Bartol Franjić

Bartol Franjić (Croatian pronunciation: [bâːrtol frǎːɲitɕ]; born 14 January 2000) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a defender for German Bundesliga side Darmstadt 98 on loan from VfL Wolfsburg.

Bartol Franjić
Bartol Franjić with Dinamo Zagreb in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-01-14) 14 January 2000
Place of birth Zagreb, Croatia
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, defender
Team information
Current team
 Darmstadt 98
(on loan from VfL Wolfsburg)
Number 28
Youth career
2008–2018 Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Dinamo Zagreb II 35 (4)
2020–2022 Dinamo Zagreb 51 (0)
2022–0000 VfL Wolfsburg 5 (0)
2023– → Darmstadt 98 (loan) 2 (0)
International career‡
2014 Croatia U14 4 (0)
2015 Croatia U15 5 (0)
2015–2016 Croatia U16 6 (0)
2016–2017 Croatia U17 10 (2)
2017–2018 Croatia U18 3 (0)
2018 Croatia U19 7 (0)
2019 Croatia U20 1 (0)
2020– Croatia U21 12 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 June 2023

Club career

Born in Zagreb and raised in Dugo Selo, Franjić joined the academy of Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb in 2008, frequently serving as a captain at various youth levels.[2] On 1 April 2016, he signed a contract with the club until 2022.[3] In January 2019, Franjić joined the senior team during the winter break training camp in Belek during Nenad Bjelica's tenure at the club. He played and scored in a friendly 2–0 victory over Śląsk Wrocław, impressing his older teammates.[2] In 2019–20 UEFA Youth League, Franjić played a key part as Dinamo progressed to the knockout phase from the group with Atalanta, Manchester City and Shakhtar Donetsk.[4]

On 17 June 2020, Franjić debuted for senior Dinamo team in a 3–2 victory over Slaven Belupo, during the tenure of Igor Jovićević, his former coach from the youth ranks.[3] However, Jovićević was soon sacked and succeeded by Zoran Mamić. On 22 October, Franjić made his Europa League debut in a goalless draw with Feyenoord, coming on for Kristijan Jakić in the 71st minute.[5] A week later, he was unexpectedly named in the starting lineup in the Europa League fixture against CSKA Moscow away. The game ended in another goalless draw, and Franjić was praised for his defensive performance against CSKA Moscow's Nikola Vlašić.[3][6] On 15 December, Franjić renewed his contract with Dinamo until 2025.[2] On 18 March 2021, new coach Damir Krznar named Franjić in the starting lineup for the second leg of Dinamo's Europa League Round of 16 tie against Tottenham Hotspur. He played out of position–as a centre-back while defending and a left-back while attacking–earning praise for his performance as Dinamo won 3–2 on aggregate.[7][8]

At the beginning of the 2021–22 season, on 10 August, Franjić scored his first goal for Dinamo in a Champions League qualifier against Legia Warsaw, which turned out to be crucial as Dinamo won 2–1 on aggregate. He once again played out of position, as Krznar deployed him as a left-back once again.[9]

On 27 June 2022, Franjić signed a five-year contract with VfL Wolfsburg in Germany.[10]

On 18 August 2023, Franjić moved on a season-long loan to Darmstadt 98.[11]

International career

Franjić was part of Dario Bašić's 18-man squad for UEFA Under-17 Euro 2017.[12]

Franjić made his under-21 debut in a Euro 2021 qualifier against Scotland on 12 November 2020.[13][14] On 9 March 2021, he was named in Igor Bišćan's final 23-man squad for the group stage of the tournament.[15] On 17 May, he was named in Bišćan's 23-man squad for the knockout stage of the tournament.[16]

Career statistics
As of 27 June 2022[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Dinamo Zagreb II 2018–19 Druga HNL 130——130
2019–20 152——152
2020–21 72——72
Total 354——354
Dinamo Zagreb 2019–20 Prva HNL 40000040
2020–21 2205011[lower-alpha 2]0380
2021–22 2502013[lower-alpha 3]1401
Total 51070241821
VfL Wolfsburg 2022–23 Bundesliga 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
Career total 864802411185
  1. Includes Croatian Cup
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. Six appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, seven appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Dinamo Zagreb

References
  1. "Bartol Franjić". Vfl Wolfsburg. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  2. Tolić, Josip; Tironi, Hrvoje (15 December 2020). "Franjić je produžio s Dinamom: Dokaz da možeš ostvariti snove". 24sata (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  3. Lipovac, Nikola (31 October 2020). "Mamić je našao 'protuotrov' za Vlašića! Tata je zaustavio Marka Viduku, a on novu zvijezdu Vatrenih". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  4. Paun, Vjekoslav (1 November 2019). "SN VIDEO: MLADI BRANIČ DINAMA (19) ODUŠEVIO JE TRENERA BJELICU U SVOJEM DEBIJU 'Teško je ostaviti obitelj s 14 godina i preseliti u Dinamovu kuću!'". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  5. Tironi, Hrvoje; Galić, Mato (14 December 2020). "Franjić: Cabella i Wanderson su strašni igrači, pratio sam ih..." 24sata (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  6. "JESTE LI GA VEĆ PRIMIJETILI? Dinamo ima novog hit-igrača. Prije 25 dana igrao je Drugu HNL, a sada je bio jedan od najboljih protiv CSKA". Net.hr (in Croatian). 29 October 2020. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  7. Karin, Vice (19 March 2021). "Dinamo je igrao onako kako je htio Ivanušec. Zato je slomio Tottenham". Index.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  8. Ničota, Tomo (18 March 2021). "Evo kako je Mamićev nasljednik iznenadio Mourinha! Na važnu poziciju stavio Dinamovu mladu nadu". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  9. Ničota, Tomo (10 August 2021). "Video: Pogledajte sjajnu akciju i gol koji su Dinamo doveli na korak do Lige prvaka! Čista genijalnost". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  10. "Bartol Franjic signs until 2027". VfL Wolfsburg. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  11. "Lilien leihen Franjic aus Wolfsburg" [Lilies borrow Franjic from Wolfsburg] (in German). Darmstadt 98. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  12. "Izbornik Bašić objavio popis igrača za EP U-17 - Hrvatski nogometni savez". Hrvatski nogometni savez (in Croatian). 1 May 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  13. "Dinamo produljio ugovor s jednim od najugodnijih iznenađenja sezone". Index.hr (in Croatian). 15 December 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  14. "VIDEO: Nevjerojatan rasplet u Škotskoj! Hrvatska prokockala 2:0 i potpuno zakomplicirala plasman na EURO". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). 12 November 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  15. Kajtazi Roth, Anita (9 March 2021). "Bišćan objavio popis igrača za U-21 Euro: Na njemu najviše igrača Dinama i neka nova imena". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  16. "Modri dragulj i na Bišćanovom popisu, tu je i nova zvijezda Hajduka: 'To mu je nagrada za sve učinjeno'". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  17. Bartol Franjić at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  18. "DINAMO - ISTRA 1961 6:3". HNS-CFF (in Croatian). 19 May 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
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