Zvonimir Boban

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Zvonimir Boban
Zvonimir Boban.jpg
Boban in 2008
Personal information
Full name Zvonimir Boban
Date of birth (1968-10-08) 8 October 1968 (age 55)
Place of birth Imotski, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height Script error: No such module "person height".
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1978–1981 Mračaj Runović
1981–1982 Hajduk Split
1983–1985 Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1991 Dinamo Zagreb 109 (45)
1991–2002 Milan 178 (21)
1991–1992 → Bari (loan) 17 (2)
2001–2002 → Celta Vigo (loan) 4 (0)
Total 308 (68)
International career
1987 Yugoslavia U20 6 (3)
1988–1991 Yugoslavia 7 (1)
1990–1999 Croatia 51 (12)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Zvonimir Boban (Croatian pronunciation: [zʋônimiːr bǒban] ( listen); born 8 October 1968) is a former Croatian football midfielder who played most of his professional career for Serie A club Milan with whom he won four Serie A and one UEFA Champions League titles. He also captained the Croatia national team which won third place at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Before 1990 and the international recognition of Croatia's national team, Boban had played for the Yugoslavia under-20 team which won the 1987 World Youth Championship. Boban scored three times in this tournament, as well as scoring in the final (drawn 1-1 with West Germany) and then converting the decisive penalty in the shootout. Having made his debut for the full Yugoslavia team in 1988, Boban, a fierce patriot, switched to playing for Croatia after the national team's inception, debuting against Romania in December 1990. Having appeared seven times for Yugoslavia, scoring once, Boban was capped 51 times for Croatia, scoring 12 goals, between 1990 and 1999.

Since retiring from playing in 2002, Boban gained a history degree from the University of Zagreb. He has also become a football pundit on Croatian and Italian television, working most notably for Sky Italia and RTL Televizija. He has a reputation as an outspoken analyst.

Club career

Dinamo Zagreb

Born in Imotski, Boban started his career with Dinamo Zagreb. He made his debut for the team in the 1985/86 season, aged 16. He would play 109 games for the club over six seasons, scoring 45 goals and becoming club captain aged 19.[1]

Dinamo Zagreb–Red Star Belgrade riot

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Main article: Dinamo Zagreb–Red Star Belgrade riot

In a game against Red Star Belgrade on 13 May 1990, Boban attacked a policeman who was assaulting a Dinamo supporter after a riot had broken out in the stadium. This incident made Boban a nationalist icon in Croatia[1][2] and is cited by some as the expression of Croatian discontent with the Yugoslav regime.[3][4] It also earned him a suspension from the Yugoslav national team, causing him to miss the 1990 World Cup in Italy. In January 2011, the match (due to the incident) was named by CNN as one of "five football games that changed the world".[5]

Serie A

A.C. Milan signed Boban in 1991 in a deal worth £8 million.[1] Milan immediately loaned him to Bari, as they felt he needed time to settle in Italy without counting as one of the 3 non-Italian players the club was limited to at the time. Bari were relegated in this season, but Boban ably demonstrated his ability in the team and was recalled to Milan. He stayed in the club for nine seasons, and enjoyed great successes with them, helping the team to the 1994 Champions League title and contributing to the 1995 campaign in which they ended as runners-up. Playing 251 games for Milan and scoring 30 goals, Boban won four Serie A titles, as well as three Italian Supercups. In August 2001, with his role at Milan diminished due to the signing of Rui Costa,[1] he was loaned to La Liga side Celta Vigo[6] where he played in only four league matches. Unhappy with his role as a substitute, he retired in October 2001 and finished his last season earlier than he intended.[7][8][9]

International career

Yugoslavia

Boban played a big part in Yugoslavia's win in the 1987 World Youth Championship. He scored three goals for Yugoslavia in this tournament, and also scored a decisive penalty in the final's shootout.[10] At the full international level, he earned seven caps for Yugoslavia between 1988 and 1991,[11] debuting against the Republic of Ireland on 27 April 1988. He played his last game for Yugoslavia on 16 May 1991 against the Faroe Islands, during which he scored his only goal for Yugoslavia.[12]

Croatia

When the nation of Croatia declared its independence of Yugoslavia, Boban left Yugoslavia to play for Croatia. He played his first international match for Croatia in a friendly match against Romania on 22 December 1990.[13] This match was only the second fixture Croatia had played as an independent nation since 1956. Boban played his last match for the national team in a friendly against France on 13 November 1999. He blamed back pain for his decision to quit international football,[14] but would go on to play in two more seasons of club football. In his career with the Croatian national team, Boban won 51 international caps and scored 12 goals.

1998 World Cup

Boban was a member of the Croatian team that finished third at the 1998 World Cup, captaining the squad at that tournament, as he had at the 1996 European Football Championship. A mistake he made in the semi-final allowed France to equalize immediately after Croatia had fought hard to earn a one-goal lead.[15] To make matters worse, Boban was injured and wanted to come off at half time[16] but stayed on until the 65th minute, when he was replaced by Silvio Maric. France won the match 2–1 and eventually won the tournament. Croatia went on to defeat the Netherlands, with Boban providing the pass to Davor Šuker to score the winner,[17] allowing Croatia to attain third place and receive the bronze medal.

