Etien Velikonja

Etien Velikonja (born 26 December 1988[2]) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Gorica on loan from NEC.

Etien Velikonja
Velikonja playing for Cardiff City in 2013
Personal information
Full name Etien Velikonja[1]
Date of birth (1988-12-26) 26 December 1988
Place of birth Šempeter pri Gorici, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Gorica
(on loan from NEC)
Number 7
Youth career
0000–2007 Gorica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2010 Gorica 104 (32)
2011–2012 Maribor 48 (20)
2012–2016 Cardiff City 3 (0)
2014–2015 → Rio Ave (loan) 7 (1)
2015–2016 → Lierse (loan) 40 (28)
2016–2017 Olimpija Ljubljana 21 (4)
2017 Gençlerbirliği 6 (0)
2017–2018 Willem II 5 (3)
2019 Gorica 22 (15)
2019– NEC 16 (2)
2020– → Gorica (loan) 1 (0)
National team
2006 Slovenia U18 3 (0)
2006 Slovenia U19 4 (0)
2007–2009 Slovenia U20 7 (6)
2007–2010 Slovenia U21 14 (3)
2009–2012 Slovenia 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 September 2020

Club career

Gorica

Velikonja started to play football at Gorica.[3] Coming through their youth system, he was promoted to the senior squad in 2006–07.[3] In his first season, he took part in seven matches, scoring one goal. Next year, during the 2007–08 season, Velikonja played 31 matches, scoring five goals.[3] During the 2008–09 campaign, Velikonja played 32 matches and scored a total of 17 goals, finishing the campaign as the top goal scorer in the Slovenian PrvaLiga.[3] In October 2009, in a league match against Koper, he sustained a serious knee injury which caused him to miss the majority of the 2009–10 season.[4][5] He was not available to the team up until the end of April 2010, four rounds before the end of the season, when he returned to the pitch as a late substitute in a league match against Drava Ptuj.[6]

Maribor
Velikonja with the Slovenian PrvaLiga trophy in 2011

During the 2010 summer transfer window, it was speculated for the first time that Velikonja could join Slovenian PrvaLiga side Maribor, however, the deal was eventually not carried out and Velikonja stayed with Gorica for the start of the 2010–11 season.[7] He then prepared himself for the new season, putting his injury behind him, as by the end of 2010 he had played a total of 18 league matches for Gorica with an average of over 89 minutes per round, scoring five goals in the process.[8] On 17 January 2011, during the winter transfer window, Velikonja was signed by Maribor in a deal that included an undisclosed transfer fee and a player, Vito Plut, going the other way.[9][10] Velikonja has signed a contract with Maribor until 31 December 2013.[2] He played his first league match for the new club on 26 February 2011, and scored one goal in a 4–2 victory against Rudar Velenje.[11]

Cardiff City

On 12 July 2012, Velikonja signed a four-year contract for Football League Championship side Cardiff City.[12][13][14] The whole transfer is reportedly worth €3.6 million and Zlatko Zahovič, director of football at Maribor, stated that the Velikonja transfer was a record high for the Slovenian PrvaLiga at the time.[13][14][15][16] Maribor reportedly received a compensation of €2 million, with Velikonja earning around €400,000 per season for a total of €1.6 million in four years with the Welsh side.[13][14][15][16] He joined his new club on 25 July after the second qualifying round of the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League.[13] He made his debut on 21 August in a 0–0 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. Despite a prolific goalscoring record for Cardiff's Development Squad, Velikonja found first-team opportunities limited during his first season at the club, but was rewarded for his patience with a start up front at Hull City on the final day of the title-winning campaign, which resulted in being substituted at half time after an ineffective performance.

Rio Ave

After months of waiting for his Premier League debut, Cardiff City loaned him to Rio Ave in January 2014 until the end of the season.[17] He played two cup finals with Nuno Espirito Santo's team but lost both the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga finals against Benfica.

Lierse

With Cardiff City swiftly relegated to the Championship, Velikonja was loaned out again in January 2015. Former Slovenia national team manager Slaviša Stojanović brought Velikonja to Lierse. After the team was relegated from the top division in 2014–15, Velikonja scored eight goals in his first eight appearances of the season during the 2015–16 Belgian Second Division.[18] With mid-table Lierse struggling in the fight for promotion, Velikonja broke his all-time goalscoring record for a single season by scoring his 21st goal against Heist on 19 March 2016.[19] Velikonja finished the season with a record goal tally of 24 and as the league's top scorer for the second time in his career.[20] Lierse finished seventh and avoided the drop to Belgian amateur league football.[21] He was voted as the player of the season by Lierse fans.[22]

Olimpija Ljubljana

Velikonja returned to Slovenia for the 2016–17 season, accepting an offer from Olimpija Ljubljana.[23] He scored on his debut for Olimpija against AS Trenčín in the second round of the UEFA Champions League qualifying campaign.[24]

