Haugesund played in Tippeligaen in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2010 and in 2011. In 2007, FK Haugesund reached the...
where he and fellow former Lynx players Milan Kojić
Milan Kojic
Milan Kojić is a Canadian soccer player.- Career :In 1999, Kojić signed for the Toronto Lynx...
, Chris Pozniak
Chris Pozniak
Chris Pozniak is a Polish-born Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Haugesund in the Tippeligaen.-Club career:Pozniak emigrated with his parents, Tadeusz and Elżbieta, and sister Kinga, to Canada in 1990....
, and Kevin De Serpa
Kevin De Serpa
Kevin De Serpa is a Canadian soccer player, coach, futsal player, and freestyle footballer, currently playing for Forest City London in the USL Premier Development League.- Career :...
helped the team win promotion to the Adeccoligaen
Adeccoligaen
The Norwegian First Division is the second highest division of the Norwegian football league system. Since 2005, the official name of the league has been Adeccoligaen....
in 2005. In 2006, he was released by Haugesund. After his release, Budalić signed with newly expansion Serbian White Eagles
Serbian White Eagles
Serbian White Eagles Football Club is a Canadian soccer team. The team is a member of the Canadian Soccer League....
of the Canadian Soccer League
Canadian Soccer League (current)
The Canadian Soccer League is the top soccer league in Canada and is controlled by the Canadian Soccer Association. It was formerly known as the Canadian Professional Soccer League , and was officially re-branded on May 17, 2006...
. With the Serbian White Eagles he reached the final of the Rogers Cup
Rogers Cup (soccer)
The Canadian Soccer League championship final is the final play-off game of the Canadian Soccer League and its predecessor the Canadian Professional Soccer League...
but lost to the Italia Shooters
Italia Shooters
York Region Shooters are a Canadian soccer team, founded in 1998. The team is a member of the Canadian Soccer League, the third tier of soccer in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the largest domestic pro league in Canada....
by a score of 1:0.
On September 17, 2007, Budalić played a game for the Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
reserve team against the Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
reserve team, and scored a goal in the 22nd minute.
Budalić was named team captain of the Serbian White Eagles
Serbian White Eagles
Serbian White Eagles Football Club is a Canadian soccer team. The team is a member of the Canadian Soccer League....
for the 2008 season.