Style of play

Boban was a creative player who was gifted with excellent vision, passing range, and technical ability. He mixed these attributes with a unique tactical versatility, which enabled him to be deployed in several midfield and offensive positions throughout his career; in addition to his preferred role behind the forwards as a playmaking, attacking midfielder, he was also capable of playing on the wing, as a central midfielder, or even as a supporting striker.[18]

Retirement

Boban officially retired from football in 2002 after receiving little pitch time at Celta Vigo.[9] On 7 October 2002, Boban organised and played in a farewell testimonial, with Croatia's 1998 World Cup team supported by tennis star Goran Ivanisevic matching up against a World XI featuring such stars as Rivaldo, Marco van Basten and Lothar Matthäus.[19]

Since retiring from football, Boban, always known to be a literary man, completed his history degree at the University of Zagreb. He graduated from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb in 2004, with a thesis named "Christianity in the Roman Empire".[20][21]

He also started a career in sports journalism, being the administration president for the Croatian daily sports newspaper Sportske novosti, a co-commentator during live broadcasts of the Croatian national team's away matches on the country's commercially-funded national TV station RTL Televizija as well as a commentator for SKY Italia and columnist for La Gazzetta dello Sport. Boban also owns a bar in Zagreb, called "Boban".[1]

Boban has always maintained that he will never become a coach.

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Football has broadened my horizons. For a while I will take a rest from it but one thing is certain. Never, never shall I become a coach. My nerves are not up to it.

— Zvonimir Boban, interview after retirement[19]

Reputation

Boban made headlines, as the Dinamo Zagreb captain, by kicking a Yugoslav policeman in the face after the officer had attacked a Dinamo Zagreb supporter during an on-pitch riot.[22] For this act alone, Boban was proclaimed a national hero in Croatia at that time.

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Here I was, a public face prepared to risk his life, career, and everything that fame could have brought, all because of one ideal, one cause; the Croatian cause.

— Zvonimir Boban, after the incident

As a commentator and pundit, Boban has become known as a frank and outspoken analyst.[23] He also retains an interest in his old club, Milan, making his opinions well known about their progress. Most recently, he commented on Kaká's departure to Real Madrid, saying that his apparent desire to stay at Milan was "false" and claiming that Milan were "in decline", having lost their strongest players.[24]

Personal life

Boban married Leonarda Boban, a fashion designer, in 1994.[25] They have five children: adopted children Marija, Gabrijel, Marta, Rafael as well as a biological daughter Ruža (Rose).[26]

Boban is also a keen tennis player.[16] He is known to be close friends with Goran Ivanišević,[27] with whom he plays at his private indoor clay tennis court.[28]

Career statistics

Club

[29][30]
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Yugoslavia League Yugoslav Cup Europe Total
1985–86 Dinamo Zagreb First League 2 0 0 0 2 0
1986–87 28 8 0 0 28 8
1987–88 30 13 0 0 30 13
1988–89 0 0 0 0
1989–90 23 9 0 23 9
1990–91 26 15 0 26 15
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
1991–92 Bari Serie A 17 2 0 0 0 0 17 2
1992–93 Milan Serie A 13 0 3 0 6 1 22 1
1993–94 20 4 2 0 8 0 30 4
1994–95 21 1 3 0 11 2 35 3
1995–96 13 3 2 0 5 3 20 6
1996–97 28 1 3 0 5 1 36 2
1997–98 23 2 6 1 0 0 29 3
1998–99 27 2 4 0 0 0 31 2
1999–2000 17 6 3 0 2 0 22 6
2000–01 16 2 3 1 7 0 26 3
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
2001–02 Celta Vigo La Liga 4 0 2 0 6 0
Total Yugoslavia 109 45 109 45
Italy 195 23 29 2 44 7 268 32
Spain 4 0 0 0 2 0 6 0
Career total 308 68 29 2 46 7 383 77
Yugoslavia national team
Year Apps Goals
1988 2 0
1989 1 0
1990 2 0
1991 2 1
Total 7 1
Croatia national team
Year Apps Goals
1990 1 0
1991 1 0
1992 1 0
1993 1 0
1994 5 0
1995 5 2
1996 9 2
1997 8 3
1998 13 5
1999 7 0
Total 51 12

International goals

Results list Croatia's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 25 March 1995 Maksimir, Zagreb  Ukraine
1 – 0
4 – 0
 Euro 1996 Qualifying
2 3 September 1995 Maksimir, Zagreb  Estonia
4 – 1
7 – 1
 Euro 1996 Qualifying
3 2 June 1996 Lansdowne Road, Dublin  Republic of Ireland
2 – 1
2 – 2
 Friendly
4 16 June 1996 Hillsborough, Sheffield  Denmark
2 – 0
3 – 0
 Euro 1996
5–6 2 April 1997 Poljud, Split  Slovenia
2 – 0
3 – 3
 World Cup 1998 Qualifying
3 – 1
7 6 September 1997 Maksimir, Zagreb  Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 – 2
3 – 2
 World Cup 1998 Qualifying
8 22 April 1998 Gradski vrt, Osijek  Poland
1 – 0
4 – 1
 Friendly
9–10 6 June 1998 Maksimir, Zagreb  Australia
4 – 0
7 – 0
 Friendly
7 – 0
11–12 14 October 1998 Maksimir, Zagreb  Macedonia
2 – 1
3 – 2
 Euro 2000 Qualifying
3 – 2

Honours

Club

Milan[18]

International

Yugoslavia
Croatia

Individual

References

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  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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