Ante Vukušić (Croatian pronunciation: [ǎːnte ʋǔkuʃitɕ]; born 4 June 1991) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Croatian Football League club Varaždin.

Ante Vukušić
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-06-04) 4 June 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Sinj, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Varaždin
Number 30
Youth career
2000–2007 Junak Sinj
2007–2009 Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2012 Hajduk Split 84 (36)
2012–2015 Pescara 23 (1)
2014Lausanne-Sport (loan) 13 (4)
2014–2015Waasland-Beveren (loan) 15 (3)
2016–2017 Greuther Fürth 21 (2)
2016Greuther Fürth II 1 (0)
2017–2018 Tosno 0 (0)
2018 Olimpia Grudziądz 9 (0)
2018–2019 Krško 27 (4)
2019–2021 Olimpija Ljubljana 42 (26)
2021 FCSB 5 (0)
2021–2022 Messina 12 (2)
2022 Tuzla City 6 (0)
2022–2023 Kolubara 27 (4)
2023– Varaždin 9 (0)
International career
2009 Croatia U18 6 (2)
2009–2010 Croatia U19 7 (1)
2010–2012 Croatia U21 11 (3)
2012 Croatia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 June 2024

Club career

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Vukušić started his career playing at youth level for his hometown club Junak Sinj. He joined Hajduk Split in 2007, and during his time at their youth academy was regarded as one of the most promising players.[1]

Hajduk Split

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In January 2009, he signed a professional 5+12-year contract with Hajduk keeping him at the club until summer 2014.[2] He made his debut for the first team in a 5–0 win against Croatia Sesvete on 22 April 2009.[3] In the last round of 2008–09 season, he scored his first goal in Prva HNL, a late equalizer against rivals Dinamo Zagreb.[4]

In the 2009–10 season, Vukušić established himself as the first choice striker at the club. In 22 league appearances, he scored 6 goals and a further 2 goals in 5 cup appearances. His stature at the club at such a young age impressed many of Europe's top clubs and he was set to make a move away from the Croatian club but the management and he mutually chose for him to remain at the club for the following season.

In the 2010–11 season, he scored 14 league goals in 29 appearances, finishing the season as the club's top scorer. He also scored four goals in nine UEFA Europa League appearances, the most memorable of which was a last minute winner against Anderlecht.

At the start of the 2011–12 season, under new coach Krasimir Balakov, Vukušić continued as the first choice striker at the club, this time alongside new signing Ivan Vuković as the most preferred front duo. He scored his first goal of the 2011–12 Prva HNL only three minutes into the first match against Šibenik and added his second in a match against Rijeka. In doing so he injured his toe and was consequentially ruled out for the next four weeks. He ended the season with 12 league goals in 24 appearances and 15 total goals in 29 appearances which made him the top goalscorer at the club for the second year running.

The 2012–13 season at Hajduk started with another new coach, but Ante remained the first choice striker and captain at the club, despite his young age. He converted a penalty in Hajduk's 2–0 win over Italian club Internazionale at the San Siro.

Pescara

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In August 2012, Vukušić was transferred to the newly promoted Serie A club Pescara for a reported fee of around €3.8 million.[5] He was initially the first choice striker at the club, but ended up losing his place and managed just one goal in 19 appearances as Pescara were relegated.

Lausanne-Sport (loan)

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In February 2014 he moved to Lausanne-Sport on a six-month loan.[6]

Waasland-Beveren (loan)

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In August 2014 he moved to Waasland-Beveren on a loan.[7]

Greuther Fürth

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He moved to Greuther Fürth on 29 January 2016. On 7 May 2016 he extended his contract until June 2018.[8]

Tosno

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On 5 June 2017, he signed a 2-year contract with the Russian Premier League club FC Tosno.[9] Three weeks later, he underwent a surgery on his lungs, due to years-long medical problems.[10]

Olimpia Grudziądz

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On 7 March 2018, he signed with the Polish club Olimpia Grudziądz.[11] In the summer of 2018 he left Olimpia Grudziądz.

