Branko Ilic
Encyclopedia
Branko Ilič is a Slovenia
n footballer, who plays for FC Lokomotiv Moscow
in the Russian Premier League
.
Usually a right defender, he can also operate in the middle.
, Ilič started his career at local NK Olimpija
, where he went through the ranks and made his debut for the club in 2003, against FC Koper
. After serious financial difficulties at the club, he left in January 2005 and headed for NK Domžale
, where he played for a year and a half.
Ilič was loaned to Real Betis
in January 2007, becoming the first Slovenia
n to play for the club. His first appearance for Betis came against city rivals Sevilla FC
in a Copa del Rey
quarterfinal clash. On 4 February, he played his first La Liga
match, against Athletic Bilbao
, where he assisted a goal for Robert
, in a 2–1 away success.
After a good half-season, the Andalusia
n side completed the transfer for €
1.5 million in the summer of 2007, but Ilič eventually fell out of rotation in 2008–09, after the signing of S.L. Benfica's Nélson
, in a relegation-ending season where he only featured in three matches.
On 6 September 2009 FC Moscow signed Ilič on loan from Betis, for one season. In late January 2010, however, he was released by Betis, immediately signing with another side from Russia and its capital
, FC Lokomotiv
.
On 13 August 2010, Sky Sports
reported that Ilič was on trial in England
, with Premier League side Blackpool
, but nothing came of it.
on August 18, 2004, in a friendly match with Serbia
. He was selected for the squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
in South Africa
, but did not leave the bench in an eventual group stage exit.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n footballer, who plays for FC Lokomotiv Moscow
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
The following years were rather successful as Lokomotiv were consistent in the national championships. However, performances after World War II suffered and actually in the space of five year Lokomotiv were relegated to the Soviet First League twice. In 1951, Lokomotiv came second and eventually...
in 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...
.
Usually a right defender, he can also operate in the middle.
Club career
Born in LjubljanaLjubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, Ilič started his career at local NK Olimpija
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (1911)
NK Olimpija Ljubljana was a Slovenian association football club based in Ljubljana. The club had traced its origin back to 1911 when it was originally founded as SK Ilirija. It had gone through a series of mergers in the first half of the 20th century before adopting the name Olimpija in 1962...
, where he went through the ranks and made his debut for the club in 2003, against FC Koper
FC Koper
FC Koper is a Slovenian football club, playing in the town of Koper. The club is one of only three football clubs in the country, the others being Maribor and former Olimpija, that won all three domestic competitions . The team plays its matches on Bonifika stadium that was built in 2010 and has a...
. After serious financial difficulties at the club, he left in January 2005 and headed for NK Domžale
NK Domžale
NK Domžale is a Slovenian football club that plays in the town of Domžale. They have won the Slovenian League two times and both Slovenian Cup and Slovenian Supercup once.-History:...
, where he played for a year and a half.
Ilič was loaned to Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
in January 2007, becoming the first Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n to play for the club. His first appearance for Betis came against city rivals Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
in a Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
quarterfinal clash. On 4 February, he played his first 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...
match, against Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
, where he assisted a goal for Robert
Robert de Pinho de Souza
Robert de Pinho de Souza , commonly known as Robert de Pinho or simply Robert, is an association footballer, who currently plays for Avaí Futebol Clube as a striker on loan from Mexican club Monterrey....
, in a 2–1 away success.
After a good half-season, the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
n side completed the transfer 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,...
1.5 million in the summer of 2007, but Ilič eventually fell out of rotation in 2008–09, after the signing of S.L. Benfica's Nélson
Nélson Marcos
Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos , simply Nélson, is a Portuguese footballer of Cape Verdean descent who plays for Real Betis in Spain, as a right defender.-Early years:...
, in a relegation-ending season where he only featured in three matches.
On 6 September 2009 FC Moscow signed Ilič on loan from Betis, for one season. In late January 2010, however, he was released by Betis, immediately signing with another side from Russia and its capital
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, FC Lokomotiv
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
The following years were rather successful as Lokomotiv were consistent in the national championships. However, performances after World War II suffered and actually in the space of five year Lokomotiv were relegated to the Soviet First League twice. In 1951, Lokomotiv came second and eventually...
.
On 13 August 2010, Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
reported that Ilič was on trial in 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...
, with Premier League side Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, but nothing came of it.
International career
Ilič made his debut for SloveniaSlovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
on August 18, 2004, in a friendly match with Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
. He was selected for the squad at 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...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, but did not leave the bench in an eventual group stage exit.