Teddy Lucic
Encyclopedia
Teddy Mark Šime Lučić (ˈtɛdʏ ˈlʊtɕɪtɕ; born 15 April 1973 in Biskopsgården
, Gothenburg
) is a Swedish former football defender
. His last club was IF Elfsborg
.
, Gothenburg
to Croatia
n father, Krešimir, and Finnish
mother, Annis. His father Krešimir was also a football player. In 1966, Krešimir moved to Sweden where he played football. In 1971, his father was offered to play for Halmstads BK
but declined because he thought he was too old, at age 27. The Lučić family decided to live in Sweden but visited Croatia and Finland often.
As a boy, Lučić attended the Bjurslätt School in Hisingen
, which is only 500 meters from where BK Häcken
have their exercise equipment. Due to his parents' heritage, Lučić had Yugoslavian passport rather than a Swedish one, which prevented him from playing in Swedish Junior Team.
as an 18-year-old for whom he played 44 times in the Swedish league and scored 10 goals from fullback. He moved to Västra Frölunda IF
in 1993 for a two year spell in which he played 68 matches. In 1996 he moved on to IFK Göteborg
, landing the Swedish championship in his first season.
. He made 58 appearances and scored 4 times. He left the club in 2003 to move to Germany.
directly from Leeds in May 2003. In two years between 2003 and 2005 he played 11 times for the club.
, where he made 70 appearances and scored 8 goals. In 2008, Lučić moved again to the ninth club of his career, IF Elfsborg
where he was a regular in the starting eleven until the end of his career. After IF Elfsborgs last game of the season, on November 7, 2010, Lucic officially ended his career as a player.
, mostly as a full back. Since 2004 he has played as centre back. Lučić played in Euro 2004, and the 1994
, 2002
and 2006
World Cups
. Against Germany
, in what turned out to be Sweden's final 2006 World Cup match, he was given two yellow cards
by Brazil
ian referee Carlos Eugênio Simon
, and sent off in the 35th minute.
|1989||rowspan="4"|Lundby
||||1||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1990||||18||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1991||||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1992||||22||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993||rowspan="3"|Västra Frölunda
||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
||17||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994||25||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995||26||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996||rowspan="3"|Göteborg
||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
||24||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997||11||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998||23||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998/99||rowspan="2"|Bologna||rowspan="2"|Serie A
||8||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999/00||1||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000||rowspan="3"|AIK Solna||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001||20||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002||16||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002/03||Leeds United||Premier League||17||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003/04||rowspan="2"|Bayer Leverkusen||rowspan="2"|Bundesliga
||11||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004/05||0||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005||rowspan="3"|Häcken
||rowspan="2"|Allsvenskan
||21||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006||25||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007||Superettan
||24||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2008||rowspan="3"|Elfsborg
||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
||29||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2009||25||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2010||||||||||||||||||||
371||30||||||||||||||||
9||0||||||||||||||||
17||1||||||||||||||||
11||0||||||||||||||||
408||31||||||||||||||||
|}
|-
|1995||5||0
|-
|1996||5||0
|-
|1997||4||0
|-
|1998||6||0
|-
|1999||6||0
|-
|2000||6||0
|-
|2001||7||0
|-
|2002||9||0
|-
|2003||8||0
|-
|2004||11||0
|-
|2005||11||0
|-
|2006||8||0
|-
!Total||86||0
|}
n. He is fluent in Croatian
and also speaks some Finnish. He has a summer cottage in Lappeenranta
, Finland, and is a fan of Lappeenranta-based first division football team Rakuunat
and ice hockey team SaiPa
.
Biskopsgården
Biskopsgården is a district in Gothenburg Municipality, Sweden.- History :Today you can find the first trace of humans by the hillsides that was once beaches in an archipelago....
, Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
) is a Swedish former football defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. His last club was IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
.
Early years
Lučić was born on 15 April 1973 in BiskopsgårdenBiskopsgården
Biskopsgården is a district in Gothenburg Municipality, Sweden.- History :Today you can find the first trace of humans by the hillsides that was once beaches in an archipelago....
, Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
to 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 ...
n father, Krešimir, and Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
mother, Annis. His father Krešimir was also a football player. In 1966, Krešimir moved to Sweden where he played football. In 1971, his father was offered to play for Halmstads BK
Halmstads BK
Halmstads Bollklubb, also called HBK or just Halmstad, is a Swedish football club located in Halmstad in the southwest of Sweden. The club, formed 6 March 1914, competes in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan, and has won 4 national championship titles and 1 national cup title...
but declined because he thought he was too old, at age 27. The Lučić family decided to live in Sweden but visited Croatia and Finland often.
As a boy, Lučić attended the Bjurslätt School in Hisingen
Hisingen
Hisingen is the fourth-largest island of Sweden , with an area of , and the most populous, forming part of Gothenburg Municipality, Västra Götaland County. It is bordered by the Göta älv in the south and east, the Nordre älv in the north, and the Kattegat in the west...
, which is only 500 meters from where BK Häcken
BK Häcken
BK Häcken is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg. The club, formed on 2 August 1940, is currently playing in the Swedish premier division, Allsvenskan after being promoted in 2008.- The beginning :...
have their exercise equipment. Due to his parents' heritage, Lučić had Yugoslavian passport rather than a Swedish one, which prevented him from playing in Swedish Junior Team.
Sweden
He began playing for Lundby IFLundby IF
Lundby IF is a football club formed in 1919 located in Hisingen, Göteborg, Sweden. The club currently plays in Division 6.- 1940s:In 1939-1940, during the time the team played in Division 3. After winning the league, the team was promoted to Division 2. The following year the club won the Division...
as an 18-year-old for whom he played 44 times in the Swedish league and scored 10 goals from fullback. He moved to Västra Frölunda IF
Västra Frölunda IF
Västra Frölunda Idrottsförening is a Swedish football club located in Gothenburg. The club, formed January 1930, is most known for its ability to produce talented youths...
in 1993 for a two year spell in which he played 68 matches. In 1996 he moved on to IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
, landing the Swedish championship in his first season.
