Nebojša Jelenković

Nebojša Jelenković (Serbian Cyrillic: Небојша Јеленковић; born 26 May 1978) is a former Serbian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Nebojša Jelenković
Personal information
Full name Nebojša Jelenković
Date of birth (1978-05-26) 26 May 1978
Place of birth Novi Sad, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Novi Sad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1998 Novi Sad
1998–1999 Obilić
1999–2008 Litex Lovech 214 (6)
2007 → Kuban Krasnodar (loan) 2 (0)
2008–2009 Spartak Trnava 27 (1)
2009–2013 Litex Lovech 79 (1)
Total 322 (8)
National team
1999 FR Yugoslavia U21 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He has played more than 290 domestic games with Litex Lovech and holds the record for the second most domestic games played by a foreigner in the Bulgarian A Group. He is also the first foreigner to become a captain of a Bulgarian team. In 2004, he obtained a Bulgarian passport.

Career

In Serbia

Jelenković began his career at hometown club Novi Sad. In the summer of 1998, he signed with FR Yugoslavia champions Obilić.

Litex Lovech

In 1999 Jelenković moved to Litex Lovech. He made his first appearance for Litex in a Champions League qualification match against Widzew Łódź, on 28 July 1999. His league debut came on 8 August, in a 1–0 loss against Slavia Sofia on the opening day of the 1999–00 season. On 20 November 1999, Nebojša scored his first goals, scoring twice in a 3–1 away win over Velbazhd Kyustendil. He scored his final goal of the season in a 6–0 win at home over Volov Shumen on 1 April 2000.

On 29 August 2002, Jelenković scored his first-ever European goal in a 3–1 away win over Lithuanian Atlantas Klaipėda in their 2002–03 UEFA Cup qualifying round second leg tie.[1] Three weeks later, he scored an own goal in a 1–0 home loss against Panathinaikos in the first round of the tournament.[2]

In 2006, Jelenković was on the radar of then Bulgarian manager Hristo Stoichkov as a prospective candidate for the national team, but eventually did not meet the eligibility criteria because of having appeared in matches for the FR Yugoslavia U-21.[3] In the same year CSKA Sofia attempted to secure the services of the Serbian midfielder.[4]

On 30 August 2007, Kuban Krasnodar confirmed Jelenković has joined on loan for three months.[5] He spent most of his time with Kuban on the bench, making only three Russian Premier League appearances. In December Jelenković returned to Litex and earned 12 appearances in the Bulgarian A PFG, scoring one goal to the end of the season.

Spartak Trnava

At the end of 2007–08 season his contract expired and Jelenković signed with Spartak Trnava on a one-year contract for the 2008–09 season.[6] He earned 27 appearances playing in the Corgoň liga, scored one goal and the team finished in third place.

Return to Litex Lovech

On 12 June 2009, Jelenković again came back to Litex Lovech on a long term contract.[7] On 12 March 2011, he made his 250th appearance for Litex in the Bulgarian A PFG, in a 2–1 win over Pirin Blagoevgrad.[8] Jelenković announced his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 season.[9] He has featured on 293 occasions in the A PFG and is currently second on the all-time appearance list among foreign players in the top flight of Bulgarian football (after Macedonian Vančo Trajanov).[10][11]

Career statistics
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Litex Lovech 1999–00 2233020273
2000–01 21050––260
2001–02 3102080410
2002–03 2306041331
2003–04 2508220352
2004–05 2802040340
2005–06 26120100381
2006–07 2215161333
2007–08 20002040
Total 200533338227110
Kuban Krasnodar 2007 2000––20
Total 20000020
Litex Lovech 2007–08 14130––171
Total 1413000171
Spartak Trnava 2008–09 27120291
Total 27120291
Litex Lovech 2009–10 2413020291
2010–11 2203061311
2011–12 2002030250
2012–13 13020––150
Total 7911001111002
Career totals 322846351341614

Awards
Litex Lovech

References
  1. "Atlantas 1–3 Litex (Litex win 8–1 on aggregate)". uefa.com. Retrieved 29 August 2002.
  2. "Own goal gives Greeks win". uefa.com. Retrieved 19 September 2002.
  3. Georgiev, Vasil (11 November 2006). "Йеленкович в националния отбор, oт БФС проучват възможността капитанът на Литекс да получи права да играе за България". topsport.bg. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  4. Yotov, Stanil (13 May 2008). "Небойша Йеленкович: и Господ ни помогна, когато бихме ЦСКА. Капитанът на Литекс е убеден, че ще спечелят Купата на България". 7sport.net. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  5. "Йеленкович и Берберович си тръгнаха от Литекс" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  6. "Йеленкович подписа за четири години със Спартак (Търнава)" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
  7. "Небойша Йеленкович се завърна в Литекс" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  8. "Литекс награди капитана си за 250 мача вярна служба" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  9. "Капитанът на Литекс прекрати кариерата си" (in Bulgarian). novsport.com. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  10. "Ванчо Траянов е първият чужденец с 300 мача в елита". sport.marica.bg. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  11. "Топ-Клуб 100 за чуждестранни футболисти". bgfootball.eu. 1 March 2015. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
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