Josip Iličić
Who was Josip Iličić?
Slovenian attacking midfielder and forward who has played for Atalanta in Serie A and represents the Slovenia national team.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Josip Iličić (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Josip Iličić was born on 29 January 1988 in Prijedor, in what was then the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, now Bosnia and Herzegovina. A Slovenian professional footballer, he primarily played as an attacking midfielder but was equally effective as a winger and forward. His technical skill, creativity, and ability to score and set up goals made him one of the most celebrated Slovenian players of his generation.
Iličić began his professional career with Slovenian club Bonifika before moving on to Interblock and Maribor in his home country. In 2010, he moved to Italian football, joining Palermo in Serie A. After three years in Sicily, he signed for Fiorentina in 2013, where he continued to build his reputation as a technically gifted and imaginative player in one of Europe's most competitive leagues.
In 2017, Iličić joined Atalanta, the Bergamo-based club where he reached the peak of his career. He scored eleven or more league goals in each of his first three seasons at the club, showing consistency that earned him a spot in the 2018–19 Serie A Team of the Year. His performances during Atalanta's memorable UEFA Champions League campaign in 2019–20 caught the attention of a wider European audience. On 10 March 2020, in a round of sixteen second leg against Valencia, he became the first player in UEFA Champions League history to score four goals in a single away knockout match, also becoming the oldest player to achieve this at that stage of the competition. Atalanta won the match 4–3 on the night and advanced on aggregate.
Iličić made his senior debut for the Slovenia national team in August 2010 in a friendly match against Australia. He scored his first international goal against Cyprus in September 2013 and earned 86 caps for his country. He represented Slovenia at UEFA Euro 2024, capping a long and distinguished international career. After twelve years in Italian football, he returned to Maribor in 2022 and later joined Koper in the Slovenian PrvaLiga.
Before Fame
Josip Iličić grew up in Prijedor during a challenging time in the former Yugoslavia, which went through violent conflict in the early 1990s. Despite these tough circumstances, he started playing football at a young age. He honed his skills in the Slovenian club system due to his family's ties to Slovenia. He began his professional career with Bonifika, a smaller club in Slovenian football, before getting noticed by bigger local teams.
Iličić moved up through Interblock and then Maribor, one of Slovenia's top clubs, where he was able to showcase his talents at a higher level. His performances in Slovenia got the attention of Italian clubs, and in 2010 he moved to Palermo, entering one of Europe's top leagues at 22. This move kicked off a twelve-year period in Italian football that became the core of his career.
Key Achievements
- First player to score four away goals in a UEFA Champions League knockout match, against Valencia in March 2020
- Named in the 2018–19 Serie A Team of the Year
- Scored 11 or more league goals in each of his first three seasons at Atalanta
- Earned 86 caps for the Slovenia national team and represented the country at UEFA Euro 2024
- Oldest player to score four goals in a single UEFA Champions League knockout stage match
Did You Know?
- 01.Iličić was born in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, but represents Slovenia internationally, reflecting the complex national identities of the post-Yugoslav region.
- 02.His four-goal performance against Valencia in the 2020 UEFA Champions League round of sixteen made him the first player ever to score four away goals in a Champions League knockout match.
- 03.He was 32 years old during his historic performance against Valencia, making him the oldest player to score four goals in a single Champions League knockout stage match.
- 04.Iličić earned 86 caps for the Slovenia national team across a senior international career that spanned from 2010 to UEFA Euro 2024.
- 05.He scored eleven or more league goals in each of his first three seasons at Atalanta, a consistency that placed him among the top-performing attackers in Serie A during that period.