Lovre Kalinić Explained

Lovre Kalinić
Fullname:Lovre Kalinić[1]
Birth Date:3 April 1990[2]
Birth Place:Split, SFR Yugoslavia
Height:2.01 m
Position:Goalkeeper
Currentclub:Hajduk Split
Clubnumber:91
Youthyears1:1998–2000
Youthclubs1:Solin
Youthyears2:2000–2009
Youthclubs2:Hajduk Split
Years1:2009–2016
Clubs1:Hajduk Split
Caps1:134
Goals1:0
Years2:2009
Clubs2:Junak Sinj (loan)
Caps2:4
Goals2:0
Years3:2009–2010
Clubs3:Novalja (loan)
Caps3:23
Goals3:0
Years4:2012
Clubs4:Karlovac (loan)
Caps4:11
Goals4:0
Years5:2016–2018
Clubs5:Gent
Caps5:68
Goals5:0
Years6:2018–2022
Clubs6:Aston Villa
Caps6:7
Goals6:0
Years7:2020
Clubs7:Toulouse (loan)
Caps7:4
Goals7:0
Years8:2020–2022
Clubs8:Hajduk Split (loan)
Caps8:50
Goals8:0
Years9:2022–
Clubs9:Hajduk Split
Caps9:10
Goals9:0
Nationalyears1:2005
Nationalteam1:Croatia U15
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2005–2006
Nationalteam2:Croatia U16
Nationalcaps2:11
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2006
Nationalteam3:Croatia U17
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2011–2013
Nationalteam4:Croatia U21
Nationalcaps4:7
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2014–2022
Nationalteam5:Croatia
Nationalcaps5:19
Nationalgoals5:0
Club-Update:5 April 2024
Nationalteam-Update:19 November 2019 (UTC)

Lovre Kalinić (pronounced as /hr/;[3] [4] born 3 April 1990) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Hajduk Split.

Club career

Hajduk Split

Lovre Kalinić made his HNK Hajduk Split debut on 23 April 2011, under manager Ante Miše at the age of 21 years and 20 days, in a Prva HNL match against NK Slaven Belupo, which his side won 2–1.[5]

After loans to Junak Sinj in 2009, Novalja in 2010 and Karlovac in 2012, Hajduk manager Igor Tudor brought Lovre Kalinić back to Hajduk Split to be the number one goalkeeper for the 2013–14 season.

In the 2015–16 season, Kalinić set a new record for most consecutive minutes without a goal conceded in the 1. HNL. The goalkeeper went eight games, or 775 minutes, without conceding a goal.[6] The previous record was held by Zoran Slavica, who went 711 minutes without conceding a goal in the Prva HNL.

As a result of being part of Croatia's UEFA Euro 2016 squad, Kalinić missed the first three rounds of Hajduk's 2016–17 season, being granted an extended holiday by Hajduk boss Marijan Pušnik. He made his return on 28 July 2016, where Hajduk defeated FC Oleksandriya 3–0 in the Third Round of the 2016-17 UEFA Europa League qualifying at CSC Nika Stadium, keeping a clean sheet.[7] In September 2016, Kalinić signed a new five-year contract with Hajduk.[8] In his time at Hajduk, Kalinić made 134 official appearances across seven seasons. In total, Kalinić spent 17 years of junior and senior football with Hajduk.

Gent

On 27 December 2016, Hajduk announced that Lovre Kalinić had played his last game for the club, with a move to Belgian First Division A side K.A.A. Gent completed.[9] The transfer fee is the highest fee for a goalkeeper in the history of the Prva HNL. The €3.1m transfer fee will make Kalinić the most expensive player in Gent's history.[10] He was named Best Goalkeeper in the Belgian league for the 2016–17 season, after having played only half a season upon arriving in January to Gent from Hajduk Split.

Aston Villa

On 21 December 2018, English Championship club Aston Villa announced that they had reached an agreement with Gent to sign Kalinić at the start of the January transfer window. Villa had already attempted to sign Kalinić in 2016 but were denied a work permit. He signed a contract to the end of the 2022–23 season.[11] He officially joined on 1 January 2019 and made his debut four days later in a 3–0 defeat in a home FA Cup tie against Swansea City.[12] His league debut came a week later in another 3–0 defeat, this time against Wigan Athletic, which was followed by a 2–2 draw with Hull City – meaning that Kalinić had conceded 8 goals in his first 3 games.[13] He played what would prove to be his last game for the club against West Bromwich Albion on 16 February 2019.

Toulouse (loan)

On 20 January 2020, Kalinić joined Ligue 1 club Toulouse until the end of the 2019–20 season.[14] However, he made only four appearances before the league was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hajduk Split (loan)

On 22 December 2020, after making no appearances for Villa in the 2020–21 season up to that point, it was announced that Kalinić would go out on loan to Hajduk Split, where he started his career. The loan was scheduled to commence on 18 January 2021 – when the Croatian transfer window opened.[15] On 22 January, he made his second debut for Hajduk in a 1–0 league victory over Šibenik.[16]

On 11 July 2021, Aston Villa announced that Kalinić would rejoin Hajduk Split on loan for another season.[17] Kalinić explained that Aston Villa had wanted to sell him to another club, but he was adamant that he wanted to return to Hajduk Split as he had been named club captain. Eventually, an agreement for a second season on loan was agreed by all parties.[18]

Permanent return to Hajduk Split

On 1 July 2022, Kalinić signed for Hajduk Split once again, this time on a permanent transfer.[19] The details were not announced by either club, but it was rumoured to have been a free transfer.[20]

International career

After Stipe Pletikosa retired from international football in 2014, Kalinić became Croatia's second choice goalkeeper behind Danijel Subašić. He made his debut for Croatia in a November 2014 friendly match against Argentina.[21] He was part of Croatia's UEFA Euro 2016 squad.

