Nikola Kalinić
.jpg)
Kalinić playing for Croatia against Portugal in 2013
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nikola Kalinić | ||
| Date of birth | 5 January 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Solin, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
|
Current team
|
Fiorentina | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2005 | Hajduk Split | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2009 | Hajduk Split | 59 | (32) |
| 2006 | → Pula (loan) | 12 | (3) |
| 2007 | → Šibenik (loan) | 8 | (3) |
| 2009–2011 | Blackburn Rovers | 44 | (7) |
| 2011–2015 | Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk | 86 | (37) |
| 2015– | Fiorentina | 62 | (26) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2003 | Croatia U16 | 2 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Croatia U17 | 18 | (15) |
| 2005–2007 | Croatia U19 | 12 | (11) |
| 2006 | Croatia U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Croatia U21 | 9 | (4) |
| 2008– | Croatia | 35 | (14) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 March 2017. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 March 2017 |
|||
Nikola Kalinić (born 5 January 1988) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Italian club Fiorentina and for the Croatian national team.
Kalinić began his career with Hajduk Split in his native Croatia before moving to English club Blackburn Rovers for £6 million in 2009. After scoring rarely in two Premier League seasons, he left for Ukrainian side Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, helping them reach the 2015 UEFA Europa League Final.
Kalinić made his debut for Croatia in 2008, representing the nation at three UEFA European Championships.
Born in the town of Solin near Split, Kalinić began his playing career at Hajduk Split. He made his Prva HNL debut in the 2005–06 season at the age of 17. On 1 August 2006, he was sent on loan to Pula Staro Češko (now Istra 1961) to see more first-team action. In his loan time at Pula, he had a slow but fair start considering his young age. Despite not playing all too regularly in a short single season with them, he still managed to adapt and find goalscoring form, netting three goals in 12 league appearances.
Kalinić's first goals in the Prva HNL came in the 2–0 victory against Kamen Ingrad on 23 September 2006 as he netted a brace to give his side the victory. Upon ending his short time at Pula, manager Krunoslav Jurčić was largely impressed with him, stating he could become the next Zlatan Ibrahimović.
...
Wikipedia