Nikola Matas Explained

Nikola Matas
Birth Date:22 June 1987
Birth Place:Sinj, SFR Yugoslavia
Position:Right back
Youthyears1:200?–2005
Youthclubs1:Junak Sinj
Youthyears2:2005
Youthclubs2:Zagreb
Youthyears3:2006
Youthclubs3:Junak Sinj
Years1:2006–2007
Years2:2007–2009
Caps2:30
Goals2:0
Years3:2009–2010
Caps3:15
Goals3:0
Years4:2010
Clubs4:Hrvace
Caps4:14
Goals4:4
Years5:2011
Clubs5:Uskok
Caps5:11
Goals5:3
Years6:2012
Clubs6:Hrvace
Caps6:20
Goals6:2
Years7:2012–2013
Caps7:23
Goals7:2
Years8:2013
Caps8:7
Goals8:0
Years9:2014–2018
Clubs9:Osijek
Caps9:108
Goals9:1
Years10:2018
Clubs10:Istra 1961 (loan)
Caps10:13
Goals10:1
Years11:2018–2019
Caps11:9
Goals11:0
Years12:2019–2020
Years13:2020
Clubs13:HNK Val
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalteam1:Croatia
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Pcupdate:22:41, 1 June 2019 (UTC)

Nikola Matas (pronounced as /hr/;[1] [2] born 22 June 1987) is a Croatian football defender.

Club career

Nikola Matas went up through the ranks of his hometown's NK Junak Sinj academy, spending half a season in NK Zagreb, aged 18. He returned, however to Junak for his first senior season. He joined the newly promoted Druga HNL team, featuring in both their seasons at that rank, before returning to his home team, for another season in Croatia's second tier. Leaving the club again in the summer of 2010, he went on to spend 2 seasons in the Treća HNL Jug, playing for nearby NK Hrvace and NK Uskok.

This was followed by yet another return to Junak and the Druga HNL. Despite the club's relegation at the end of the season, his performances drew interest from Prva HNL sides, and he signed a 4-year contract with NK Lokomotiva.[3]

He started off as the first choice at the right back position there, after the departure of Ivan Boras and the injury of Toni Gorupec. After the first seven rounds, however, he faded from the team and left the club at the winter break.

International career

Matas made his debut for Croatia in a January 2017 China Cup match against Chile and earned a total of 2 caps, scoring no goals. His second and final international was during the same tournament against China.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nìkola. Nìkola. Hrvatski jezični portal. 2018-03-19. sh.
  2. Web site: Máte. Mȁtas. Hrvatski jezični portal. 2018-03-19. sh.
  3. Web site: NK Junak - Nikola Matas potpisao za Lokomotivu .
  4. Web site: Player Database. 21 October 2022. EU-football.