Vedran Ćorluka

Vedran Ćorluka (Croatian pronunciation: [ʋědran tɕǒrluka];[3] born 5 February 1986) is a Croatian football coach and former player who played as a centre-back. He is an assistant to Zlatko Dalić in the Croatia national team.

Vedran Ćorluka
Ćorluka with Croatia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Vedran Ćorluka[1]
Date of birth (1986-02-05) 5 February 1986[1]
Place of birth Derventa, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Croatia (assistant coach)
Youth career
Dinamo Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2007 Dinamo Zagreb 61 (7)
2004–2005 → Inter Zaprešić (loan) 27 (4)
2007–2008 Manchester City 38 (1)
2008–2012 Tottenham Hotspur 81 (1)
2012 → Bayer Leverkusen (loan) 7 (0)
2012–2021 Lokomotiv Moscow 200 (7)
Total 414 (20)
National team
2002 Croatia U16 7 (2)
2002–2003 Croatia U17 11 (2)
2003 Croatia U18 3 (0)
2004–2005 Croatia U19 12 (4)
2005–2006 Croatia U21 9 (0)
2006–2018 Croatia 103 (4)
Teams managed
2021– Croatia (assistant)
2021 Lokomotiv Moscow (assistant)
Honours
Men's football
Representing  Croatia
FIFA World Cup
Runner-up2018
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ćorluka graduated from the Dinamo Zagreb Youth Academy, before making his professional debut for the senior team in 2003. In 2007, he made a £8 million move to Premier League club Manchester City, and after a season moved on to Tottenham Hotspur. He spent four seasons there before joining Lokomotiv Moscow, where he eventually retired.

A retired Croatia international, Ćorluka has earned 103 caps for the country, making him one of the nation's most capped players. He represented Croatia at various youth levels before making his senior debut in August 2006, in a friendly match against Italy. He was part of the country's squad at the UEFA European Championships in 2008, 2012, 2016 and at the FIFA World Cups in 2014 and 2018. In August 2018, Ćorluka confirmed his retirement from international football.[4]

Club career

Early days

Ćorluka was born in Derventa, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia. His parents, Jozo and Anđa, come from Modran, a village near Derventa. Due to the Bosnian War, in 1992 the family moved to Zagreb, where his father still works as an engineer in addition to being Ćorluka's manager. His mother is a judge. Vedran has one brother.[5] Ćorluka began playing football in Dinamo Zagreb's youth teams when he was eight years old, impressing many scouts from the youth academy.[6] His professional career began in 2003, but during that season he made no appearance for the first team. He was sent on a one-year loan to Inter Zaprešić, helping the team place second in the league, before returning to Dinamo in 2005. After establishing himself as a key player for Dinamo, he helped the club win the Croatian First League title three seasons in a row from 2005–06. He also played a dominant part in his side capturing the Croatian Cup in the 2006 season.

Manchester City

After consistently strong performances, Ćorluka was signed by English Premier League side Manchester City on 2 August 2007.[7][8] City did not reveal the fee, though Croatian media reports suggested the deal was worth around £8 million, with the 21-year-old penning a five-year deal.[9]

As usual, Ćorluka consistently found a starting spot for his side in the Premier League. Despite a nightmare blunder during his side's shocking 6–0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, he remained strong during his first season in England as his side finished ninth in the league and gained entry to a UEFA Cup qualifying round via the UEFA fair play ranking. On few rare occasions, he was also used as a defensive midfielder during the season, proving to be a factor for opposing attackers.

Ćorluka scored his first goal in the 4–2 loss at Aston Villa on the opening weekend of the 2008–09 season.[10] In the UEFA Cup second qualifying round match second leg, Ćorluka scored the decisive spot kick in the dramatic 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory over Danish minnows Midtjylland after the tie had ended 1–1 on aggregate. He played his last match for City against Sunderland on 31 August 2008, throwing his shirt into the crowd at the end of the match.[11]

Tottenham Hotspur
Ćorluka taking a throw-in for Tottenham Hotspur

On 1 September 2008, it was announced that Ćorluka had signed for Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £8.5 million on a six-year contract, joining his fellow Croatian international and best friend Luka Modrić at the club.[12] During the match against Stoke City on 19 October, Ćorluka was severely injured; kneed under his chin by teammate Heurelho Gomes, he was immediately knocked unconscious. After ten minutes of on-field treatment, he was rushed to hospital where it was announced no serious damage was evident.[13] In the League Cup final on 1 March 2009, Ćorluka scored his and Tottenham's only penalty in the shootout loss to Manchester United, receiving a runners up medal for his efforts.[14][15]

Ćorluka scored his first Premier League goal for Spurs during a 2–2 draw against Bolton Wanderers on 3 October 2009. On 2 February 2011, he started and played the full 90 minutes at right-back ahead of the injured Alan Hutton in the 1–0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.[16]

Bayer Leverkusen (loan)

In the January 2012 transfer window, Ćorluka signed on loan for German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen for the remainder of the 2011–12 season on 31 January, with the option to buy out his contract in the summer transfer window.[17]

Ćorluka made his debut for the club in a 2–2 home draw against VfB Stuttgart at the BayArena on 4 February, playing the full 90 minutes.[18] In his only Champions League appearance for the club, Ćorluka provided the cross for Michal Kadlec's leveler in the 52nd minute in a 3–1 loss to Barcelona.[19] On 25 February, the defender provided an assist for the first of Lars Bender's brace in the 2–0 win over 1. FC Köln.[20]

Lokomotiv Moscow
Ćorluka with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2017

