Vedad Ibišević

Vedad Ibišević
Personal information
Date of birth 6 August 1984 (1984-08-06) (age 27)
Place of birth Vlasenica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club 1899 Hoffenheim
Number 19
Youth career
2000–2001 FC Baden
2003 Saint Louis Billikens
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 St. Louis Strikers 10 (9)
2004 Chicago Fire Premier 3 (3)
2004–2005 Paris Saint-Germain 4 (0)
2005 Dijon (loan) 12 (4)
2005–2006 Dijon 21 (6)
2006–2007 Alemannia Aachen 24 (6)
2007– 1899 Hoffenheim 117 (46)
National team
2004–2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina U21
2007– Bosnia and Herzegovina 34 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 November 2011.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 August 2011[1]

Vedad Ibišević (Bosnian (Cyrillic): Ведад Ибишевић; born 6 August 1984 in Vlasenica)[2] is a Bosnian footballer playing as striker for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga and the Bosnian national team. He has also played in Switzerland, the USA and France. In 2008 he was awarded Idol Nacije (Idol of the people) in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the best Bosnian player in 2008.

Contents

Club career

Ibišević was born in SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, then a republic within SFR Yugoslavia. He and his family left Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2000, moving to Switzerland where Ibišević was signed by FC Baden in Canton Aargau. However, his family left Switzerland after only ten months, moving to St. Louis in the United States. In St. Louis, Ibišević flourished as one of the region's most promising football players, and after his senior season in 2002, was named by Soccer America as one of the nation's top 25 recruits. He played his high school career at Roosevelt High School.

Vedad signed to play college soccer in his adopted hometown at one of the nation's most respected football establishments, Saint Louis University. He quickly established himself in his freshman year, registering 18 goals and 4 assists in 22 games for the Billikens, while leading a strong SLU team deep into the NCAA Tournament. For his achievements, Ibišević was named the NCAA Freshman of the Year, as well as a first team All-American. During his college years he also played in the USL Premier Development League with both the St. Louis Strikers and Chicago Fire Premier.[3]

During training with the team, he was spotted by Paris Saint-Germain F.C.'s Bosnian and Herzegovinian manager Vahid Halilhodžić, who quickly signed him to play for the renowned French team for the coming season. Vedad initially saw little action, and was loaned to French second division club Dijon FCO. In 2005, he signed a two year contract with Dijon.

Hoffenheim

In May 2006, he signed a 3-year deal with Alemannia Aachen and on 12 July 2007 he moved to another German club, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Vedad Ibišević kicked off the 2008–09 Fußball-Bundesliga season in good fashion, scoring two goals in Hoffenheim's first ever appearance in the Fußball-Bundesliga against Energie Cottbus with the game ending 3-0 in Hoffenheim's favor. He scored another goal on his second game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. In his third game for the club in the Fußball-Bundesliga, he scored his fourth goal of the season against Bayer Leverkusen but his side lost 5-2. He scored another two goals in Hoffenheim's 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund. During the first half of Hoffenheim's debut season in the top flight, Ibišević recorded 18 goals and 7 assists in 17 games, making him the league's top scorer before he was injured. He was voted Bundesliga Player of the Month for October 2008. On 14 January 2009, during the Bundesliga's winter break, Ibišević was injured in a training match against Hamburger SV in Spain. The final examination confirmed an anterior right cruciate ligament rupture, which took him out of action for the rest of the 2008–09 season. He returned at the beginning of 2009–10 season. Ibišević was scoreless until the seventh play day, he scored a hat-trick against Hertha Berlin in Bundesliga for a remarkable come back. This became the second-fastest hat-trick in Bundesliga history and the fastest goal scored this season, which landed in the 47th second.[4] After the season, he signed a contract extension that will keep him at Hoffenheim until the end of the 2012–13 season.[5]

Career statistics

Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Paris St. Germain 2003–04 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0
Total 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0
Dijon FCO 2004–05 12 4 ? 12 4 ?
2005-06 21 6 ? 21 6 ?
Total 33 10 ? 33 10 ?
Alemannia Aachen 2006–07 24 6 1 3 0 0 27 6 1
Total 24 6 1 3 0 0 27 6 1
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2007–08 31 5 2 3 1 0 34 6 2
2008–09 17 18 7 2 1 0 19 19 7
2009–10 34 12 7 4 1 2 38 13 9
2010–11 29 8 3 2 2 0 - 31 10 3
Total 111 43 19 11 5 2 122 48 21
Career total 172 59 20 14 5 2 186 64 22

International career

On 24 March 2007, he made his debut for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team for the Euro 2008 Qualifier against Norway. Unsurprisingly, Ibišević was amongst the 11 starters for the match. On 13 October 2007, Ibišević was called up to play the Euro 2008 Qualifier against Greece in Athens. It was then when Ibišević scored his first international goal, scoring the second and final goal in his side's 3–2 loss. Ibišević was part of the national team for FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifiers.

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 13 October 2007 Olympic Stadium, Maroussi, Greece  Greece
2 – 3
2 – 3
UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
2. 19 November 2008 Stadion Ljudski vrt, Maribor, Slovenia  Slovenia
1 – 0
4 – 3
Friendly match
3. 19 November 2008 Stadion Ljudski vrt, Maribor, Slovenia  Slovenia
4 – 1
4 – 3
Friendly match
4. 10 October 2009 A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia  Estonia
2 – 0
2 – 0
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5. 3 March 2010 Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Ghana
1 – 1
2 – 1
Friendly match
6. 10 August 2010 Grbavica Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Qatar
1 – 0
1 – 1
Friendly match
7. 8 October 2010 Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania  Albania
1 – 0
1 – 1
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
8. 26 March 2011 Bilino Polje, Zenica  Romania 1 - 1 2 - 1 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying

References

External links