Ivo Ilicevic
Encyclopedia
Ivo Iličević is a Croatia
n football player of Bosnian Croat descent.
, before joining Regionalliga Süd side SV Darmstadt 98
in January 2005. At the club, he quickly became a first-team regular under former Bundesliga
star Bruno Labbadia
and scored 8 goals in 44 league matches. As a youth-team player, he played as a forward, but later became mainly deployed as an attacking midfielder.
In the summer of 2006, Iličević joined Bundesliga side VfL Bochum
and made his top-flight debut in the club's opening match of the 2006-07 league season, a 2-1 defeat at 1. FSV Mainz 05
on 12 August 2006. On 24 September 2006, he scored his first Bundesliga goal, netting the match-winning goal in a 2-1 win at home to Arminia Bielefeld
. He made a total of 19 Bundesliga appearances in his first season with Bochum, scoring two goals.
In January 2008, he was loaned to Greuther Fürth
of the 2nd Bundesliga
, after making just six Bundesliga appearances (without scoring a goal) with Bochum in the first half of the 2007-08 league season. He went on to spend a season and a half with Greuther Fürth, scoring four goals in 38 league appearances.
In the summer of 2009, Bochum loaned him to another 2nd Bundesliga side, 1. FC Kaiserslautern
, for the entire 2009-10 season. He scored four goals in 30 league appearances, helping the team to secure promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2010-11 season. He eventually signed a contract with Kaiserslautern in the summer of 2010.
He had a great start to the 2010-11 Bundesliga season with Kaiserslautern, scoring two goals and recording two assists in the club's opening two matches, a 3-1 win at 1. FC Köln
and a 2-0 win at home to Bayern Munich
. In November 2010, he scored a goal in three consecutive Bundesliga matches. On 20 November 2010, he participated in all of his team's three goals in a 3-1 win at 1. FC Nuremberg, scoring their second goal and setting up the remaining two.
On 31 August 2011, on the last day of summer transfer window, he signed 4-year contract with HSV
.
and made his international debut on 2 June 2007 in a 2-0 win against the Faroe Islands
in Varaždin
. In his second appearance for the team, on 6 June 2007, he scored a brace to help them to a 3-2 win against Greece in Zaprešić
. He won a total of 11 international caps and scored five goals for the Croatian national under-21 team, with his last appearance coming on 9 September 2008 in a 1-1 draw against Italy
in Varaždin.
On 29 September 2008, he received his first full international call-up for Croatia's 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers against Ukraine
and Andorra
the following October, but did not feature in any of the two matches.
He eventually made his full international debut on 12 October 2010, coming on as a half-time substitute for Luka Modrić
in a friendly match against Norway
in Zagreb
, which Croatia won 2-1. On 17 November 2010, he made his competitive debut in a 3-0 win at home to Malta
in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying, replacing Ivan Rakitić
in the 69th minute. On 9 February 2011, he scored his first goal in his third appearance as a full international, netting the final goal in a 4-2 win against the Czech Republic
, in a friendly match played in Pula
.
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 football player of Bosnian Croat descent.
Club career
Iličević began his career in the youth ranks of Viktoria AschaffenburgViktoria Aschaffenburg
SV Viktoria 01 Aschaffenburg is a German football club based in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.Even though Aschaffenburg is located in Bavaria, Viktoria Aschaffenburg historically played its football in the Hessenliga and the associated Hessian leagues, rather than the Fussball-Bayernliga , against clubs...
, before joining Regionalliga Süd side SV Darmstadt 98
SV Darmstadt 98
SV Darmstadt 98 is a German association football club based in Darmstadt, Hesse. The club was founded on 22 May 1898 as FC Olympia Darmstadt. Early in 1919 the association was briefly known as Rasen-Sportverein Olympia before merging with Darmstädter Sport Club 1905 on 11 November that year to...
in January 2005. At the club, he quickly became a first-team regular under former Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
star Bruno Labbadia
Bruno Labbadia
Bruno Labbadia is a former German footballer of Italian heritage who is now head coach of German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart.- Club career :...
and scored 8 goals in 44 league matches. As a youth-team player, he played as a forward, but later became mainly deployed as an attacking midfielder.
