Branko Ilić

Branko Ilić

Personal information
Full name	Branko Ilić[1]
Date of birth	6 February 1983
Place of birth	Ljubljana, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current team	Urawa Red Diamonds
Number	31
Youth career
	Grosuplje
	Olimpija
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2001–2004	Olimpija	56	(0)
2004–2007	Domžale	63	(2)
2007	→ Betis (loan)	13	(0)
2007–2010	Betis	21	(0)
2009	→ FC Moscow (loan)	6	(0)
2010–2011	Lokomotiv Moscow	11	(0)
2012–2013	Anorthosis	26	(1)
2013–2014	Hapoel Tel Aviv	29	(1)
2014–2015	Partizan	27	(4)
2015	Astana	9	(0)
2016–	Urawa Red Diamonds	0	(0)
National team^‡
2003–2005	Slovenia U21	13	(0)
2004–	Slovenia	64	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 November 2015. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 November 2015

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

A Slovenian international since 2004, Ilić represented his country at the 2010 World Cup.

Club career

Born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Ilić started his career at local NK Olimpija, where he went through the ranks and made his debut for the first team in 2003, against FC Koper. After serious financial difficulties, he left in January 2005 and headed for NK 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;^[3] on 4 February he first appeared in La Liga, providing the assist for Robert's goal in a 2–1 away win at Athletic Bilbao.^[4][5]

After a positive spell,^[6] 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.^[7]

On 6 September 2009 FC Moscow signed Ilić on loan from Betis, for one year. In late January 2010, however, he was released by the latter,^[8] immediately joining another team from Russia and its capital, FC Lokomotiv.^[9]

On 13 August 2010, Sky Sports reported that Ilić was on trial in England with Premier League's Blackpool,^[10] but nothing came of it. On 5 June 2013, after one season in the Cypriot First Division with Anorthosis Famagusta FC, he and teammate Jürgen Colin signed two-year contracts with Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. from Israel.^[11]

On 10 July 2014, Ilić agreed to a two-year deal with Serbian club FK Partizan.^[12] The following summer he moved teams and countries again, joining Kazakhstan Premier League champions FC Astana.^[13]

On 6 January 2016, Ilić signed for Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan.^[14]

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.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 9 December 2015^[15]

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Olimpija	2002–03	Slovenian PrvaLiga	13	0			–		13	0
	2003–04		26	0			3	0	29	0
	2004–05		17	0			–		17	0
	Total		56	0	0	0	3	0	59	0
Domžale	2004–05	Slovenian PrvaLiga	13	0			–		13	0
	2005–06		34	2			5	0	39	2
	2006–07		16	0			4	0	20	0
	Total		63	2	0	0	9	0	72	2
Betis (loan)	2006–07	La Liga	13	0			–		13	0
Betis	2007–08		18	0			–		18	0
	2008–09		3	0			–		3	0
	Total		21	0	0	0	0	0	21	0
FC Moscow (loan)	2009	Russian Premier League	6	0			0	0	6	0
Lokomotiv Moscow	2010		1	0	0	0	–		1	0
	2011–12		10	0	1	0	2	0	13	0
	Total		11	0	1	0	2	0	14	0
Anorthosis	2012–13	Cypriot First Division	26	1	2	0	4	0	32	1
Hapoel Tel Aviv	2013–14	Israeli Premier League	28	1	1	0	4	0	33	1
Partizan	2014–15	Serbian SuperLiga	27	4	5	0	9	0	41	4
Astana	2015	Kazakhstan Premier League	9	0	0	0	12	0	21	0
Career total			260	8	9	0	43	0	312	8

International

As of match played 17 November 2015^[16]

Slovenia
Year	Apps	Goals
2004	1	0
2005	6	0
2006	8	0
2007	10	0
2008	9	0
2009	1	0
2010	5	0
2011	3	0
2012	0	0
2013	9	0
2014	5	0
2015	7	1
Total	64	1

International goal(s)

Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 March 2015	Stožice, Ljubljana, Slovenia	San Marino	6–0	6–0	Euro 2016 qualifying[17]

Honours

Olimpija

• Slovenian Football Cup : 2002–03

Domžale

• Slovenian PrvaLiga : 2006–07

Partizan

• Serbian SuperLiga : 2014–15

See also

• Slovenian international players

References

1. "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of players" (PDF). FIFA.com. 4 June 2010. p. 27. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
2. El esloveno Branco [sic] Ilic pasó reconocimiento médico antes de firmar con el Betis (Slovenian Branco Ilic passed medical before signing with Betis); Marca, 25 January 2007 (Spanish)
3. "El Betis aguanta el primer asalto ante un perezoso Sevilla" [Betis withstands first round against lazy Sevilla] (in Spanish). Marca. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
4. Athletic Bilbao 1–2 Real Betis; ESPN Soccernet, 4 February 2007
5. "Un 'machote' Betis sale reforzado de San Mamés" ['Macho-like' Betis leaves San Mamés enpowered] (in Spanish). Marca. 4 February 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
6. ""Si Chaparro quiere, puedo jugar de central"" ["If Chaparro wants, I can play as a stopper"] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
7. "Ilic: "Siempre estoy preparado para jugar"" [Ilic: "I am always ready to play"] (in Spanish). Marca. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
8. Branko Ilic se desvincula del Betis (Branko Ilic cuts ties with Betis); El Desmarque, 18 January 2010 (Spanish)
9. Илич подписал контракт с «Москвой» (Ilić signed a contract with Moscow); Sports.ru, 19 January 2010 (Russian)
10. "Pool look at Slovenian, Holloway weighs up move for Ilic". Sky Sports. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
11. "יורגן קולין וברנקו איליץ' חתמו לשנתיים בהפועל" [Colin and Ilić sign two-year contracts at Hapoel] (in Hebrew). One. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
12. "Iliću se konačno ispunila želja da pređe u Partizan" [Ilić finally fulfilled desire to move to Partizan] (in Serbian). FK Partizan. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
13. Бранко Илич – игрок ФК Астана [Branko Ilić – player of FC Astana] (in Russian). FC Astana. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
14. "ブランコ・イリッチ選手 加入内定のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Urawa Red Diamonds. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
15. "B. Ilič". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
16. "Branko Ilič". European Football. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
17. "Slovenia set new record win against San Marino". UEFA.com. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.

External links

• Branko Ilić profile at BDFutbol
• National team data (Slovene)
• Branko Ilić at National-Football-Teams.com