Elvir Bolić

Elvir Bolić (Bosnian pronunciation: [bǒːlitɕ]; born 10 October 1971) is a Bosnian former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Not to be confused with Elvir Baljić.

Elvir Bolić
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-10-10) 10 October 1971
Place of birth Zenica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1991 Čelik Zenica 48 (22)
1992 Red Star Belgrade 11 (2)
1992 Galatasaray 8 (2)
1993–1995 Gaziantepspor 73 (43)
1995–2000 Fenerbahçe 145 (74)
2000–2003 Rayo Vallecano 98 (22)
2003–2004 İstanbulspor 28 (11)
2004 Gençlerbirliği 16 (2)
2005 Malatyaspor 11 (1)
2005–2006 İstanbulspor 17 (7)
2006 Rijeka 6 (4)
Total 450 (190)
International career
1996–2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51 (22)
Managerial career
2008 Bosnia and Herzegovina (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He spent most of his 18-year professional career in Turkey, appearing for seven clubs including Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe. He also played three years in Spain, with Rayo Vallecano.

Bolić represented Bosnia and Herzegovina during one full decade.[1]

Club career

Čelik and Red Star

Born in Zenica, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia, Bolić started playing with local NK Čelik, being one of the players in the club that would later represent the independent Bosnian national team, including Senad Brkić, Mirsad Hibić and Nermin Šabić.

In December 1991, Bolić was acquired by Yugoslav powerhouse Red Star Belgrade – defending champions of the European Cup – after impressing managers Vladimir Cvetković and Dragan Džajić. He scored two goals in 11 games in the Yugoslav First League in his only season.[2][3]

While at the Yugoslav national side's training camp in France, in June of the following year, 21-year-old Bolić received bad news from his family about the deteriorating situation in Bosnia and the start of the military conflict. He informed the club's directors that he would not be coming back to Belgrade, and he left to Turkey to meet with his agent; Red Star respected his wish, and he subsequently signed with Galatasaray SK.[4]

Turkey

Bolić moved to Turkey in the summer of 1992, and remained in the nation and its Süper Lig for the following eight years. He started with Galatasaray, going on to represent Gaziantepspor and Fenerbahçe SK, winning the national championship in his first season with the latter team and also reaching the final of the Turkish Cup.

On 30 October 1996, Bolić broke Manchester United's 40-year unbeaten home record playing for Fenerbahçe in Europe when he scored the game's only goal at Old Trafford in the season's UEFA Champions League group stage,[5] where he also netted against SK Rapid Wien (1–1 away draw).

Late career

Bolić started the 2000s in Spain with Rayo Vallecano, spending three seasons in La Liga with the club and at times forming part of a forward line with another Bosnian and a Basque who all had similar names: 'Baljić, Bolić and Bolo'.[6] In his first year he scored eight in 32 matches, adding seven in the campaign's UEFA Cup to help the Madrid outskirts side reach the quarterfinals, even though four of those came in a 10–0 away routing of amateurs Constel·lació Esportiva.[7]

In 2003, Bolić returned to Turkey for another lengthy spell, joining Istanbulspor in late July.[8] At the end of the season he left for Gençlerbirliği SK,[9] finishing his second stint in the country with Malatyaspor and İstanbulspor.

Bolić started 2006–07 in Croatia with NK Rijeka, but left in September 2006, retiring shortly after at the age of 35.

International career
Bosnia and Herzegovina squad during the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign (Bolić fourth from the left, middle row).

Bolić earned 51 caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina, scoring 22 goals.[10] He made his debut in 1996 against Greece[11] and, at the time of his retirement, ranked third in international goals for his country, only trailing Edin Džeko and Zvjezdan Misimović.[1]

On 8 September 2004, Bolić netted the equalizer in a 1–1 home draw with Spain for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[12] His final international was a September 2006 European Championship qualification match against Hungary.[13]

He later briefly worked as assistant coach to the national team, being part of Meho Kodro's coaching staff and leaving his post on 17 May 2008.[14]

Career statistics
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 November 1996Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Italy2–12–1Friendly
2.10 November 1996Bežigrad, Ljubljana, Slovenia Slovenia1–02–11998 World Cup qualification
3.5 November 1997El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia Tunisia1–21–2Friendly
4.20 August 1997Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Denmark2–03–01998 World Cup qualification
5.20 August 1997Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Denmark3–03–01998 World Cup qualification
6.10 September 1997Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Slovenia1–01–01998 World Cup qualification
7.5 June 1999Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Lithuania2–02–0Euro 2000 qualifying
8.9 June 1999Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands Faroe Islands1–02–2Euro 2000 qualifying
9.9 June 1999Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands Faroe Islands2–22–2Euro 2000 qualifying
10.4 September 1999Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Scotland1–11–2Euro 2000 qualifying
11.16 August 2000Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Turkey1–02–0Friendly
12.27 March 2002Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Macedonia1–04–4Friendly
13.27 March 2002Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Macedonia4–24–4Friendly
14.29 March 2003Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina Luxembourg1–02–0Euro 2004 qualifying
15.11 October 2003Asim Ferhatovic Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Denmark1–11–1Euro 2004 qualifying
16.31 March 2004 ?, Luxembourg, Luxembourg Luxembourg2–02–1Friendly
17.8 September 2004Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina Spain1–11–12006 World Cup qualification
18.2 February 2005 ?, Teheran, Iran Iran1–01–2Friendly
19.30 March 2005Asim Ferhatović Hase, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Lithuania1–01–12006 World Cup qualification
20.8 October 2005Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina San Marino1–03–02006 World Cup qualification
21.8 October 2005Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina San Marino2–03–02006 World Cup qualification
22.8 October 2005Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina San Marino3–03–02006 World Cup qualification

Honours

Galatasaray

Fenerbahçe

References
  1. "Elvir Bolić" (in Bosnian). NFSBIH. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  2. Елвир Болић [Elvir Bolić] (in Serbian). Red Star Belgrade. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  3. "Red Star 1991/92 season" (in Serbian). Red Star Belgrade. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  4. "Bivši reprezentativac BiH: Kako je Elvir Bolić pobjegao iz Crvene zvezde?" [How did Elvir Bolić escape from Red Star?] (in Bosnian). Faktor. 6 January 2016. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  5. "Best and worst of Manchester United's Champions League games at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson". The Daily Telegraph. London. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  6. "Baljic, Bolic y Bolo desafían a un Zidane en estado de gracia" [Baljic, Bolic and Bolo challenge Zidane in a state of grace]. El País (in Spanish). 24 November 2001. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  7. "Constel·lació 0–10 Rayo Vallecano". UEFA. 10 August 2000. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  8. "Turkish delight for Bolic". UEFA. 22 July 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  9. "Bolic to lead Gençlerbirligi attack". UEFA. 1 July 2004. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  10. Mamrud, Roberto (16 July 2009). "Bosnia and Herzegovina – Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  11. Prve utakmice bh. reprezentacije (BH team's first match); Klix, 31 May 2009 (in Bosnian)
  12. "World Cup round-up". BBC Sport. 8 September 2004. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  13. "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  14. "Bosnia-Herzegovina sack Kodro". FIFA. 17 May 2008. Archived from the original on 8 July 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2008.
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