Dragan Žilić

Dragan Žilić (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Жилић; born 14 December 1974) is a Serbian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for German amateur club SG Knopp/Wiesbach.[1]

Dragan Žilić
Personal information
Full name Dragan Žilić
Date of birth (1974-12-14) 14 December 1974
Place of birth Kikinda, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 SG Knopp/Wiesbach
Youth career
1985–1992 OFK Kikinda
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1996 OFK Kikinda 70 (0)
1996–2000 Vojvodina 49 (0)
2000–2001 CSKA Sofia 1 (0)
2001–2005 Sartid Smederevo 112 (0)
2005–2008 Rijeka 79 (0)
2009–2010 Gorica 19 (0)
2015 Gençlerbirliği Homburg 10 (0)
2015–2017 SpVgg Einöd-Ingweiler 33 (0)
2017 SV Beeden 16 (0)
2018 Gençlerbirliği Homburg 28 (0)
2019 ASV Kleinottweiler 11 (0)
2019–2021 SV Schwarzenbach 23 (0)
2022– SG Knopp/Wiesbach 8 (0)
International career
1998–2003 Serbia and Montenegro 8 (0)
Managerial career
2015–2017 SpVgg Einöd-Ingweiler (player-manager)
2018 Gençlerbirliği Homburg (player-manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 December 2022

Club career

Žilić joined his hometown club OFK Kikinda as a trainee in 1985.[2] He made his senior debut in the 1992–93 First League of FR Yugoslavia, as the team finished in the lower half of the standings. In the summer of 1996, Žilić was transferred to Vojvodina. He was a regular member of the team that reached the 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup finals, losing 2–1 on aggregate to Werder Bremen.

In June 2000, Žilić moved abroad to Bulgaria and signed with CSKA Sofia on a three-year contract.[3] He left the club by mutual agreement in February 2001,[4] having played just two official games for the team. In July 2001, Žilić returned to his homeland and joined ambitious Sartid Smederevo.[5] He spent four seasons with the Oklopnici, winning the Serbia and Montenegro Cup in 2003.[6]

In July 2005, Žilić completed a controversial move to Croatian side Rijeka.[7] The transfer caused a minor sensation in the region as it marked the first occasion that a Serbian-born player joined a Croatian club after the Yugoslav Wars. Despite being exposed to severe verbal abuse by the nationalist supporters of Rijeka,[8] Žilić immediately established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper and gradually earned the support of fans with his consistent performances.[9] He played an important role in helping them win the 2005–06 Croatian Cup. On 29 November 2006, Žilić scored a 92nd-minute header against Konavljanin that pushed Rijeka into the 2006–07 Croatian Cup semi-finals.[10] He would lose his place in the first team by the fall of 2008, being demoted to as low as training with the youth team.[11] In the 2009 winter transfer window, Žilić signed with Slovenian club Gorica on a free transfer. He retired from professional football after the 2009–10 season.

In early 2015, at the age of 40, Žilić came out of retirement to play for German amateur club Gençlerbirliği Homburg in the Bezirksliga.[12] He became player-manager of Landesliga club SpVgg Einöd-Ingweiler in October of the same year.[13]

International career

Žilić made his international debut for FR Yugoslavia in a 1–1 away friendly draw against Brazil on 23 September 1998. He came on as a second-half substitute for Ivica Kralj and kept a clean sheet in the process. After nearly four years of absence, Žilić returned to the squad in a 2–1 friendly win over Mexico at Bank One Ballpark on 13 February 2002. He earned a total of eight caps for the national team between 1998 and 2003.[14]

Post-playing career

Following his initial retirement in 2010, Žilić served as president of his parent club OFK Kikinda.

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[15]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
OFK Kikinda 1992–93 First League of FR Yugoslavia 20—20
1993–94 First League of FR Yugoslavia 80—80
1994–95 Second League of FR Yugoslavia 300—300
1995–96 Second League of FR Yugoslavia 300—300
Total 700—700
Vojvodina 1996–97 First League of FR Yugoslavia 404080
1997–98 First League of FR Yugoslavia 13000130
1998–99 First League of FR Yugoslavia 230100330
1999–2000 First League of FR Yugoslavia 9040130
Total 490180670
CSKA Sofia 2000–01 Bulgarian First League 10001020
Sartid Smederevo 2001–02 First League of Serbia and Montenegro 33000330
2002–03 First League of Serbia and Montenegro 33040370
2003–04 First League of Serbia and Montenegro 27040310
2004–05 First League of Serbia and Montenegro 19030220
Total 11201101230
Rijeka 2005–06 Croatian First League 2907020380
2006–07 Croatian First League 2706120351
2007–08 Croatian First League 23010—240
Total 79014140971
Gorica 2008–09 Slovenian First League 30000030
2009–10 Slovenian First League 1600000160
Total 1900000190
Gençlerbirliği Homburg 2014–15 Bezirksliga 20——20
2015–16 Landesliga 80——80
Total 100——100
SpVgg Einöd-Ingweiler 2015–16 Landesliga 130——130
2016–17 Landesliga 200——200
Total 330——330
SV Beeden 2017–18 Landesliga 160——160
Gençlerbirliği Homburg 2017–18 Landesliga 110——110
2018–19 Landesliga 170——170
Total 280——280
ASV Kleinottweiler 2018–19 Landesliga 110——110
SV Schwarzenbach 2019–20 Verbandsliga 140——140
2020–21 Verbandsliga 20——20
2021–22 Verbandsliga 70——70
Total 230——230
Career total 45101413404991

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[16]
National teamYearAppsGoals
FR Yugoslavia 199810
199900
200000
200100
200230
Serbia and Montenegro 200340
Total80

Honours

Sartid Smederevo

Rijeka

References
  1. "Zilic Dragan" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  2. "Bavite se sportom" (in Serbian). pancevac-online.rs. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  3. ""Lale" od milion maraka" (in Serbian). glas-javnosti.rs. 15 June 2000. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  4. "Dragan Žilić otišao iz CSKA" (in Serbian). glas-javnosti.rs. 9 February 2001. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  5. "Žilić u Sartidu" (in Serbian). glas-javnosti.rs. 14 July 2001. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  6. "Sartid pobednik Kupa!" (in Serbian). srbija.gov.rs. 29 May 2003. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  7. "Žilić priželjkuje ovacije Armade" (in Croatian). index.hr. 22 July 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  8. "Armada izvrijeđala Žilića" (in Croatian). index.hr. 24 July 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  9. "Dragan Žilić: "Pobedio sam karakterom"" (in Serbian). b92.net. 27 March 2006. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  10. "Žilić pogotkom u nadoknadi spasio Rijeku od debakla" (in Croatian). index.hr. 29 November 2006. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  11. "Ćutim i čekam kraj ugovora s Rijekom" (in Serbian). blic.rs. 12 October 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  12. "Ein Ex-Nationalspieler in der Bezirksliga" (in German). saarbruecker-zeitung.de. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  13. "Spvgg. Einöd-Ingweiler verpflichtet mit Zilic einen neuen Trainer" (in German). saarbruecker-zeitung.de. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  14. "Žilić Dragan" (in Serbian). reprezentacija.rs. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  15. "Dragan Zilic" (in German). fupa.net. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  16. "Dragan Žilić, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
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