Luka Ivanušec

Luka Ivanušec (Croatian pronunciation: [lûːka iʋanǔʃets];[3][4] born 26 November 1998) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Eredivisie club Feyenoord and the Croatia national team.

Luka Ivanušec
Ivanušec with Dinamo Zagreb in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-11-26) 26 November 1998[1]
Place of birth Varaždin, Croatia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team
 Feyenoord
Number 17
Youth career
2008–2009 Novi Marof
2010–2015 Varaždin
2015–2016 Lokomotiva
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2019 Lokomotiva 78 (9)
2019–2023 Dinamo Zagreb 117 (27)
2023– Feyenoord 2 (1)
International career‡
2015 Croatia U17 5 (1)
2015 Croatia U18 6 (1)
2016–2017 Croatia U19 13 (2)
2017–2021 Croatia U21 28 (10)
2017– Croatia 15 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Croatia
UEFA Nations League
Runner-up2023 Netherlands
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 September 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 September 2023

Club career

Lokomotiva Zagreb

Born in Varaždin, Ivanušec made his professional debut for Lokomotiva in the Prva HNL on 20 December 2015 against Slaven Belupo. He came on as an 85th-minute substitute for Josip Ćorić as Lokomotiva won 3–0.[5] He didn't make another appearance for the club until the next season in which he made his European club debut on 30 June 2016 against Andorran side Santa Coloma. He started the match and played 60 minutes as Lokomotiva won 3–1.[6] He then scored his first goal for the club on 3 December 2016 against Cibalia. His 73rd-minute goal was the third as Lokomotiva went on to win 4–1 over the last place side.[7]

Dinamo Zagreb

On 19 August 2019, Ivanušec signed for Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb, despite interest from Celtic and Olympiacos.[8] He made his debut for Dinamo on 31 August, in a 1–0 derby loss to Hajduk Split at Stadion Poljud.[9] He scored his first goal for Dinamo on 6 November, in a 3–3 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.[10] After Zoran Mamić was appointed as a manager of the club, Ivanušec became a more significant part of the team.[11] In Mamić's system, Ivanušec simultaneously played as a right winger and an attacking midfielder, switching between the two positions with Lovro Majer during matches.[12] On 26 November 2020, his 22nd birthday, he scored the third goal in the 3–0 victory over Wolfsberg in the Europa League.[13] On 13 December, in a 2–2 derby draw with Rijeka, he scored one of the fastest goals in the history of the Prva HNL, scoring after only 21 seconds.[14] On 11 March 2021, in a 2–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur away, Ivanušec was praised for his performance despite the loss, in contrast to the rest of the team.[15][16][17] A week later, he provided an assist to an extra-time winner by Mislav Oršić, which completed a 3–0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur and secured qualification to the Europa League quarter-finals.[18]

On 25 July 2023, Ivanušec scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 win over Astana in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round.[19]

Feyenoord

On 25 August 2023, Dutch side Feyenoord announced that it had signed Ivanušec on a 5-year contract.[20] He scored his first goal for the club on 16 September, scoring the opening goal in a 6–1 home win against SC Heerenveen.[21]

International career

Ivanušec made his senior international debut for Croatia on 11 January 2017 against Chile in the 2017 China Cup. He came on as a 90th-minute substitute for Franko Andrijašević as Croatia lost the match on penalties 4–1.[22] He then scored his first international goal for Croatia in the next match against China. He found the net in the 36th minute to give Croatia the lead but China managed to equalize and finish the match 1–1. China eventually won on penalties 4–3.[23] The goal made him the youngest goalscorer in the history of Croatia national team, surpassing Ivan Rakitić.[24]

On 7 June 2019, Ivanušec was selected in Nenad Gračan's 23-man squad for the UEFA Under-21 Euro 2019.[25] He made two appearances at the tournament, in the 1–0 defeat to France and the 3–3 draw with England, as Croatia finished last in their group. In the latter match, he provided Josip Brekalo with an assist for Croatia's third goal.[26][27] On 9 March 2021, he was once again selected for the UEFA Under-21 Euro 2021, being named in Igor Bišćan's 23-man squad for the group stage of the tournament.[28] He stuck out as one of the best players in the team, as Croatia progressed to the quarter-finals.[29][30] In the final group game, the 2–1 loss to England on 31 March, Ivanušec made his 27th appearance for the team, becoming its most capped player in history.[31] On 17 May, he was named in Bišćan's 23-man squad for the knockout stage of the tournament,[32] as well as Zlatko Dalić's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020.[33] On 7 June, he was listed in the UEFA Under-21 Euro 2021 Squad of the Tournament.[34]

On 31 October 2022, Ivanušec was named in the preliminary 34-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup,[35] but did not make the final 26.[36]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 19 September 2023[37]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lokomotiva 2015–16 Prva HNL 100000–10
2016–17 221304[lower-alpha 1]0–291
2017–18 21141—–252
2018–19 31630—–346
2019–20 31——–31
Total 78910140–9210
Dinamo Zagreb 2019–20 Prva HNL 244104[lower-alpha 2]1–295
2020–21 3075113[lower-alpha 3]1–489
2021–22 2732013[lower-alpha 4]2–425
2022–23 HNL 33122112[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 5]04813
2023–24 31004[lower-alpha 6]41[lower-alpha 5]085
Total 117271024682017537
Feyenoord 2023–24 Eredivisie 210010–21
Career total 197372035182027048
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, eleven appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
  4. Seven appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
  5. Appearance in Croatian Super Cup
  6. Three appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, one appearance and one goal in UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 8 September 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Croatia 201721
202180
202210
202341
Total152
Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ivanušec goal.[38]
List of international goals scored by Luka Ivanušec
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 14 January 2017Guangxi Sports Center, Nanning, China2 China1–01–12017 China Cup
2 8 September 2023Stadion Rujevica, Rijeka, Croatia15 Latvia2–05–0UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Honours

