Zlatko Junuzović (Serbian Cyrillic: Златко Јунузовић, German pronunciation: [ˈzlatko juˈnuːzɔvɪtʃ]; born 26 September 1987) is an Austrian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. From 2006 to 2017 he played for the Austria national team. He was known as a free-kick specialist.[5][6]
 Junuzović in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zlatko Junuzović[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 September 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Loznica,[2] SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder[3][4] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1999 | Kühnsdorf | ||
| 1999–2005 | Grazer AK | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2007 | Grazer AK | 70 | (9) |
| 2007–2009 | Austria Kärnten | 57 | (3) |
| 2009–2012 | Austria Wien | 82 | (21) |
| 2012–2018 | Werder Bremen | 188 | (21) |
| 2018–2022 | Red Bull Salzburg | 81 | (9) |
| Total | 478 | (63) | |
| International career | |||
| Austria U19 | 2 | (1) | |
| 2007 | Austria U20 | 11 | (4) |
| 2005–2008 | Austria U21 | 15 | (3) |
| 2006–2017 | Austria | 55 | (7) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2022– | FC Liefering (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early life
editJunuzović moved with his parents to Austria when he was five years old. Before his 12th birthday, they went on to Graz, where he soon played for the youth teams of Grazer AK.
Club career
editAged 17, Junuzović made his debut for Grazer AK in the Austrian Bundesliga in spring 2005. In 2006, he was called up to play for the Austria national team and became a regular starter for Grazer AK. In summer 2007, Junuzović moved to Austria Kärnten before joining Austria Wien in summer 2009.
In 2010, Junuzović was awarded two awards for his performances with Austria Wien and the national team: the managers of the Austrian Bundesliga voted him Austrian Footballer of the Year[7] and the country's supporters voted him "Player of the Year"[8] in the annual award awarded by the Kronen Zeitung.
In January 2012, Junuzović joined Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, signing a contract which lasted until 30 June 2015. In February 2015, it was announced that his contract had been extended until June 2018.[9]
Having completed the 2014–15 season with six goals and 15 assists, third in the Bundesliga behind Kevin De Bruyne and Thomas Müller, Junuzović was voted as "Player of the Season" by Werder's fans.[10]
On 18 March 2017, he scored his second goal of the 2016–17 season in a 3–0 win against Leipzig, a match that saw all three of Werder Bremen's Austrian players score in the club's highest win of the season.[11][12]
In April 2018, Junuzović announced he would leave Werder Bremen after six and half years at the club.[13][14] He went to FC Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga. In 2022, he ended his career and became assistant coach of FC Liefering.[15]
International career
editJunuzović played for the Austria U20 national team at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup[16] where they claimed fourth place. He made his debut for the senior team in a March 2006 friendly match against Canada.
He represented the Austria senior national team at the UEFA Euro 2016.[17]
In October 2017, after the conclusion of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup during which Austria failed to reach qualification, Junuzović announced his retirement from the national team.[18]
Personal life
editJunuzović was born in the Serbian town of Loznica to a Bosnian Muslim family.[19]
Career statistics
editClub
edit| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Europe[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Grazer AK | 2004–05 | Austrian Bundesliga | 4 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 38 | 5 | ||
| 2006–07 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | 37 | 5 | |||
| Total | 70 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 78 | 10 | ||
| Austria Kärnten | 2007–08 | Austrian Bundesliga | 28 | 2 | — | — | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 30 | 2 | |||
| Total | 57 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 4 | ||
| Austria Wien | 2009–10 | Austrian Bundesliga | 30 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 40 | 7 |
| 2010–11 | 33 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 39 | 11 | ||
| 2011–12 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 33 | 7 | ||
| Total | 82 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 1 | 112 | 25 | ||
| Werder Bremen | 2011–12 | Bundesliga | 15 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 31 | 3 | |||
| 2013–14 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 2 | |||
| 2014–15 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 6 | |||
| 2015–16 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | 33 | 4 | |||
| 2016–17 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 31 | 5 | |||
| 2017–18 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 26 | 2 | |||
| Total | 188 | 21 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 198 | 22 | ||
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2018–19 | Austrian Bundesliga | 21 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 35 | 6 |
| 2019–20 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 34 | 4 | ||
| 2020–21 | 25 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 39 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Total | 81 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 27 | 2 | 123 | 13 | ||
| Career total | 478 | 63 | 37 | 7 | 54 | 4 | 570 | 74 | ||
- ^ Includes Austrian Cup and the DFB-Pokal
- ^ Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
International
edit- Scores and results list Austria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Junuzović goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 October 2011 | Dalga Arena, Baku, Azerbaijan |  Azerbaijan |
4–1 | 4–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 2 | 1 June 2012 | Tivoli-Neu, Innsbruck, Austria |  Ukraine |
1–0 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 11 September 2012 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Germany |
1–2 | 1–2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 22 March 2013 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Faroe Islands |
4–0 | 6–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 27 March 2015 | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein |  Liechtenstein |
4–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
| 6 | 5 September 2015 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Moldova |
1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
| 7 | 29 March 2016 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria |  Turkey |
1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
Honours
editRed Bull Salzburg
- Austrian Football Bundesliga: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
- Austrian Cup: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
Individual
- Austrian Footballer of the Year: 2010[7]
- Werder Bremen Supporters' Player of the Season: 2014–15[10]
References
edit- ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 5 July 2007. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 December 2013.
- ^ Austrian Football Association: ÖFB Kader gegen Russkand (UEFA EURO 2016 Raiffeisen-Qualifikationsspiel, 15. November 2014) und Brasilien (freundschaftliches Länderspiel im Rahmen der Gillette Brasil Global Tour, 18. November 2014) (pdf)
- ^ "Zlatko Junuzović". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Z. Junuzović". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ^ Fahim, Oisin (2 June 2015). "Top six players with highest free-kick conversion rate". Squawka. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "Dead-ball specialist". SV Werder Bremen. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Liga-Trainer wählen Junuzovic zum "Spieler des Jahres"" [League coaches vote Junuzovic "Player of the Year"]. Kronen Zeitung (in German). 20 December 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "Siege für Junuzovic, Krejc und Pacult" [Wins for Junuzovic, Krejc und Pacult]. Kronen Zeitung (in German). 7 February 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "Junuzovic pens Bremen extension". bundesliga.com. Bundesliga. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Junuzovic voted "Player of the Season". Werder Bremen. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ Knips, Björn (18 March 2017). "Der Ösi-Tag: Werder feiert Kaiserschmarrn-Sieg". Kreiszeitung (in German). Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ "Werder Bremen - RB Leipzig 3:0, 1. Bundesliga, Saison 2016/17, 25.Spieltag - Spielbericht". kicker Online (in German). 18 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ Butler, Dylan (25 April 2018). "Report: SV Werder Bremen midfielder Zlatko Junuzovic primed for MLS move". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "Thank you Zladdi and all the best for the future". SV Werder Bremen. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ Sladdi bleibt Salzburger Homepage Red Bull Salzburg, 10 June 2022, retrieved 10 June 2022 (in German)
- ^ Zlatko Junuzović – FIFA competition record (archived)
- ^ "Austria-Hungary | Line-up | UEFA Euro". UEFA. com. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ "Junuzovic beendet Nationalmannschaftskarriere". kicker Online (in German). 13 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
- ^ "Radio Sarajevo". Archived from the original on 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Zlatko Junuzović". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ^ Zlatko Junuzović at National-Football-Teams.com
External links
edit
- Official website
- Profile at UEFA.com
- Profile and Statistics at Guardian's Stats Centre