Smail Prevljak Explained

Smail Prevljak
Birth Date:10 May 1995
Birth Place:Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height:1.87 m[1]
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Hertha BSC
Clubnumber:9
Youthclubs1:Igman Konjic
Youthyears2:2013–2014
Youthclubs2:RB Leipzig
Years1:2014
Clubs1:RB Leipzig II
Caps1:2
Goals1:1
Years2:2014–2015
Clubs2:RB Leipzig
Caps2:1
Goals2:0
Years3:2014–2015
Clubs3:Red Bull Salzburg (loan)
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:2014–2017
Clubs4:Liefering
Caps4:45
Goals4:24
Years5:2015–2020
Clubs5:Red Bull Salzburg
Caps5:34
Goals5:12
Years6:2017–2018
Clubs6:Mattersburg (loan)
Caps6:32
Goals6:16
Years7:2020
Clubs7:Eupen (loan)
Caps7:5
Goals7:4
Years8:2020–2023
Clubs8:Eupen
Caps8:87
Goals8:31
Years9:2023–
Clubs9:Hertha BSC
Caps9:25
Goals9:5
Nationalyears1:2015
Nationalteam1:Bosnia and Herzegovina U21
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2018–
Nationalteam2:Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nationalcaps2:27
Nationalgoals2:6
Club-Update:9 November 2024
Nationalteam-Update:19 November 2023

Smail Prevljak (pronounced as /bs/; born 10 May 1995) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a forward for 2. Bundesliga club Hertha BSC and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

Prevljak started his professional career at RB Leipzig, playing mainly in its reserve team. In 2014, he was loaned to Red Bull Salzburg, who assigned him to Liefering later that year. The following year, he moved to Red Bull Salzburg on permanent basis. Prevljak was sent on loan to Mattersburg in 2017 and to Eupen in 2020, with whom he signed permanently later that year. In 2023, he joined Hertha BSC.

A former youth international for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Prevljak made his senior international debut in 2018, earning over 20 caps since.

Club career

Early career

Prevljak started playing football at his hometown club Igman Konjic, before joining the youth academy of German team RB Leipzig in 2013.[2] He made his professional debut against VfR Aalen on 2 August 2014 at the age of 19.[3]

Red Bull Salzburg

In August, Prevljak was sent on a season-long loan to Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg.[4] He made his official debut for the side on 9 November against Altach.[5] On 3 October, he scored his first professional goal playing for Red Bull Salzburg's feeder squad, Liefering, in a triumph over Wacker Innsbruck.[6]

In June 2015, he moved to Red Bull Salzburg permanently.[7] On 23 August, he scored his first goal for the team against Austria Wien.[8] Prevljak scored his first career hat-trick in a defeat of FAC on 6 November.[9]

In April 2016, he suffered a severe knee injury, which was diagnosed as an anterior cruciate ligament tear and was ruled out for at least six months. Over ten months after the injury, on 24 February 2017, he returned to the pitch.[10]

In June, Prevljak was loaned to Mattersburg until the end of the season.[11]

In June 2018, he signed a new four-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg.[12] On 16 December, he scored four goals in a victory over St. Pölten.[13] He won his first trophy with the club on 1 May 2019, by beating Rapid Wien in the Austrian Cup final.[14]

Eupen

In January 2020, Prevljak was sent on a six-month loan to Belgian side Eupen.[15] He made his competitive debut for the squad against St. Truiden on 8 February and managed to score a goal.[16]

In August, Eupen signed Prevljak on a three-year deal.[17]

He scored his first hat-trick for the club in a win over Charleroi on 17 April 2021.[18]

Hertha BSC

In July 2023, Prevljak joined Hertha BSC on a contract until June 2025.[19] He debuted officially for the team on 4 August against Wehen Wiesbaden.[20] On 26 August, he scored his first goal for Hertha BSC in a beating of Greuther Fürth.[21]

International career

Prevljak was a member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina under-21 team under coach Darko Nestorović.[22]

In March 2018, he received his first senior call-up, for friendly games against Bulgaria and Senegal.[23] He debuted against the former on 23 March.[24]

On 15 November 2020, in a 2020–21 UEFA Nations League game against the Netherlands, Prevljak scored his first senior international goal.[25]

Personal life

Prevljak married his long-time girlfriend Nejra in March 2017. Together they have two sons named Sami and Kani.[26]

Career statistics

Club

[27]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
RB Leipzig II2013–14Sachsenliga2121
RB Leipzig2014–152. Bundesliga100010
Red Bull Salzburg (loan)2014–15Austrian Bundesliga10000010
Liefering (loan)2014–152. Liga17141714
2015–162. Liga148148
2016–172. Liga142142
Total45244524
Red Bull Salzburg2015–16Austrian Bundesliga712110102
2018–19Austrian Bundesliga231042503212
2019–20Austrian Bundesliga41100051
Total341273604715
Mattersburg (loan)2017–18Austrian Bundesliga3216423618
Eupen (loan)2019–20Belgian Pro League5454
Eupen2020–21Belgian Pro League2716202916
2021–22Belgian Pro League309573516
2022–23Belgian Pro League30600306
Total9235779942
Hertha BSC2023–242. Bundesliga21430244
2024–252. Bundesliga410041
Total25530285
Career total23293211260259105

International

[28]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Bosnia and Herzegovina
201810
201900
202041
2021113
202262
202350
Total276

Scores and results list Bosnia and Herzegovina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Prevljak goal.

