Nikola Matas

Nikola Matas (Croatian pronunciation: [nǐkola mâtas];[1][2] born 22 June 1987) is a Croatian football defender.

Nikola Matas
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-06-22) 22 June 1987
Place of birth Sinj, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
200?–2005 Junak Sinj
2005 Zagreb
2006 Junak Sinj
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Junak Sinj
2007–2009 Trogir 30 (0)
2009–2010 Junak Sinj 15 (0)
2010 Hrvace 14 (4)
2011 Uskok 11 (3)
2012 Hrvace 20 (2)
2012–2013 Junak Sinj 23 (2)
2013 Lokomotiva 7 (0)
2014–2018 Osijek 108 (1)
2018 → Istra 1961 (loan) 13 (1)
2018–2019 Nafta 1903 9 (0)
2019–2020 Dugopolje
2020 HNK Val
International career
2017 Croatia 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:41, 1 June 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Nikola Matas went up through the ranks of his hometown's NK Junak Sinj academy, spending half a season in NK Zagreb, aged 18. He returned, however to Junak for his first senior season. He joined the newly promoted Druga HNL team, featuring in both their seasons at that rank, before returning to his home team, for another season in Croatia's second tier. Leaving the club again in the summer of 2010, he went on to spend 2 seasons in the Treća HNL Jug, playing for nearby NK Hrvace and NK Uskok.

This was followed by yet another return to Junak and the Druga HNL. Despite the club's relegation at the end of the season, his performances drew interest from Prva HNL sides, and he signed a 4-year contract with NK Lokomotiva.[3]

He started off as the first choice at the right back position there, after the departure of Ivan Boras and the injury of Toni Gorupec. After the first seven rounds, however, he faded from the team and left the club at the winter break.

International career

Matas made his debut for Croatia in a January 2017 China Cup match against Chile and earned a total of 2 caps, scoring no goals. His second and final international was during the same tournament against China.[4]

References
  1. "Nìkola". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Nìkola
  2. "Máte". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Mȁtas
  3. "NK Junak - Nikola Matas potpisao za Lokomotivu".
  4. "Player Database". EU-football. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
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