International career

Velikonja was a member of the Slovenian youth national teams from under-18 to under-21.[25] On 12 August 2009, Velikonja made his full international debut for Slovenia in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against San Marino.[26]

Personal life

Velikonja was born in Šempeter pri Gorici, present day Slovenia. He is a cousin of football player Tim Matavž.[27] He is in a long-term relationship with Slovenian triple jumper Maja Bratkič.[28]

Career statistics
As of 21 April 2020[29][30]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gorica2006–071. SNL7110—2[lower-alpha 1]0101
2007–0831510—2[lower-alpha 2]0345
2008–09321744—3[lower-alpha 3]13922
2009–1016500—2[lower-alpha 4]0185
2010–1118433—2[lower-alpha 4]0237
Total10432970011112440
Maribor2010–111. SNL16631——197
2011–12301456—7[lower-alpha 5]14221
2012–132000—1[lower-alpha 1]030
Total48208700816428
Cardiff City2012–13Championship301000—40
2013–14Premier League000000—00
2014–15Championship000010—10
Total3010100050
Rio Ave (loan)2013–14Primeira Liga710000—71
Lierse (loan)2014–15Belgian Pro League11400——114
2015–16Belgian Second Division292400——2924
Total 40280000004028
Olimpija Ljubljana2016–171. SNL21432—21267
Gençlerbirliği2016–17Süper Lig6011—0071
Willem II2017–18Eredivisie5310—0063
Gorica2018–191. SNL16800——168
2019–202. SNL6700——67
Total 22150000002215
NEC2019–20Eerste Divisie15210——162
Career total 271105241710213317125
  1. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. Three appearances in UEFA Champions League and four appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Club

Maribor

Individual
  • Slovenian PrvaLiga top scorer: 2008–09[31]
  • Belgian Second Division top scorer: 2015–16[20]

References
  1. "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  2. "Osebni karton: Etien Velikonja" [Personal card: Etien Velikonja] (in Slovenian). NK Maribor. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  3. "The best young striker in Slovenia". imscouting.com. 4 June 2009. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  4. "Luka Koper 1:1 HIT Gorica". prvaliga.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  5. Andraž Rožman (31 March 2010). "Etien Velikonja, poškodovani nogometaš Hit Gorice: Že poleti želim oditi v tujino". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  6. "Labod Drava 2:4 HIT Gorica". prvaliga.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  7. ""Slovenska tržnica": Velikonja ostaja na Primorskem" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  8. "Etien Velikonja: Statistika sezone 2010/11". prvaliga.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  9. "Prihaja Velikonja" (in Slovenian). NK Maribor. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  10. "Uradno: Velikonja v Maribor!" (in Slovenian). nogomania.com. 17 January 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  11. "Maribor še povečal prednost, zmaga Olimpije v Novi Gorici" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. 26 February 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  12. "City capture Slovenian ace Velikonja". Cardiff City F.C. 12 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  13. Dario Dotto; Rok Plestenjak (12 July 2012). "Velikonja v Cardiff, odškodnina skrivnost" (in Slovenian). Siol. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  14. A.V., M.R. (12 July 2012). "Velikonja iz Maribora odhaja v Cardiff City" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  15. Uredništvo (12 July 2012). "Številke še nikoli tako visoke" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  16. Stuart James (31 October 2013). "Cardiff City signed Etien Velikonja without Malky Mackay's approval". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  17. "Transfer News: Cardiff's Etien Velikonja has left to join Rio Ave". Sky Sports. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  18. Uredništvo (26 October 2015). "Osmič na osmi" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  19. Uredništvo (20 March 2016). "Velikonjinih rekordnih 21" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  20. "Players – 2015–16 First Division B". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  21. "Summary – 2015–16 First Division B". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  22. Uredništvo (29 April 2016). "Navijači izbrali: Eti najboljši" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  23. Š. Ro. (21 June 2016). "Etien Velikonja novi član Olimpije". Delo (in Slovenian). Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  24. Raj, Primož (13 July 2016). "Olimpija po uvodni blamaži vstala od mrtvih". Slovenski nogometni portal (in Slovenian). Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  25. "Etien Velikonja – Nogometna zveza Slovenije". nzs.si (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  26. "San Marino lažje ogrevanje za Poljake" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenia. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  27. Andraž Rožman (16 June 2009). "Bratranca z golgeterskimi geni". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  28. Matej, Rijavec (26 June 2013). "Velikonja: Mogoče mi je Premier liga bolj pisana na kožo kot druga liga" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  29. "E. Velikonja". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  30. "Etien Velikonja – Prva liga Telekom Slovenije". prvaliga.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  31. "Prvi strelec lanske sezone znova natančen". nzs.si (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
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