Goran Vucevic
Encyclopedia
Goran Vučević is a retired Croatia
n footballer who played as a central midfielder.
, Vučević started his career at local HNK Hajduk
, where he became a key player at only 18, eventually winning the 1992 Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award
, issued to the best footballer playing in the Croatian League at the end of every season.
Afterwards, Vučević was bought by Johan Cruyff
's FC Barcelona
but, during his five-year stay, he could never break into the first team, which also featured - as the clubs in Spain
were not allowed to field more than three foreign players at the same time - Ronald Koeman
, Michael Laudrup
, Hristo Stoichkov
, Romário
, Gheorghe Hagi
or Luís Figo
.
After two loans, first loaned to his former club then CP Mérida
, the latter also in La Liga
, Vučević was finally sold in the 1997 summer, to 1. FC Köln
. He also struggled immensely in Germany
, playing very rarely, including when the club was in the second division
. In 1999, he returned for a third spell with Hajduk, retiring after two unassuming years.
During one year, starting in 1992, Vučević played four times for the Croatian national team
, scoring no goals. From 2005–08, he accumulated the tasks of assistant with the main squad and youth coach, taking the first-team's reins in May 2008, but resigning in October, after which he returned to the youth system.
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 ...
n footballer who played as a central midfielder.
Football career
Born in SplitSplit (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, Vučević started his career at local HNK Hajduk
HNK Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split or simply Hajduk, is a Croatian football club founded in 1911 and based in the city of Split. The club's home ground since 1979 is the 35,000-seater Poljud Stadium and the team's traditional home colours are white shirts with blue shorts and...
, where he became a key player at only 18, eventually winning the 1992 Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award
Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award
The Sportske novosti Yellow Shirt award or SN Yellow Shirt for short is an annual football award given by the only Croatian sports daily Sportske novosti...
, issued to the best footballer playing in the Croatian League at the end of every season.
Afterwards, Vučević was bought by Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON , known as Johan Cruyff, is a retired Dutch footballer and is currently the manager of the Catalan national team as well as a member of the AFC Ajax board of directors. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with...
's FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
but, during his five-year stay, he could never break into the first team, which also featured - as the clubs in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
were not allowed to field more than three foreign players at the same time - Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman is a former Dutch footballer, and the current manager of Feyenoord. He is the younger brother of former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman...
, Michael Laudrup
Michael Laudrup
Michael Laudrup is a retired Danish footballer, who works as a manager and last coached La Liga side RCD Mallorca. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of football. His most prominent run of football came with Spanish club Barcelona, with whom he won four straight La...
, Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo Stoichkov Stoichkov , sometimes Stoitchkov; born 8 February 1966 in Plovdiv) is a retired Bulgarian footballer. He is regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation and the greatest Bulgarian footballer of all time. Nicknamed The Dagger , The Dog , The Modern Left...
, Romário
Romário
Romário de Souza Faria , better known simply as Romário , is a former footballer who played striker,manager and current politician where is currently running for a mayor like position in his hometown...
, Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe Hagi is a former Romanian footballer. He was famous for his passing, close control, long shots and was regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s and is considered the greatest Romanian footballer of all time...
or Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
.
After two loans, first loaned to his former club then CP Mérida
CP Mérida
Club Polideportivo Mérida was a Spanish football team based in Mérida, in the autonomous community of Extremadura.Having played twice in La Liga , the club disappeared in 2000, due to serious economic debts...
, the latter also in 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...
, Vučević was finally sold in the 1997 summer, to 1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln is a German association football club based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was formed in 1948 as a merger of the clubs Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901 and SpVgg Sülz 07....
. He also struggled immensely 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...
, playing very rarely, including when the club was in the second division
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
. In 1999, he returned for a third spell with Hajduk, retiring after two unassuming years.
During one year, starting in 1992, Vučević played four times for the Croatian national team
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
, scoring no goals. From 2005–08, he accumulated the tasks of assistant with the main squad and youth coach, taking the first-team's reins in May 2008, but resigning in October, after which he returned to the youth system.