Roberto Punčec

Roberto Punčec (Croatian: [pûːntʃeːts]; born 27 October 1991) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Bulgarian First League club Botev Plovdiv.

Roberto Punčec
Punčec in Botev Plovdiv
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-10-27) 27 October 1991
Place of birth Varaždin, Croatia
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Botev Plovdiv
Number 44
Youth career
1999–2002 Trnje Trnovec
2002–2009 Varteks
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Varteks / Varaždin 53 (1)
2011–2013 Maccabi Tel Aviv 18 (0)
2012–2013 → Union Berlin (loan) 21 (0)
2013–2017 Union Berlin 100 (1)
2017–2019 Rijeka 58 (1)
2019–2021 Sporting Kansas City 23 (0)
2022– Botev Plovdiv 37 (0)
International career‡
2005 Croatia U14 2 (0)
2007 Croatia U16 4 (0)
2007–2008 Croatia U17 4 (0)
2009 Croatia U18 7 (0)
2009–2010 Croatia U19 10 (0)
2011 Croatia U20 3 (0)
2010–2011 Croatia U21 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 May 2015

Club career

A product of NK Varteks youth academy, Punčec joined the first team in the 2008–09 season and had his professional debut on 2 November 2008 in a league match against Hajduk Split.[1] He went on to appear in 27 matches for the club in his first two professional seasons, with the club changing its name to NK Varaždin in mid-2010.[1]

After filing for arbitration to Croatian Football Federation his contract with the financially troubled Varaždin was terminated due to unpaid wages, and on 31 August 2011, Punčec signed a two-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv.[2]

In July 2012, Punčec joined Union Berlin on a season-long loan with the option to buy.[3] Following five years with Union Berlin, in June 2017, Punčec joined Rijeka on a three-year deal as a free-agent.[4]

On 4 December 2019, it was announced Punčec would join Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City ahead of the 2020 season.[5] Following the 2021 season, Punčec's contract option was declined by Kansas City.[6] In February 2022, he signed a contract with Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv.[7]

International career

Punčec has been capped at the Croatia national team at every youth level, and was part of the Croatia squad at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, playing in all three of their group stage matches.[8]

Career statistics
As of 3 November 2019
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Varteks2008–09Prva HNL60––60
2009–1021150–261
Varaždin2010–1125062–312
2011–1210–2030
Varteks / Varaždin total 53111220663
Maccabi Tel Aviv2011–12Premier League180–50230
Union Berlin2012–132. Bundesliga21020–230
2013–1421020–230
2014–1530010–310
2015–1623100–231
2016–1726020–280
Total 121170001281
Rijeka2017–18Prva Liga2713030331
2018–192204020280
2019–20903240162
Total 58110290773
Career total 25032841602947

Honours

Rijeka

References
  1. "Punčec, Roberto". Nogometni magazin (in Croatian). Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  2. Strahija, Ivana (31 August 2011). "Punčec u Maccabiju". Sportnet.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  3. "1. FC Union Berlin e.V. leiht Roberto Puncec von Maccabi Tel Aviv" (in German). 1. FC Union Berlin. 16 July 2012.
  4. Vujnović, Korado (16 June 2017). "Roberto Punčec novi igrač Rijeke". Radio Rijeka (in Croatian). Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  5. "Sporting Kansas City sign Croatian defender Roberto Puncec". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. 4 December 2019.
  6. "Roster decision deadline: Sporting KC, FC Dallas, Austin FC announce moves | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  7. "Ботев Пловдив подписа с Роберто Пунчец" (in Bulgarian). 7dnisport.bg. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  8. Roberto Punčec – FIFA competition record (archived)
  9. "KRAJ U PULI: Rijeka na krilima Simona Sluge i Zorana Kvržića stigla do sedmog Kupa u povijesti!". Novilist.hr (in Croatian). 22 May 2019.
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