Krško

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After leaving Grudziądz, he signed with Slovenian PrvaLiga club NK Krško, where he scored 4 goals in 27 appearances during the 2018–19 season.[12]

FCSB

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On 28 January 2021, it was announced that Vukušić signed with Romanian club FCSB.[13][14]

International career

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In May 2011, Vukušić was first called up to the Croatian senior team by manager Slaven Bilić for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Georgia, but was later moved to the under-21 squad for their opening match in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualifications, also against Georgia.[15][16] On 15 August 2012, he made his debut for the senior team under manager Igor Štimac as a second-half substitute in a 4–2 defeat against Switzerland.[17][18]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 26 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hajduk Split 2008–09 Prva HNL 4 1 4 1
2009–10 Prva HNL 22 6 5 2 27 8
2010–11 Prva HNL 29 14 2 0 9 4 40 18
2011–12 Prva HNL 24 12 3 3 2 0 29 15
2012–13 Prva HNL 5 3 4 2 9 5
Total 84 36 10 5 15 6 109 47
Pescara 2012–13 Serie A 19 1 0 0 19 1
2013–14 Serie B 3 0 1 0 4 0
Total 22 1 1 0 23 1
Lausanne-Sport 2013–14 Swiss Super League 13 4 13 4
Waasland-Beveren 2014–15 Belgian Pro League 15 3 1 0 16 3
Pescara 2015–16 Serie B 1 0 1 0 2 0
Greuther Fürth 2015–16 2. Bundesliga 14 2 14 2
2016–17 2. Bundesliga 7 0 1 0 8 0
Total 21 2 1 0 22 2
Olimpia Grudziądz 2017–18 I liga 9 0 9 0
Krško 2018–19 Slovenian PrvaLiga 27 4 3 1 30 5
Olimpija Ljubljana 2019–20 Slovenian PrvaLiga 35 26 1 0 4 1 40 27
2020–21 Slovenian PrvaLiga 7 0 1 1 2 0 10 1
Total 42 26 2 1 6 1 50 28
FCSB 2020–21 Liga I 5 0 1 0 6 0
Messina 2021–22 Serie C 12 2 1[a] 0 13 2
Tuzla City 2021–22 Premier League of BH 6 0 2 0 8 0
Kolubara 2022–23 Serbian SuperLiga 27 4 1 0 28 4
Varaždin 2023–24 Croatian Football League 9 0 1 0 10 0
Career total 293 82 25 7 21 7 339 96
  1. ^ Appearance in Coppa Italia Serie C

International

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As of match played 15 August 2012
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Croatia
2012 1 0
Total 1 0

Honours

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Hajduk Split

Individual

References

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  1. ^ Izkusil je pekel, nato z božjo pomočjo zaprl usta vsem, ki so se mu posmehovali siol.net
  2. ^ Alfirević, Slaven (14 January 2009). "Siniša Šošo se vratio u Hajduk!". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  3. ^ Jurišić, Bernard (22 April 2009). "Rekordna pobjeda mogla biti i veća". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  4. ^ Jurišić, Bernard (31 May 2009). "Svakome po poluvrijeme i bod". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  5. ^ Bradovski, Mihaela (26 August 2012). "Ante Vukušić stavio potpis na ugovor s Pescarom". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  6. ^ Jurišić, Bernard (17 February 2014). "Ante Vukušić na posudbi u Lausanne-Sport". hrsport.net (in Croatian). Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  7. ^ Passarella, Enrico (5 August 2014). "Pescara's Vukusic set to join Waasland-Beveren on loan". gianlucadimarzio.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Transferkarussell dreht sich". Greuther Fürth. 29 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. ^ АНТЕ ВУКУШИЧ – ИГРОК "ТОСНО" (in Russian). FC Tosno. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Sportske novosti - POTRESNA ISPOVIJEST BIVŠEG GOLGETERA HAJDUKA I PRAVOG MILJENIKA TORCIDE Nakon dvosatne operacije zavapio: 'Sretan sam i odsad dišem punim plućima'". 27 June 2017.
  11. ^ "ANTE VUKUŠIĆ PIŁKARZEM OLIMPII!" (in Polish). Olimpia Grudziądz. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Ante Vukušić – Prva liga Telekom Slovenije" (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  13. ^ "Bine ai venit, Ante Vukušić!" (Press release) (in Romanian). FCSB. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  14. ^ "EXCLUSIV Noul atacant de la FCSB, deturnat de la o altă echipă din Liga 1: "Voiam să-l prezentăm miercuri"" (in Romanian). gsp.ro. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  15. ^ Glasnović, Mario (20 May 2011). "Bilić: Pobijedit ćemo uz pun Poljud". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  16. ^ Pavković, Božo (2 June 2011). "Šušak protiv Gruzije izvodi Hajdukov napad Vukušić - Lendrić - Čop". dalmacijanews.com (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  17. ^ Jurišić, Bernard (15 August 2012). "Video: Hrvatska razočarala na početku Štimčeva mandata". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  18. ^ "Ante Vukušić, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Najbolji igrač 8. kola Mozzart Bet Super lige Srbije – Ante Vukušić". www.superliga.rs. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
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