Matej Rapnik

Matej Rapnik

Personal information
Date of birth	24 February 1990 (1990-02-24) (age 21)
Place of birth	Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Interblock
Number	5
Youth career
2000	MNK Fužinar
2000-2003	NK Korotan
2003-2007	NK Dravograd
2007	NK Bravo
2007-2009	Heart of Midlothian
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2009-	Interblock	34	(3)
National team‡
2009	Slovenia U19	3	(0)
2010-	Slovenia U21	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13:14, 7 July 2010 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:26, 24 December 2010 (UTC) (UTC)

Matej Rapnik (born 24 February 1990) is a Slovenian professional footballer who currently plays for and captains Interblock.^[2] A strong and cultured centre-back who can also fill in at left-back, he has captained Slovenia from under-15 level up to under-19 level^[3] and currently plays for the under-21s.

Club career

Rapnik began his career with NK Bravo in the Ljubljanska league in the Slovenian Regional League, the fourth tier of the Slovenian league system. In July 2007 he signed for Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian where he impressed for the reserve side and made the bench on several occasions but never made a first team appearance. Perhaps his most famous moment with the Edinburgh club came when he defeated team-mate Gary Glen on Soccer AM's Skill Skool. On 30 January 2009 it was revealed that he had left the Jambos to return to Slovenia.^[4]

On 9 February 2009 Rapnik joined Interblock in his home town of Ljubljana on a three-year contract.^[5] He made his debut against FC Koper on 21 February 2009 and scored his first goal a week later against NK Rudar in a 2-1 defeat. However, he could not help his new team to better than a 9th place finish in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, which meant they had to face a relegation play-off. They were beaten 4-0 on aggregate by ND Triglav and were consigned to the Slovenian Second League for the 2010-11 season. He was named team captain following the departure of Ermin Rakovič.

International career

Rapnik has represented and captained his country at several youth levels, including under-19s. He featured in all three of their games as they finished bottom of their group at the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in Ukraine, which included a 7-1 thrashing by England. He is currently a member of the under-21 team, having made his debut in a 2-1 defeat to Croatia on 16 November 2010.

Honours

NK Interblock

• Slovenian Cup: 2009

References

1. ^ profile at Transfermarkt.de
2. ^ "Matej Rapnik". 1. SNL. http://www.prvaliga.si/klubi/mostvo/igralec.asp?idi=54225&id=151. 
3. ^ Matej Rapnik Heartsfc.co.uk
4. ^ Rapnik return to Slovenia Heartsfc.co.uk 30 January 2009
5. ^ Interblock signed new defender NK Interblock.eu 9 February 2009

Persondata
Name	Rapnik, Matej
Alternative names
Short description	footballer
Date of birth	24 February 1990
Place of birth	Ljubljana, Slovenia
Date of death
Place of death