Milan Badelj

Milan Badelj

Personal information
Date of birth	25 February 1989 (1989-02-25) (age 22)
Place of birth	Zagreb, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Dinamo Zagreb
Number	16
Youth career
1995–2002	Ponikve
2002–2005	NK Zagreb
2005–2007	Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007–	Dinamo Zagreb	91	(22)
2007–2008	→ Lokomotiva (loan)	28	(7)
National team‡
2004	Croatia U16	1	(0)
2004–2005	Croatia U17	28	(2)
2005–2006	Croatia U18	5	(0)
2006–2008	Croatia U19	14	(0)
2009	Croatia U20	2	(0)
2008–2010	Croatia U21	14	(0)
2010–	Croatia	3	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 August 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 03 September 2011

Milan Badelj (Croatian pronunciation: [ˈmilan ˈbaːdȅʎ]; born 25 February 1989 in Zagreb, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Croatian football midfielder, currently a member of Dinamo Zagreb. His preferred position is a deep-lying playmaker.

Club career

Milan Badelj signed for Dinamo Zagreb as a 17 year old in 2007, just after he was snapped up from the youth system of Dinamo Zagreb's city rival, NK Zagreb. For the season 2007–08 he was sent on loan to Dinamo Zagreb's affiliate Lokomotiva to gain first–team experience at the senior level. He played in 28 matches and scored seven goals in Lokomotiva's Treća HNL East title–winning campaign. At an early age he was already spotted as possible replacement for Luka Modrić, a key figure in the club's first–team squad that was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur in 2008.^[1]

Following his return to Dinamo he featured in 48 matches throughout the 2008–09 and scored six goals. He continued to impress at his young age, establishing himself as a first–team regular for the 2009–10 season. Badelj continued with impressive performances in the 2010-2011 season as well, wearing the captain's armband in some matches as well. His amazing run of form and young age proved to be very enticing to many of Europe's top clubs, however both the coach and the club's president wanted him to remain at the club for the next year so a potential move away from the Maksimir was put on hold.

National team

Milan earned 54 caps during his time in the Croatian youth ranks, nine of which came in the UEFA U21 Championship where he was very impressive. He was often called up to the first team but usually sat the whole game on the bench. He made his competitive debut in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Malta in which he scored a goal.

Honours

Dinamo

• Croatian First League (3): 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Croatian Cup (2): 2008–09, 2010–11
• Croatian Super Cup (1): 2010

Lokomotiva

• Croatian Third League Division West (1): 2007–08

Career statistics

As of 12 August 2011

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Croatia			League		Croatian Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
2007–08	Lokomotiva	Treća HNL	28	7							28	7
2008–09	Dinamo Zagreb	Prva HNL	31	4	7	1			10	1	48	6
2009–10			27	11	2	1			7	1	36	13
2010–11			29	6	8	3			11	0	48	9
2011–12			4	1					4	1	8	2
Career total			119	29	17	5	0	0	32	3	168	37

References

1. ^ "Milan Badelj - Modrićev nasljednik". http://www.nogometni-magazin.com/hrv-5045d.shtml. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

External links

• Milan Badelj at National-Football-Teams.com
• Milan Badelj international stats at the Croatian Football Federation website
• Milan Badelj profile at Transfermarkt.de
• Milan Badelj at nogometni-magazin (Croatian)

Persondata
Name	Badelj, Milan
Alternative names
Short description	Croatian footballer
Date of birth	25 February 1989
Place of birth	Zagreb, SFR Yugoslavia
Date of death
Place of death