On 27 June 2012, Lokomotiv Moscow announced the signing of Ćorluka from Tottenham for £5.5 million. The signing came in light of recent naming of former Croatia national team Slaven Bilić as the manager of Lokomotiv. Ćorluka signed a three-year contract following the successful completion of his medical examination.[21] He scored on his debut against newly promoted Mordovia Saransk in a 3–2 victory. In September 2012,[22] March 2014,[23] and December 2014[24] Ćorluka won the monthly poll among Loko supporters in the social networks and was named the best club player of the month. In June 2015, after Ćorluka helped Lokomotiv to win Russian Cup, fans named him team's Player of the Year.[25]

On 1 April 2021, Ćorluka announced his departure from the club at the end of the season.[26] He played his last game for Lokomotiv in a 1–0 victory over Ural Yekaterinburg.[27]

International career
Ćorluka playing for Croatia against Portugal in 2013

He started to play for the Croatia under-21 team and eventually progressed to his country's senior national team, for which he soon made his debut in the friendly match against world champions Italy on 16 August 2006 in Livorno. Croatia won the match 2–0 and Ćorluka, aged 20 during his debut, entered the game in the second half and satisfied critics with his very good, solid performance against experienced Serie A forwards.

During Croatia's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, he became one of the key players under head coach Slaven Bilić. Croatia finished first in Group E, notably ahead of Russia and favourites England, who eventually failed to qualify from the group.

Ćorluka was in the final match of the tournament where Croatia's exit came against Turkey in extra time and penalties.[28] Turkey winger Arda Turan revealed in an interview with UEFA that Ćorluka is the most difficult right-back he has ever played against, whom he came up against during this match.[29]

The defender was included for the preliminary squad for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine after impressive performances in his loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen.[30]

Ćorluka was included in Croatia's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[31] On 21 June, he came on as an added-time substitute for Mario Mandžukić in a 3–0 group stage win over Argentina at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, earning his 100th cap.[32]

On 10 August 2018, Ćorluka retired from international football, confirming his retirement via social media.[4][33]

Managerial career

On 17 May 2021, Ćorluka was officially presented as Zlatko Dalić's assistant for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020, succeeding Ivica Olić. At the press conference, Ćorluka expressed his wish to enroll in a coaching academy after the tournament.[34]

On 6 July 2021, he returned to Lokomotiv Moscow, also as an assistant coach, while still remaining the assistant coach of Croatia.[35] On 19 July, he left Lokomotiv due to family reasons.[36]

Personal life

Ćorluka married his long-time girlfriend, Croatian singer Franka Batelić on 21 July 2018.[37]

On 5 January 2020, Ćorluka and Batelić became parents of a baby boy they named Viktor.[38]

Career statistics

Club
As of 16 May 2021[39][40]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Inter Zaprešić (loan) 2004–05 Prva HNL 27400———274
Dinamo Zagreb 2005–06 Prva HNL 31321———334
2006–07 Prva HNL 30480—6010454
2007–08 Prva HNL 0000—10—10
Total 617101007010798
Manchester City 2007–08 Premier League 3503030——410
2008–09 Premier League 31000030—61
Total 38130303000471
Tottenham Hotspur 2008–09 Premier League 340205000—410
2009–10 Premier League 2915020——361
2010–11 Premier League 150100080—240
2011–12 Premier League 30001040—80
Total 8118080120001091
Bayer Leverkusen (loan) 2011–12 Bundesliga 7000—10—80
Lokomotiv Moscow 2012–13 Russian Premier League 27110———281
2013–14 Russian Premier League 28100———281
2014–15 Russian Premier League 26240—20—322
2015–16 Russian Premier League 24300—4010293
2016–17 Russian Premier League 19020———210
2017–18 Russian Premier League 6000—200080
2018–19 Russian Premier League 21051—3010301
2019–20 Russian Premier League 27000—6010340
2020–21 Russian Premier League 22040–5011321
Total 200716100220412429
Career total 414203721104505151223

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
Croatia
200650
2007110
2008130
200971
201060
2011101
201282
2013100
2014100
201550
2016100
201700
201880
Total1034

International goals

Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first[41]
No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 8 October 2009Stadion Kantrida, Rijeka, Croatia35 Qatar1–03–2Friendly
2 11 November 2011Türk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey52 Turkey3–03–0UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
3 25 May 2012Stadion Aldo Drosina, Pula, Croatia54 Estonia1–03–1Friendly
4 12 October 2012Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia60 Macedonia1–12–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification


Honours

Dinamo Zagreb[39]

  • Prva HNL: 2005–06, 2006–07
  • Croatian Cup: 2006–07
  • Croatian Super Cup: 2006

Tottenham Hotspur

Lokomotiv Moscow

Croatia

Individual

Orders

  • Order of Duke Branimir: 2018[46]

See also
  • List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

References
  1. "FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of Players: Croatia" (PDF). FIFA. 15 July 2018. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2019.
  2. "Vedran Corluka: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  3. "vȅdar". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 17 March 2018. Vèdran
  4. "Vatreni velikan Vedran Ćorluka oprostio se od reprezentacije!" (in Croatian). Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  5. "ĆORLUKA (Vedran Ćorluka) – Manchester City and Croatia". footballdatabase.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  6. "Vedran Corluka – Manchester City's New Croatian International". Soccerphile. Soccerphile.com. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  7. "Elano heads Man City triple swoop". British Broadcasting Corporation. BBC Sport. 2 August 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2007.
  8. Oscroft, Tim (2 August 2007). "Sven welcomes Corluka". Manchester City F.C. mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
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