In the summer of 2006, Iličević joined Bundesliga side VfL Bochum
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum, is a German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia.-Founding to World War II:...
and made his top-flight debut in the club's opening match of the 2006-07 league season, a 2-1 defeat at 1. FSV Mainz 05
1. FSV Mainz 05
1. Fußball- und Sportverein Mainz 05 e. V., usually shortened to 1. FSV Mainz 05, Mainz 05, or simply Mainz, is a 1905 founded German association football club based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate. In addition to the football section the 1. FSV Mainz 05 has a handball and table tennis department...
on 12 August 2006. On 24 September 2006, he scored his first Bundesliga goal, netting the match-winning goal in a 2-1 win at home to Arminia Bielefeld
Arminia Bielefeld
DSC Arminia Bielefeld is a German sports club from Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Arminia offers the sports of football, field hockey, figure skating and cue sports. The club has 11,394 members and the club colours are black, white and blue...
. He made a total of 19 Bundesliga appearances in his first season with Bochum, scoring two goals.
In January 2008, he was loaned to Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a German association football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. The club was formed when the senior football side of newcomer Turn- und Sportverein Vestenbergsgreuth joined traditional club Spielvereinigung Fürth on 1 July 1996...
of the 2nd Bundesliga
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...
, after making just six Bundesliga appearances (without scoring a goal) with Bochum in the first half of the 2007-08 league season. He went on to spend a season and a half with Greuther Fürth, scoring four goals in 38 league appearances.
In the summer of 2009, Bochum loaned him to another 2nd Bundesliga side, 1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...
, for the entire 2009-10 season. He scored four goals in 30 league appearances, helping the team to secure promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2010-11 season. He eventually signed a contract with Kaiserslautern in the summer of 2010.
He had a great start to the 2010-11 Bundesliga season with Kaiserslautern, scoring two goals and recording two assists in the club's opening two matches, a 3-1 win at 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....
and a 2-0 win at home to Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
. In November 2010, he scored a goal in three consecutive Bundesliga matches. On 20 November 2010, he participated in all of his team's three goals in a 3-1 win at 1. FC Nuremberg, scoring their second goal and setting up the remaining two.
On 31 August 2011, on the last day of summer transfer window, he signed 4-year contract with HSV
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...
.
National team
In May 2007, Iličević received his first call-up to the Croatian national under-21 teamCroatia national under-21 football team
The Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
and made his international debut on 2 June 2007 in a 2-0 win against the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national under-21 football team
The Faroe Islands national under-21 football team are a feeder team to the Faroe Islands national football team. The Faroe Islands U21 team was first formed in 2006 and took part in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying for the first time in 2007 and 2008...
in Varaždin
Varaždin
Varaždin is a city in north Croatia, north of Zagreb on the highway A4. The total population is 47,055, with 38,746 on of the city settlement itself . The centre of Varaždin county is located near the Drava river, at...
. In his second appearance for the team, on 6 June 2007, he scored a brace to help them to a 3-2 win against Greece in Zaprešić
Zaprešic
Zaprešić is a city in Zagreb County in Croatia. Its population is 25.875 inhabitants for the city proper, and over 51,000 for its seven-municipality metropolitan area. Zaprešić is the third-largest, and most densely populated division of the county. It is located northwest of the Croatian capital...
. He won a total of 11 international caps and scored five goals for the Croatian national under-21 team, with his last appearance coming on 9 September 2008 in a 1-1 draw against Italy
Italy national under-21 football team
The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
in Varaždin.
On 29 September 2008, he received his first full international call-up for Croatia's 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...
qualifiers against Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
and Andorra
Andorra national football team
The Andorra national football team represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fourth smallest of any UEFA...
the following October, but did not feature in any of the two matches.
He eventually made his full international debut on 12 October 2010, coming on as a half-time substitute for Luka Modrić
Luka Modric
Luka Modrić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and for the Croatia national football team.Modrić's childhood coincided with the Croatian War of Independence. After showing promise in hometown club Zadar's youth team, he was signed by Dinamo Zagreb as a teenager in 2002. His...
in a friendly match against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, which Croatia won 2-1. On 17 November 2010, he made his competitive debut in a 3-0 win at home to Malta
Malta national football team
The Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. Malta played its first international game in February 1957, and began competing for qualification to major tournaments in 1962. The side's first competitive victory came in...
in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying, replacing Ivan Rakitić
Ivan Rakitic
Ivan Rakitić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Sevilla FC and the Croatian national team.Born in Möhlin, he started his professional career at Swiss giants Basel and spent two seasons with them before establishing popularity for his time in the German Bundesliga with Schalke 04...
in the 69th minute. On 9 February 2011, he scored his first goal in his third appearance as a full international, netting the final goal in a 4-2 win against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
, in a friendly match played in Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
.