Željko Vuković
Encyclopedia
Željko Vuković is a retired international Croatia
n and Austria
n football player.
occurred in 1985 when he was playing in the Croatia
n giants Dinamo Zagreb
, where he played until 1988. Still in Yugoslav First League
, in 1988 he moved to Dinamo Vinkovci where he played between 1988 and 1990, having played a total of 69 top league matches in those two seasons there. In summer of 1990, he moved to the neighbour rivals NK Osijek
where he will play a single but very solid season there that will earn him a call to one of the first Croatian national team matches. In 1991 he was transferred to Austria
n club Vorwärts Steyr, where he stayed four seasons and played 136 matches, having scored 11 goals, an impressive achievement for a defender. In 1995 he made a big move to GAK Graz
where he became one of the pillars in the defense. His 103 games, having scored seven goals, say it all. In 1999, and already with 37 springs on his shoulders, he moved to another Austrian Football Bundesliga club FC Kärnten
where he stayed until 2002.
in the earliest stages in 1991. Having afterwards continued his career in Austrian clubs, he received in 2001 a call to play to the Austrian national football team, being one of the oldest players to have made the debut for the selection, with a record 39 years. He ended playing four matches for Austria.
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 and 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 football player.
Club career
His first appearance in the Yugoslav First LeagueYugoslav First League
The Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and socialist Yugoslavia...
occurred in 1985 when he was playing in the 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 giants 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 played until 1988. Still in Yugoslav First League
Yugoslav First League
The Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and socialist Yugoslavia...
, in 1988 he moved to Dinamo Vinkovci where he played between 1988 and 1990, having played a total of 69 top league matches in those two seasons there. In summer of 1990, he moved to the neighbour rivals 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...
where he will play a single but very solid season there that will earn him a call to one of the first Croatian national team matches. In 1991 he was transferred to 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 Vorwärts Steyr, where he stayed four seasons and played 136 matches, having scored 11 goals, an impressive achievement for a defender. In 1995 he made a big move to GAK Graz
Grazer AK
Grazer AK, founded 18 August 1902 as Grazer Athletik-Sport Klub , is an Austrian sports club, from the city of Graz in the federal state of Styria . The football section is one of the most traditional Austrian clubs, most successful in the decade 1995 – 2005...
where he became one of the pillars in the defense. His 103 games, having scored seven goals, say it all. In 1999, and already with 37 springs on his shoulders, he moved to another Austrian Football Bundesliga club 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 :...
where he stayed until 2002.
International career
Željko made part of the Croatia national football teamCroatia 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...
in the earliest stages in 1991. Having afterwards continued his career in Austrian clubs, he received in 2001 a call to play to the Austrian national football team, being one of the oldest players to have made the debut for the selection, with a record 39 years. He ended playing four matches for Austria.