List of international goals scored by Smail Prevljak
scope=colNo.scope=colDatescope=colVenuescope=colCapscope=colOpponentscope=colScorescope=colResultscope=colCompetition
115 November 2020Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands41–31–32020–21 UEFA Nations League
24 September 2021Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina111–01–0Friendly
39 October 2021Astana Arena, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan131–02–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
42–0
54 June 2022Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland191–11–12022–23 UEFA Nations League
67 June 2022Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina201–01–02022–23 UEFA Nations League

Honours

Red Bull Salzburg[27]

2018–19

2018–19

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Smail Prevljak. herthabsc.com. 1 January 2024. German.
  2. News: Ko je taj Smail Prevljak? Dječak kojeg je Leipzig odveo iz Konjica. radiosarajevo.ba. 12 October 2021. 12 October 2021. Bosnian.
  3. News: Leipzigs Pressing bringt keinen Erfolg. kicker.de. 2 August 2014. 3 August 2014. German.
  4. News: Smail Prevljak na posudbi u Red Bull Salzburgu. sportsport.ba. 27 August 2014. 27 August 2014. Bosnian.
  5. News: Prevljak dobio krila u Salzburgu: Od Igmana do Red Bulla. sportsport.ba. 10 November 2014. 12 November 2014. Bosnian.
  6. News: Prevljak pogodio za trijumf Lieferinga. reprezentacija.ba. 3 October 2014. 3 October 2014. Bosnian.
  7. News: Smail Prevljak novi napadač Red Bull Salzburga. klix.ba. 5 June 2015. 6 June 2015. Bosnian.
  8. News: Prevljak pogodio u remiju Salzburga i Austrije. sportsport.ba. 23 August 2015. 23 August 2015. Bosnian.
  9. News: Hat-trick i asistencija Prevljaka u pobjedi Lieferinga nad Wienom. dnevno.ba. 6 November 2015. 9 November 2015. Bosnian.
  10. News: Prevljak zaigrao nakon 312 dana. fokus.ba. 24 February 2017. 27 February 2017. Bosnian.
  11. News: Bivši mladi reprezentativac BiH pronašao klub u prvoj ligi Austrije. sportske.ba. 23 June 2017. 24 June 2017. Bosnian.
  12. News: Riješene dileme oko budućnosti: Prevljak potpisao do 2022.. sportsport.ba. 23 May 2018. 26 May 2018. Bosnian.
  13. News: Smail Prevljak briljirao u visokoj pobjedi Salzburga. avaz.ba. 16 December 2018. 18 December 2018. Bosnian.
  14. News: Darko Todorović i Smail Prevljak slave osvajanje Kupa Austrije. reprezentacija.ba. 1 May 2019. 1 May 2019. Bosnian.
  15. News: Smail Prevljak napustio Salzburg, do kraja sezone će igrati u Belgiji. reprezentacija.ba. 31 January 2020. 1 February 2020. Bosnian.
  16. News: Sjajan dan za bh. fudbalere u Belgiji: Pogađali Hotić i Prevljak. sportsport.ba. 8 February 2020. 9 February 2020. Bosnian.
  17. News: Smail Prevljak karijeru nastavlja u Belgiji, vraća se u redove Eupena. klix.ba. 31 August 2020. 1 September 2020. Bosnian.
  18. News: Hat-trick Smaila Prevljaka za tri gostujuća boda. avaz.ba. 18 April 2021. 18 April 2021. Bosnian.
  19. News: Smail Prevljak potpisao za Herthu. faktor.ba. 18 July 2023. 18 July 2023. Bosnian.
  20. News: Prevljak i Tabaković upisali zvanični debi, Hertha poražena na domaćem terenu. scsport.ba. 4 August 2023. 6 August 2023. Bosnian.
  21. News: Smail Prevljak zabio i asistirao za Herthu, dva puta pogađao i Tabaković. reprezentacija.ba. 26 August 2023. 26 August 2023. Bosnian.
  22. News: Smail Prevljak: Kažu mi da ličim na Džeku, to mi imponuje. reprezentacija.ba. 21 March 2018. 21 March 2018. Bosnian.
  23. News: Prosinečki objavio spisak 23 fudbalera za prijateljske mečeve ovog mjeseca. avaz.ba. 13 March 2018. 15 March 2018. Bosnian.
  24. News: Prosinečki stvara neke nove Zmajeve: Kodro donio pobjedu u Razgradu. sportske.ba. 23 March 2018. 24 March 2018. Bosnian.
  25. News: Zmajevi izgubili od Nizozemske i ispali iz elitne grupe Lige nacija. klix.ba. 15 November 2020. 18 November 2020. Bosnian.
  26. News: Nakon Samija, Kani: Smail Prevljak po drugi put postao otac. sportsport.ba. 13 September 2024. 15 September 2024. Bosnian.
  27. Web site: S. Prevljak. soccerway.com. 9 November 2024.
  28. Web site: Smail Prevljak. eu-football.info. 19 November 2023.