Željko Pavlovic
Encyclopedia
Željko Pavlović is a retired Croatia
n football
goalkeeper
.
Pavlović started his professional career in 1989 at the club FK Željezničar
from Bosnia and Herzegovina
and transferred after three seasons to Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb
, where he spent one season as understudy to Dražen Ladić
and made three domestic league
appearances before leaving the club for their city rivals NK Zagreb
in the summer of 1994. He spent two seasons with Zagreb as the club's first-choice goalkeeper and then he moved abroad by signing with Austria
n club FC Linz
for the 1996-97 season. He subsequently continued to play for LASK Linz
after FC Linz merged with the club in the summer of 1997.
Pavlović made his debut for the Croatian national team
playing as the team's substitute goalkeeper in the second half of their friendly match against Israel
on 26 March 1996 in Varaždin
. He subsequently had to wait for more than three years to win his second international cap for the team, playing all 90 minutes in a friendly match against France
on 13 November 1999 at the Stade de France
. In 2000, he made three appearances for Croatia in international friendlies before he went on to play the only competitive international match in his career, playing all 90 minutes against Scotland
in the Croatian national team's second qualifying match for the 2002 World Cup
on 11 October 2000 in Zagreb
. He made his last appearance for the Croatian national team in their friendly match against Greece
on 25 April 2001 in Varaždin. Pavlović won a total of seven international caps for Croatia.
At club level, Pavlović played for LASK Linz until the end of the 2000-01 season and then he left the club for RSC Anderlecht from Belgium
. However, he never managed to establish himself as the first-choice goalkeeper in the Anderlecht team in both of the two seasons he spent there and returned to Austria by signing with Wüstenrot Salzburg in July 2003. He spent only one half-season with Salzburg and went on to play for FC Kärnten
until the end of the 2003-04 season. In July 2004, Pavlović signed with Wacker Tirol
and has been the club's first-choice goalkeeper ever since, making a total of 57 Bundesliga
appearances until the end of the 2005-06 season.
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
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...
goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
.
Pavlović started his professional career in 1989 at the club FK Željezničar
FK Željeznicar
FK Željezničar is a professional football club from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo.The initial acronym stands for Fudbalski sportski klub , and the name Željezničar means "railway worker," given because it was established by a group of railway workers.Željezničar, alias "Željo," is the most...
from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and transferred after three seasons to Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
, where he spent one season as understudy to Dražen Ladić
Dražen Ladic
Dražen Ladić is a former Croatian football goalkeeper. Between 2006 and 2011 he was the head coach of the Croatian national under-21 team.-Club:...
and made three domestic league
Croatian First League
The Prva HNL , also known as 1. HNL or for sponsorship reasons the MAXtv Prva Liga, is the top Croatian football league competition, established in 1992. The winners qualify for the UEFA Champions League...
appearances before leaving the club for their city rivals NK Zagreb
NK Zagreb
NK Zagreb is a Croatian football club, from the Croatian capital of Zagreb.NK Zagreb's home is the Stadion Kranjčevićeva with capacity of 8,850. The club's fans are known as the White Angels...
in the summer of 1994. He spent two seasons with Zagreb as the club's first-choice goalkeeper and then he moved abroad by signing with Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n club FC Linz
FC Linz
FC Linz was an Austrian football club based in Linz, Upper Austria. It was founded on 30 June 1946 as SV Eisen und Stahl 1946 Linz, a factory squad of the public VÖEST steel company...
for the 1996-97 season. He subsequently continued to play for LASK Linz
LASK Linz
LASK Linz is an Austrian association football club, from the Upper-Austrian state capital Linz. It is the oldest football club hailing from that region, and currently plays in the Austrian Football First League. The club's colours are black and white...
after FC Linz merged with the club in the summer of 1997.
Pavlović made his debut 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...
playing as the team's substitute goalkeeper in the second half of their friendly match against Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
on 26 March 1996 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...
. He subsequently had to wait for more than three years to win his second international cap for the team, playing all 90 minutes in a friendly match against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
on 13 November 1999 at the Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
. In 2000, he made three appearances for Croatia in international friendlies before he went on to play the only competitive international match in his career, playing all 90 minutes against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in the Croatian national team's second qualifying match for the 2002 World Cup
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...
on 11 October 2000 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...
. He made his last appearance for the Croatian national team in their friendly match against Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
on 25 April 2001 in Varaždin. Pavlović won a total of seven international caps for Croatia.
At club level, Pavlović played for LASK Linz until the end of the 2000-01 season and then he left the club for RSC Anderlecht from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. However, he never managed to establish himself as the first-choice goalkeeper in the Anderlecht team in both of the two seasons he spent there and returned to Austria by signing with Wüstenrot Salzburg in July 2003. He spent only one half-season with Salzburg and went on to play for FC Kärnten
FC Kärnten
FC Kärnten was an Austrian association football club based in Klagenfurt, Carinthia. It was founded in 1920 under the name of KSK Klagenfurt. They last played home games at the Sportzentrum Fischl.- History :...
until the end of the 2003-04 season. In July 2004, Pavlović signed with Wacker Tirol
FC Wacker Tirol
FC Wacker Innsbruck is an Austrian association football club from Innsbruck. The club was formed in June 2002, and plays their home games at Tivoli-Neu. The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the team FC Tirol Innsbruck, who went bankrupt in 2002...
and has been the club's first-choice goalkeeper ever since, making a total of 57 Bundesliga
Austrian Bundesliga
The Austrian Football Bundesliga is the highest-ranking national league club competition in Austrian football. It is the competition which decides the Austrian national football champions, as well the country's entrants for the various European cups run by UEFA.The Austrian Bundesliga, which began...
appearances until the end of the 2005-06 season.