Branko Ilić

Branko Ilić
Personal information
Full nameBranko Ilić[1]
Date of birth6 February 1983
Place of birthLjubljana, SFR Yugoslavia
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Partizan
Number30
Youth career
Grosuplje
Olimpija
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2001–2004Olimpija56(0)
2004–2007Domžale63(2)
2007→ Betis (loan)13(0)
2007–2010Betis21(0)
2009→ FC Moscow (loan)6(0)
2010–2011Lokomotiv Moscow11(0)
2012–2013Anorthosis26(1)
2013–2014Hapoel Tel Aviv29(1)
2014–Partizan24(3)
National team‡
2003–2005Slovenia U2113(0)
2004–Slovenia58(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 April 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 March 2015

Branko Ilić (born 6 February 1983) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays for Partizan. Usually a right-back, he can also operate as a central defender.

Club career

Born in Ljubljana, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Ilić started his career at local Olimpija, where he went through the ranks and made his debut for the first team in 2003, against Koper. After serious financial difficulties at the club, he left in January 2005 and headed for Domžale, where he played for a year and a half.

Ilić was loaned to Real Betis in January 2007, becoming the first Slovenian to play for the club.[2] His first official appearance came against city rivals Sevilla FC in a Copa del Rey quarterfinal clash; on 4 February he played his first La Liga game, against Athletic Bilbao, where he assisted a goal for Robert in a 2–1 away win.[3]

After a good half-season, the Andalusian side completed the transfer for €1.5 million in the summer of 2007, but Ilić eventually fell out of rotation in 2008–09 after the signing of S.L. Benfica's Nélson, in a relegation-ending season where he only featured in three matches.

On 6 September 2009 FC Moscow signed Ilić on loan from Betis, for one season. In late January 2010, however, he was released by Betis,[4] immediately signing with another side from Russia and its capital, FC Lokomotiv.[5]

On 13 August 2010, Sky Sports reported that Ilić was on trial in England with Premier League side Blackpool,[6] but nothing came of it. On 5 June 2013, after one season in the Cypriot First Division with Anorthosis Famagusta FC, he and teammate Jurgen Colin signed two-year contracts with Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. from Israel.[7] On 10 July 2014, he signed two-year contracts with Partizan from Serbia.[8]

International career

Ilić made his debut for Slovenia on 18 August 2004 in a friendly match with Serbia. He was selected for the squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but did not leave the bench in an eventual group stage exit.

International goal

Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first.[9]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 27 March 2015 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia  San Marino 6–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification

Honours

Olimpija

See also

References

External links

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