Boris Živković

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Boris Živković
Personal information
Full name Boris Živković
Date of birth November 15, 1975 (1975-11-15) (age 32)
Place of birth    Živinice, Bosnia and Herzegovina
(then SFR Yugoslavia)
Height 182cm
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Hajduk Split
Number 6
Youth clubs
-1991
1992-1993
FK Sarajevo
NK Marsonia
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1994-1996
1996-1997
1997-2003
2003
2003-2006
2005
2006-
NK Marsonia
NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac
Bayer Leverkusen
Portsmouth F.C.
VfB Stuttgart
1. FC Köln (loan)
Hajduk Split
44 (1)
29 (1)
144 (9)
18 (0)
123 (19)
8 (1)
44 (8)   
National team
1999- Croatia 38 (2)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Boris Živković [ˈbɔris ˈʒiʋkɔʋitɕ] (born November 15, 1975 in Živinice, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Bosnian-born Croatian football player. He plays as a defender.

Živković started his career at FK Sarajevo as a youth player, before being signed by NK Marsonia (from Slavonski Brod). He gained a good reputation at Marsonia, first appearing in the 1994/95 season, during which he made 13 appearances. The next season he played a further 31 games before transferring to NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac (from Siget, Zagreb). He only spent one season at his new club however, before impressive performances persuaded German club Bayer Leverkusen to sign him.

Živković went on to play 6 seasons for the German club, playing over 150 times. Following his contract expiring in the summer of 2003, Živković stated his desire to play in the English FA Premier League, and was signed later that summer by Portsmouth F.C.

Živković started his Pompey career well, instantly claiming a regular starting place. However, in December, a public fall-out with manager Harry Redknapp led to him being released, having played only 18 times for the club. VfB Stuttgart stepped in to bring Živković back to Germany, and the Croatian joined them in January. In August 2006 he moved to Hajduk Split.

Živković was a regular for the Croatian national team. He was part of the squad at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but in his first game against Mexico, he caused a penalty in the 59th minute after which he was sent off and the Mexicans went on to score from the penalty mark and win the game by 1-0. He was no longer in the team for the remaining two games Croatia played on the tournament before being relegated — Italy and Mexico progressed from the group to the playoffs instead.

He also played two games at Euro 2004. Boris was out of favour for the Zlatko Kranjčar's World Cup 2006 campaign but many defender injuries forced Slaven Bilić to give him a call for the Euro 2008 spring qualifying games.