Franko Kovačević

Franko Kovačević (born 8 August 1999) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer side FC Cincinnati on loan from 1899 Hoffenheim II.

Franko Kovačević
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-08-08) 8 August 1999
Place of birth Koprivnica, Croatia
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 FC Cincinnati
(on loan from 1899 Hoffenheim II)
Number 21
Youth career
2009–2010 Varaždin
2010–2015 Bjelovar
2015–2017 Rijeka
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Hajduk Split 5 (0)
2019 → Rudeš (loan) 13 (0)
2019 Rudeš 0 (0)
2019– 1899 Hoffenheim II 11 (6)
2020– → FC Cincinnati (loan) 1 (0)
National team
2015 Croatia U17 2 (0)
2017 Croatia U18 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:00, 20 January 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Koprivnica, Kovačević grew up in the city of Križevci. At the age of 10, he joined the youth academy of Varaždin, before switching to Bjelovar a year later. According to him, he started taking football seriously and started "serious training" during his stint at Bjelovar. At the age of 15, he switched to the academy of Rijeka.[1] After having spent one year at the club, he was called by German club Bayern Munich's manager Carlo Ancelotti to train with their team. In spite of the club expressing their interest in him,[2] he joined fellow club Hajduk Split on 16 June 2018 and was promoted to the first team.[3]

On 24 August 2017, Kovačević made his first team debut, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute for Hamza Barry in a 1–1 draw against English club Everton in the UEFA Europa League.[4] On 3 March 2018, he made his league debut, coming as a substitute in a 1–0 victory over Rudeš.[5]

On 15 February 2019, Kovačević was loaned out to NK Rudeš for the rest of the season.[6] At the end of the season, Rudeš activated the option to sign him permanently for 300.000 €.[7] However, a week after activating the option, he was sold to German club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim where he was supposed to play for the U23 team in the Regionalliga Südwest. Kovačević signed a 4-year contract with the German club.[8]

FC Cincinnati (loan)

On 12 October 2020, it was announced that Kovačević would be loaned out to FC Cincinnati of Major League Soccer for the remainder of the 2020 season with an option to extend through 2021.[9]

Club statistics
As of match played on 8 November 2020[10]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hajduk Split 2017–18 Prva HNL 40201[lower-alpha 1]070
2018–19 Prva HNL 10200030
Total 504010100
Rudeš (loan) 2018–19 Prva HNL 130——130
Rudeš 2018–19 Prva HNL 00——00
1899 Hoffenheim II 2019–20 Regionalliga 85——85
2020–21 Regionalliga 31——31
Total 1160000116
FC Cincinnati (loan) 2020 MLS 10——10
Career total 3064010356
  1. Appearance in UEFA Europa League

References
  1. "FRANKO KOVAČEVIĆ Branio je boje koprivničke Prizme VV, a danas je napadač splitskog Hajduka" [FRANKO KOVAČEVIĆ Defended the colors of Koprivnica Prizma VV, and today is the attacker of the Split Hajduk] (in Croatian). Drava. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  2. "Hrvatski 'Ibra': Hajduk sam izabrao ispred Bayerna, a sličim Lewandowskom" [Croatian 'Ibra': I chose Hajduk in front of Bayerna, and similar to Lewandowski] (in Croatian). Goal. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  3. "Franko Kovačević potpisao za bijele: Čast mi je sto cu nositi Hajdukov dres!" [Franko Kovačević signed for Bianchi : "I'm honoured to wear the Hajduk jersey"] (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  4. "Split: Hajduk - Everton 1:1". HNK Hajduk Split. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  5. "Kovacevic: This is a great motivation to keep working hard". HNK Hajduk Split. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  6. "F. Kovačevićpublisher=Soccerway". Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  7. Čudan transfer u HNL-u: Drugoligaš plaća Hajduku više od dva milijuna kuna, gol.dnevnik.hr, 11 June 2019
  8. Franko Kovačević potpisao za Hoffenheim, nogometplus.net, 18 June 2019
  9. "FC Cincy acquire forward Franko Kovacevic on loan". FC Cincinnati.
  10. Franko Kovačević at Soccerway. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
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