Bologna
Lučić went abroad to Italy upon leaving IFK Göteborg in 1998. However, he found his opportunities limited at his new club and consequently made just 9 league appearances in the Serie A in a two-year spell.AIK Fotboll
Lučić returned to Sweden in 2000, signing for AIK FotbollAIK Fotboll
AIK, , an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, , when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering to Stockholm City Centre...
. He made 58 appearances and scored 4 times. He left the club in 2003 to move to Germany.
Leeds United
Lučić's period at AIK Fotboll was broken up by a loan spell at English club Leeds United, starting in 2002. During his time in England, he made a total of 17 league appearances and scored one goal, in a 3–2 defeat at Chelsea in January 2003. His loan spell ended in 2003 after Leeds decided not to sign him on a permanent deal. AIK had offered Lučić to a number of clubs.Bayer Leverkusen
Lučić signed for Bayer LeverkusenBayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...
directly from Leeds in May 2003. In two years between 2003 and 2005 he played 11 times for the club.
Return to Sweden
Teddy Lučić went back to Sweden for a second time to sign for BK HäckenBK Häcken
BK Häcken is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg. The club, formed on 2 August 1940, is currently playing in the Swedish premier division, Allsvenskan after being promoted in 2008.- The beginning :...
, where he made 70 appearances and scored 8 goals. In 2008, Lučić moved again to the ninth club of his career, IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
where he was a regular in the starting eleven until the end of his career. After IF Elfsborgs last game of the season, on November 7, 2010, Lucic officially ended his career as a player.
International career
Lučić has played 86 times for the Swedish national teamSweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
, mostly as a full back. Since 2004 he has played as centre back. Lučić played in Euro 2004, and the 1994
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, 2002
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
and 2006
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
. Against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, in what turned out to be Sweden's final 2006 World Cup match, he was given two yellow cards
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
by Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian referee Carlos Eugênio Simon
Carlos Eugênio Simon
Carlos Eugênio Simon is a ex-FIFA football referee from Brazil. He is also a journalist and a former trade unionist. Simon has been an international referee since 1998 and his first international game was between Ecuador and Peru. He was a referee in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, 2006 FIFA World Cup,...
, and sent off in the 35th minute.
Statistics
|-|1989||rowspan="4"|Lundby
Lundby IF
Lundby IF is a football club formed in 1919 located in Hisingen, Göteborg, Sweden. The club currently plays in Division 6.- 1940s:In 1939-1940, during the time the team played in Division 3. After winning the league, the team was promoted to Division 2. The following year the club won the Division...
||||1||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1990||||18||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1991||||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1992||||22||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993||rowspan="3"|Västra Frölunda
Västra Frölunda IF
Västra Frölunda Idrottsförening is a Swedish football club located in Gothenburg. The club, formed January 1930, is most known for its ability to produce talented youths...
||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
||17||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994||25||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995||26||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996||rowspan="3"|Göteborg
IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
||24||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997||11||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998||23||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998/99||rowspan="2"|Bologna||rowspan="2"|Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
||8||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999/00||1||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000||rowspan="3"|AIK Solna||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001||20||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002||16||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002/03||Leeds United||Premier League||17||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003/04||rowspan="2"|Bayer Leverkusen||rowspan="2"|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...
||11||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004/05||0||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005||rowspan="3"|Häcken
BK Häcken
BK Häcken is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg. The club, formed on 2 August 1940, is currently playing in the Swedish premier division, Allsvenskan after being promoted in 2008.- The beginning :...
||rowspan="2"|Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
||21||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006||25||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007||Superettan
Superettan
Superettan is the second highest league in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 16 Swedish football teams. It was created in 2000. Before that, the second level league in Sweden had been Division 1....
||24||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2008||rowspan="3"|Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
||rowspan="3"|Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
||29||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2009||25||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2010||||||||||||||||||||
371||30||||||||||||||||
9||0||||||||||||||||
17||1||||||||||||||||
11||0||||||||||||||||
408||31||||||||||||||||
|}
|-
|1995||5||0
|-
|1996||5||0
|-
|1997||4||0
|-
|1998||6||0
|-
|1999||6||0
|-
|2000||6||0
|-
|2001||7||0
|-
|2002||9||0
|-
|2003||8||0
|-
|2004||11||0
|-
|2005||11||0
|-
|2006||8||0
|-
!Total||86||0
|}
Personal life
Due to his multinational background, Lučić had the option to play for two other countries—his mother is Finnish and his father CroatiaCroats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
n. He is fluent in Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
and also speaks some Finnish. He has a summer cottage in Lappeenranta
Lappeenranta
Lappeenranta is a city and municipality that resides on the shore of the lake Saimaa in South-Eastern Finland, about from the Russian border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia. With approximately inhabitants Lappeenranta is the largest city in Finland...
, Finland, and is a fan of Lappeenranta-based first division football team Rakuunat
Rakuunat
Jalkapalloseura Rakuunat was a Finnish football club, based in Lappeenranta.-History:Rakuunat was founded in 1992 as FC Lappeenranta after a merger of the first teams of LaPa and LauTP, the city’s traditional clubs...
and ice hockey team SaiPa
SaiPa
Saimaan Pallo is an ice hockey team in the Finnish SM-liiga. They play their home games at Kisapuisto in Lappeenranta, Finland.-History:The team's best achievement is from the 1965-1966 season, when they won bronze medals for placing third...
.