Danijel Ljuboja
Encyclopedia
Danijel Ljuboja, (born September 4, 1978 in Vinkovci
) is a Serbian
football
forward currently playing for Legia Warsaw.
, Croatia
, SFR Yugoslavia, where he played in the youth teams of NK Dinamo Vinkovci
, NK Osijek
and in FK Crvena zvezda in Belgrade
. He moved to France
where his professional career started with Sochaux
in the 1998/99 season. In his two year stint with the team, he played 62 games scoring 20 goals. Following his stay with Sochaux, Ljuboja moved to Strasbourg
in the 2000/01 season where Danijel made 123 league appearances scoring 34 goals, and two appearances in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup Competition
scoring twice. During the 2003/4 January transfer window Ljuboja moved from Strasbourg to PSG, where he scored 7 times in 42 league appearances and played 5 games with the team in the 2004–05 Champions League
. In 2005, he transferred to German club side Stuttgart, at first on loan, forming a striking partnership with Jon Dahl Tomasson
.
He was contracted in April 2006 (through 2009), but by that his income, that was still paid half by PSG, was lowered significantly. Although he had a valid contract, he demanded from Stuttgart the same wages he got before from PSG. Stuttgart in consequence told him to look out for a new club in the summer of 2006 and let him train with their reserve team that plays in the 3rd German league.
In August 2006, Ljuboja was transferred on loan to Champions League
participant Hamburger SV
for one year with the option to buy the player afterwards. At Hamburger SV
he was also demoted to the reserves team, because he did not participate in team briefings. Hamburger SV
did not exploit their option to buy him, so he went back to VfB Stuttgart at the end of the season. VfB Stuttgart was looking to offload him to another club. He was part of the reserve team of VfB Stuttgart in the Regionalliga
.
In January 2008, Ljuboja was loaned out to VfL Wolfsburg
, until the end of the season. Wolfsburg did not use the option to sign the forward permanently.
In July 2008 he was pardoned and returned to the first team of VfB Stuttgart
, but was again downgraded to the reserve team VfB Stuttgart II
on 5 February 2009 until the end of his contract in June 2009.
After four years in Germany
Ljuboja returned back to France
on 23 July 2009 signing with Grenoble Foot 38
On 31 August 2010 he then signed with OGC Nice
.
After one season in Nice
he yet again changed his club by signing with Polish
Ekstraklasa club Legia Warsaw.
. He played 19 times and scored one goal.
Vinkovci
Vinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
) is a Serbian
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
football
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...
forward currently playing for Legia Warsaw.
Club
Ljuboja was born in VinkovciVinkovci
Vinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
, 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 ...
, SFR Yugoslavia, where he played in the youth teams of NK Dinamo Vinkovci
HNK Cibalia
HNK Cibalia, or just Cibalia, is a Croatian football club from the town of Vinkovci in eastern Croatia. Cibalia currently play in the Prva HNL, Croatia's top flight. Their stadium is located in the south part of their home town and can hold 12,000 spectators...
, NK Osijek
NK Osijek
NK Osijek is a Croatian football club, from Osijek in eastern Croatia.- History :NK Osijek's early roots are found in club called NK Udarnik that was formed in 1945 under FPR Yugoslavia's new communist authorities on the ashes of dissolved HŠK Slavija...
and in FK Crvena zvezda in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. He moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where his professional career started with Sochaux
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
in the 1998/99 season. In his two year stint with the team, he played 62 games scoring 20 goals. Following his stay with Sochaux, Ljuboja moved to Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
in the 2000/01 season where Danijel made 123 league appearances scoring 34 goals, and two appearances in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup Competition
UEFA 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...
scoring twice. During the 2003/4 January transfer window Ljuboja moved from Strasbourg to PSG, where he scored 7 times in 42 league appearances and played 5 games with the team in the 2004–05 Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2004-05
The 2004–05 UEFA Champions League was the 50th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, and the 13th since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League in 1992. The competition was won by Liverpool, who beat Milan on penalties in the final, having come back from 3–0 down...
. In 2005, he transferred to German club side Stuttgart, at first on loan, forming a striking partnership with Jon Dahl Tomasson
Jon Dahl Tomasson
Jon Dahl Tomasson is a retired Danish footballer and assistant manager at the Dutch football club SBV Excelsior....
.
He was contracted in April 2006 (through 2009), but by that his income, that was still paid half by PSG, was lowered significantly. Although he had a valid contract, he demanded from Stuttgart the same wages he got before from PSG. Stuttgart in consequence told him to look out for a new club in the summer of 2006 and let him train with their reserve team that plays in the 3rd German league.
In August 2006, Ljuboja was transferred on loan to Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
participant Hamburger SV
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...
for one year with the option to buy the player afterwards. At Hamburger SV
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...
he was also demoted to the reserves team, because he did not participate in team briefings. Hamburger SV
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...
did not exploit their option to buy him, so he went back to VfB Stuttgart at the end of the season. VfB Stuttgart was looking to offload him to another club. He was part of the reserve team of VfB Stuttgart in the Regionalliga
Regionalliga (football)
The Fußball-Regionalliga is the fourth tier of football in the German football league system. Until 1974, it was the second tier of the league system before being disbanded. The Regionalliga was then re-introduced as the third tier of the system in 1994...
.
In January 2008, Ljuboja was loaned out to VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German association football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, who play in the Bundesliga football competition. Wolfsburg have won the Bundesliga once in their history, in the 2008–09 season, and were DFB-Pokal runners-up in 1995. The current head coach is Felix...
, until the end of the season. Wolfsburg did not use the option to sign the forward permanently.
In July 2008 he was pardoned and returned to the first team of 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...
, but was again downgraded to the reserve team VfB Stuttgart II
VfB Stuttgart II
VfB Stuttgart II is a German football team located in Stuttgart, currently playing in the 3rd Liga. Their first team, VfB Stuttgart, won the Bundesliga league title in 2007.- Relationship with VfB Stuttgart :...
on 5 February 2009 until the end of his contract in June 2009.
After four years 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...
Ljuboja returned back to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 23 July 2009 signing with Grenoble Foot 38
Grenoble Foot 38
Grenoble Foot 38, commonly referred to as simply Grenoble, is a French association football club based in Grenoble, a city situated at the foot of the French Alps. The original incarnation of the club was founded in 1892 and, in 1997, was formed into the club that exists today as a result of a merger...
On 31 August 2010 he then signed with OGC Nice
OGC Nice
Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d'Azur is a French association football club based in Nice. The club was founded in 1904 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top-tier of French football. Nice plays its home matches at the Stade Municipal du Ray located within the city. In 2013, the club is...
.
After one season in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
he yet again changed his club by signing with Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Ekstraklasa club Legia Warsaw.
International
He was a part of Serbia and Montenegro national teamSerbia 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 played 19 times and scored one goal.