Goran Blažević

Goran Blažević (born 7 June 1986), nicknamed Šiljo, is a Croatian football goalkeeper.

Goran Blažević
Blažević with Šibenik in 2009
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-06-07) 7 June 1986
Place of birth Split, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1998–2004 Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Hajduk Split 0 (0)
2004–2006 → Trogir (loan)
2007 Zagora Unešić
2007–2008 Junak Sinj
2008–2011 Šibenik 93 (0)
2012–2013 Hajduk Split 41 (0)
2013–2014 Levski Sofia 21 (0)
2014–2015 Torpedo Moscow 0 (0)
2016–2018 Slaven Belupo 26 (0)
2018–2020 Hajduk Split 5 (0)
National team‡
2002 Croatia U16 4 (0)
2003 Croatia U17 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 July 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 July 2020

Club career

Early career

A product of the famous HNK Hajduk Split youth academy and one-time Croatian U16, U17 and U19 national team player, Goran began his senior career in 2004 on loan at HNK Trogir, then playing in the 1. Županijska liga Splitsko-dalmatinska. The club topped the table and moved to the 3. HNL – South and Goran played another season there. Dismissed from Hajduk as surplus, Goran played two more seasons in 3. HNL – South, first for NK Zagora Unešić and then NK Junak Sinj, where he was the star player in a season that resulted in their promotion to 2. HNL, catching the attention of some 1. HNL clubs.

HNK Šibenik

In 2008, Blažević moved to HNK Šibenik, quickly becoming a first team player (50 first team caps in his first two seasons at the club). With HNK Šibenik in financial difficulties, Blažević cancelled his contract with the club in December 2011.

Hajduk Split

In January 2012, Blažević signed a four-year contract with Hajduk Split.[2] As Hajduk's former first choice goalkeeper Subašić had just left the club for French Ligue 2 side AS Monaco, Blažević immediately was bestowed the first choice at the historic club.

Levski Sofia

In September 2013 Blažević passed successfully his medical and signed a 2-year contract with Bulgarian side Levski Sofia. He quickly became first choice at the expense of Plamen Iliev, but gradually lost his starting spot following the appointment of Antoni Zdravkov.

Torpedo Moscow

In the summer of 2014, Blažević moved to the Russianside FC Torpedo Moscow, where he took on the role of backup to Yuri Zhevnov. He went on to play only one game for the club, in the Russian Cup, a 2-0 away loss to CSKA Moscow, before succumbing to an Achilles tendon injury requiring surgery at the start of 2015.[3] Blažević was released by the club that summer.

Slaven Belupo

At the start of 2016, Blažević signed to Slaven Belupo in Croatia, playing only two matches before a shoulder injury forced him off the pitch until the end of the season.[4] Returning in the summer of 2016. At the start of the season, Blažević, not fully healed, lost the starting place to Antun Marković, but after full recovery, took it over in September 2016. Marković would ultimately secure said position the following year, and Blažević would stay second-choice until his contract expired at the end of 2017.

Return to Hajduk Split

In September 2018, Blažević was signed by his former club HNK Hajduk Split,[5] requiring a backup goalkeeper for Josip Posavec and Marin Ljubić, due to Tomislav Duka's injury. In October 2018, after Posavec was injured[6] and Ljubić relegated to the reserve team, Blažević stepped in, featuring in 5 league matches and one cup match. Following Posavec and Duka's recovery in December 2018, Blažević was relegated again to a backup role, before he was released from the club after his second one-season contract[7] expired at the end of June 2020.[8]

International career

While in the HNK Hajduk Split academy, Blažević was capped four times for the Croatia U16 team, and once for the Croatia U17, as backup to Filip Lončarić.

In September 2009 he received his first call-up for Croatia, for friendly match vs. Liechtenstein. However, he was on the bench, while Danijel Subašić played the whole match.

In May 2010 he received his second call-up, for friendly matches against Austria, Wales, and Estonia, following the injury of Vedran Runje. Being the third choice, after Danijel Subašić and Stipe Pletikosa, he didn't get his cap that time.

References
  1. http://www.sportnet.hr/Klub.aspx?igracID=2461
  2. Pavković, Božo (11 January 2012). "Blažević novi vratar Hajduka: Dat ću sve od sebe da opravdam povjerenje!". dalmacijanews.com (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 13 January 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  3. [https://torpedo.ru/news/23098/ ВАЛЕРИЙ ПЕТРАКОВ: БЛАЖЕВИЧ ВЫБЫЛ ДО КОНЦА СЕЗОНА at FC Torpedo Moscow official site
  4. VJERUJEM DA NA KRAJU MOŽEMO BITI PETI – KAZAO JE GORAN BLAŽEVIĆ at NK Slaven Belupo official site
  5. Goran Blažević ponovno među Bijelima at HNK Hajduk Split official site
  6. Hajduk preparing for the match against Rijeka at the HNK Hajduk Split official site
  7. Goran Blažević produžio ugovor s Hajdukom at HNK Hajduk Split official site
  8. Bašić, Blažević i Vučur istekom ugovora napustili Hajduk at Nogometplus.net
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