In May 2018 he was named in Croatia's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played the last match of group stage against Iceland making several crucial saves.[22] Croatia finished as the runners-up of the tournament, losing to France in the final.

After the tournament ended, Subašić retired from international football. Kalinić has thus been appointed as the first choice goalkeeper for the national team. However, due to injuries and the consequent drop in form, he was benched again in favour of Dominik Livaković.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hajduk Split2008–09Prva HNL00000000
2009–1000000000
2010–1110000010
2011–1210200030
2012–1340100050
2013–142401050300
2014–152805030370
2015–163102080410
2016–171301040180
Total10201202001340
Junak Sinj (loan)2008–09Druga HNL400040
Novalja (loan)2009–10Treća HNL23000230
Karlovac (loan)2011–12Prva HNL11000110
Gent2016–17Belgian Pro League1900040230
2017–183502010380
2018–191401030180
Total6803080790
Aston Villa2018–19Championship70100080
2019–20Premier League000000
2020–21000000
2021–22000000
Total701080
Toulouse (loan)2019–20Ligue 1400040
Hajduk Split (loan)2020–21Croatian Football League210100020
2021–221602020200
Total3703020420
Hajduk Split2022–23Croatian Football League90004010140
2023–241010000020
Total100104010160
Career total2660200340103110

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Croatia201410
201510
201640
201730
201870
201930
Total190

Honours

Hajduk Split

Aston Villa

Croatia

Individual

Orders

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of Players: Croatia . FIFA . 7 . 15 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190611000407/https://www.fifadata.com/documents/FWC/2018/pdf/FWC_2018_SQUADLISTS.PDF . 11 June 2019.
  2. Web site: Lovre Kalinic: Overview . Premier League . 17 August 2019.
  3. Web site: Lóvro. Lóvre. Hrvatski jezični portal. 17 March 2018. sh.
  4. Web site: kàlina. Kàlinić. Hrvatski jezični portal. 17 March 2018. sh.
  5. Web site: KALINIC EXTENDED CONTRACT WITH HAJDUK TILL 2021!. HNK Hajduk Split. 28 September 2016.
  6. Web site: Slobodna Dalmacija - Splićanin lažirao papire o PTSP-u i 'zaradio' 380.000 kuna. 4 March 2016.
  7. Web site: Oleksandria vs. Hajduk Split - 28 July 2016 - Soccerway.
  8. Web site: KALINIC EXTENDED CONTRACT WITH HAJDUK TILL 2021!. HNK Hajduk Split. 28 September 2016.
  9. Web site: THANK YOU LOVRE AND GOOD LUCK!. HNK Hajduk Split. 28 December 2016.
  10. Web site: Lovre Kalinić napušta Poljud i postaje najskuplje pojačanje u povijesti Genta?. Sportske Novosti. 26 December 2016. Jutarnji List. 28 December 2016. hr.
  11. Web site: Transfer news: Lovre Kalinic to join us in January. 21 December 2018. Aston Villa F.C.. 27 January 2019.
  12. News: Aston Villa 0–3 Swansea City. 5 January 2019. BBC Sport. 27 January 2019.
  13. News: Aston Villa 2–2 Hull City. 19 January 2019. BBC Sport. 27 January 2019.
  14. Web site: Lovre Kalinić, gardien international croate, prêté au TFC.
  15. Web site: 22 December 2020. Kalinic to leave on loan. 22 December 2020. Aston Villa Official Site.
  16. Web site: 22 January 2021. Sibenik 0-1 Hajduk Split - Report. 25 January 2021. WhoScored.
  17. Web site: 11 July 2021. Kalinic returns to Hajduk Split on loan. 2021-07-11. Aston Villa Football Club.
  18. News: Preece. Ashley. 12 July 2021. Aston Villa flop reveals transfer disagreement before sealing exit. Birmingham Mail. 13 July 2021.
  19. Web site: 1 July 2022 . Lovre Kalinić joins HNK Hajduk Split . 2022-07-01 . Aston Villa Football Club.
  20. Web site: Maher . Matt . Lovre Kalinic signs with Hajduk Split . 2022-07-01 . www.expressandstar.com . July 2022 . en.
  21. Web site: Player Database. 17 September 2022. EU-football.
  22. Web site: Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad - Final 23-man lists Goal.com. 2021-07-13. www.goal.com. en.
  23. Web site: Rijeka - Hajduk 1:3. HNS-CFF. Croatian. 26 May 2022. 27 May 2022.
  24. News: Aston Villa 2–1 Derby County . Ian . Woodcock . BBC Sport . 27 May 2019 . 27 May 2019.
  25. Web site: France 4–2 Croatia: Line-ups . https://web.archive.org/web/20180712024254/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/match/300331552/#match-lineups . dead . 12 July 2018 . FIFA . 27 May 2019.
  26. Web site: Susic and Kalinic in Croatian First League team of the year.
  27. Web site: Erelijst Trofee Jean-Claude Bouvy. 8 November 2020. Het Nieuwsblad. nl-BE.
  28. Web site: Lovre Kalinic verkozen tot Doelman van het jaar.
  29. Web site: Lovre Kalinic Doelman van het Jaar!.
  30. Web site: 7 February 2018. Lovre Kalinic is de Doelman van het Jaar.
  31. Web site: News: President Decorates Croatian National Football Team Players and Coaching Staff. 13 November 2018. Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia. 11 January 2019. the Order of Prince Branimir with Ribbon was awarded to Mr. Lovre Kalinić.... https://web.archive.org/web/20190409171628/http://predsjednica.hr/objava/1/1/2707. 9 April 2019. dead.