Dinamo Zagreb

Croatia

Individual

References
  1. "Luka Ivanušec | Croatia | UEFA Nations League". UEFA. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  2. "Luca Ivanušec". GNK Dinamo Zagreb. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  3. "Lȗka". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Lȗka
  4. "Ìvan". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Ivanùšec
  5. "Slaven Belupo 0-3 Lokomotiva". Soccerway.
  6. "UE Santa Coloma 1-3 Lokomotiva". Soccerway.
  7. "Cibalia 1-4 Lokomotiva". Soccerway.
  8. "Ivanušec potpisao za Dinamo!". GNK Dinamo (in Croatian). 19 August 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  9. Kuzmanić, Dražen (31 August 2019). "VIDEO: LUDILO NA POLJUDU, TRI CRVENA KARTONA, POGLEDAJTE GOL S KOJIM SU SPLIĆANI NAKON 1400 DANA IZBILI NA PRVO MJESTO Hajduk srušio Dinamo!". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  10. Starešinčić, Danijel (6 November 2019). "Zabio prvijenac za Dinamo u Ligi prvaka, ali i priznao: Svi smo utučeni, nismo ovo zaslužili". Tportal.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  11. Mršnik, Patrik (2 April 2021). "Bit će uskoro Vatreni: 'Imao je 17 kada sam ga stavio da igra Europsku ligu. I odmah je bio najbolji!'". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  12. Junaci, Robert (10 March 2021). "Dinamov dragulj: U Londonu želi srušiti Tottenham, a onda na 'faksu' riješiti zadnje ispite". Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  13. "Lovro Majer: Odigrali smo najbolju utakmicu sezone". Index.hr (in Croatian). 26 November 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  14. "Koji je najbrži gol u povijesti HNL-a? Zaboravljeni igrač kultnog ugašenog kluba apsolutni je pobjednik". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 13 December 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  15. Tironi, Hrvoje (12 March 2021). "Kek: Mou je bio baš studiozan. Ivanušec? Najveće iznenađenje". 24sata (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  16. "Ponajbolji igrač Dinama protiv Tottenhama: "Trebali smo igrati ofenzivnije! Moramo izaći s manje respekta"". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 11 March 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  17. Antolić, Dražen (7 April 2021). "Otkako je Hrvatske, nitko to još nije napravio! Najbolji je mladi hrvatski nogometaš i rješenje za Dalića". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  18. "Dinamo Zagreb 3–0 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. 18 March 2021.
  19. "Ivanušec excelled, Dinamo convincingly defeated Astana". vijesti.me. 25 July 2023.
  20. "Feyenoord heeft Kroatisch international Ivanusec na lang wachten eindelijk binnen" [Feyenoord brings in Croatian international Ivanusec after a long wait] (in Dutch). 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  21. "Podcast Feyenoord: 'Meerdere doelpunten waren van grote schoonheid'" [Podcast Feyenoord: 'Multiple goals were of great beauty'] (in Dutch). 16 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  22. "Chile 1-1 Croatia". Soccerway.
  23. "China 1-1 Croatia". Soccerway.
  24. Hudika, Drago (14 January 2017). "Luka Ivanušec je postao najmlađi strijelac u povijesti reprezentacije". Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  25. HINA (7 June 2019). "Konačan popis za Euro: S ovim mladima Hrvatska napada Olimpijske igre". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  26. Hrvatski nogometni savez (31 March 2021). "MINI VATRENI PODCAST: Luka Ivanušec". YouTube (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  27. "Trostruki povratak mladih Vatrenih protiv Engleske". Hrvatski nogometni savez (in Croatian). 24 June 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  28. 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 2 April 2021.
  29. Sladoljev, Stipe (1 April 2021). "Sjajni mladi Vatreni oduševljava, hoće li ga Dalić pozvati? "Najveća želja je bilo koji dres s hrvatskim grbom"". Gol.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  30. Zobec, Petar (2 April 2021). "Pitanje je tko će ostati Bišćanu u utakmici za povijest: 'Bila bi mi velika čast ući u A reprezentaciju'". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  31. Tironi, Hrvoje (2 April 2021). "Ivanušec: Nikad me nisu onako tražili dres, a Bradariću smo svi zabranili da nam pušta muziku!". 24sata (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  32. "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.
  33. "Zlatko Dalić objavio popis! Dinamove zvijezde putuju na Euro, sjajni hajdukovac dobio pretpoziv". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  34. "Under-21 EURO Squad of the Tournament". UEFA. 7 June 2021.
  35. "Dalić objavio prošireni popis za Svjetsko prvenstvo: Evo tko ima šansu putovati u Katar". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  36. "Zlatko Dalić objavio popis igrača za SP, ovo su 26 imena koje vodi u Katar". Večernji list (in Croatian). 9 November 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  37. Luka Ivanušec at Sofascore
  38. "Ivanušec, Luka". National Football Teams. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  39. "DINAMO - ISTRA 1961 6:3". HNS-CFF (in Croatian). 19 May 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  40. "Under-21 EURO Squad of the Tournament". UEFA. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Luka Ivanušec.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.