Igor Matanović

Igor Matanović
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-03-31) 31 March 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Hamburg, Germany
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Eintracht Frankfurt
Number 9
Youth career
–2010 Harburger TB
2010– FC St. Pauli
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 FC St. Pauli 17 (1)
2021– Eintracht Frankfurt 13 (1)
2021–2023 → FC St. Pauli (loan) 36 (2)
2023–2024 → Karlsruher SC (loan) 32 (16)
International career‡
2017 Croatia U14 3 (0)
2020 Germany U17 3 (2)
2020 Germany U18 2 (2)
2022–2024 Croatia U21 6 (2)
2023–2024 Croatia U23 1 (1)
2024– Croatia 5 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2024

Igor Matanović (born 31 March 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt.[2] Born in Germany, he plays for the Croatia national team.

Club career

Matanović played for the youth team of Harburger TB until 2010, when he moved to FC St. Pauli's youth academy.[1] He made his professional debut for St. Pauli's senior team in the 2. Bundesliga on 27 November 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 87th minute for Rico Benatelli against VfL Osnabrück. The home match finished as a 1–0 loss.[3]

On 30 August 2021, he signed a five-year contract for Eintracht Frankfurt; on the same day he returned to FC St. Pauli on loan.[4]

On 17 August 2023, Matanović moved to Karlsruher SC in 2. Bundesliga on loan.[5]

International career

In April 2022, he declared his intention to represent Croatia internationally.[6]

Matanović was called up to the senior Croatia national team for the first time for the Nations League games against Portugal and Poland in September 2024.[7] He debuted on 5 September 2024 against Portugal at Estádio da Luz. He substituted Martin Baturina in the 61st minute, Portugal won 2–1.[8]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League DFB-Pokal Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FC St. Pauli 2020–21 2. Bundesliga 17 1 0 0 — 17 1
Eintracht Frankfurt 2021–22 Bundesliga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024–25 Bundesliga 13 1 2 1 5[a] 0 20 2
Total 13 1 2 1 5 0 20 2
FC St. Pauli (loan) 2021–22 2. Bundesliga 18 2 1 0 — 19 2
2022–23 2. Bundesliga 18 0 2 0 — 20 0
Total 36 2 3 0 — 39 2
FC St. Pauli II (loan) 2021–22 Regionalliga Nord 2 0 — — 2 0
2022–23 Regionalliga Nord 1 0 — — 1 0
Total 3 0 — — 3 0
Karlsruher SC (loan) 2023–24 2. Bundesliga 32 14 0 0 — 32 14
Career total 101 18 5 1 5 0 111 19
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

References

  1. ^ a b Rosenfeld, Buttje (14 November 2020). "Igor Matanovic: Der FC St. Pauli hat ein Supertalent im Sturm" [Igor Matanović: FC St. Pauli has a super talent up front]. Hamburger Morgenpost (in German). Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  2. ^ Igor Matanović at WorldFootball.net Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ "Germany » 2. Bundesliga 2020/2021 » 9. Round » FC St. Pauli – VfL Osnabrück 0:1". WorldFootball.net. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Eintracht verpflichtet Igor Matanovic" [Eintracht sign Matanović] (in German). Eintracht Frankfurt. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  5. ^ "PER LEIHE: IGOR MATANOVIĆ WECHSELT IN DEN KSC-STURM" [ON LOAN: IGOR MATANOVIĆ JOINS THE KSC ATTACK] (in German). Karlsruher SC. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  6. ^ "19-Year-Old Igor Matanović Chooses Croatia National Team Over Germany". total croatia news. 28 April 2012. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Dalić objavio popis igrača za početak Lige nacija" (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. 19 August 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Portugal v Croatia game report". ESPN. 5 September 2024.