Matej Šakota

Matej Šakota
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-08-16) 16 August 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Slaven Belupo
Number 7
Youth career
2009–2022 Zrinjski
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Zrinjski 8 (1)
2022–2023 Dinamo Zagreb 0 (0)
2023– Slaven Belupo 37 (4)
International career‡
2018 Bosnia and Herzegovina U15 2 (0)
2018–2019 Bosnia and Herzegovina U16 2 (0)
2019–2020 Bosnia and Herzegovina U17 2 (0)
2020–2021 Bosnia and Herzegovina U18 4 (0)
2021–2022 Bosnia and Herzegovina U19 20 (5)
2023– Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024

Matej Šakota (born 16 August 2004) is a Bosnian footballer who plays as a forward for Prva HNL club NK Slaven Belupo.

Club career

Born in Mostar, Šakota progressed through the youth academy of Zrinjski Mostar, signing a professional contract with the club in September 2021.[1] On scoring in a 2–0 victory over Sloboda in May 2022, he broke Ivan Bubalo's 26-year-old record to become Zrinjski's youngest ever goalscorer.[2]

In August 2022, he transferred to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, signing a five-year contract.[3]

International career

Šakota has been selected and represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at levels Under-15,[4] U16,[5] U17,[6] U18,[7] and has played 20 games for the Under-19 team so far.[8]

Personal life

Šakota's brother, Filip, is also a footballer, and currently plays for the academy of Zrinjski.[9][10]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 16 November 2024[11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Zrinjski 2021–22 Bosnian Premier League 7 1 — 7 1
2022–23 Bosnian Premier League 1 0 — 1 0
Total 8 1 — 8 1
Slaven Belupo 2023–24 1. HNL 27 3 2 0 29 3
2024–25 1. HNL 10 1 0 0 10 1
Total 37 4 2 0 39 4
Career total 45 5 2 0 47 5
  1. ^ Includes Croatian Cup

References

  1. ^ "HŠK ZRINJSKI: Matej Šakota potpisao profesionalni ugovor" [HŠK ZRINJSKI: Matej Šakota signed a professional contract]. ramski-vjesnik.ba (in Croatian). 28 September 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Matej Šakota ispisao historiju Zrinjskog" [Matej Šakota wrote the history of Zrinjski]. faktor.ba (in Bosnian). 7 May 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Talentirani Matej Šakota iz Zrinjskog prešao u zagrebački Dinamo" [The talented Matej Šakota from Zrinjski moved to Dinamo Zagreb]. vecernji.ba (in Croatian). 23 August 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Prijateljski susreti "U-15" selekcija BiH i Crne Gore". www.nfsbih.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Zimski kamp za "U-16" reprezentativce". www.nfsbih.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Prijateljske utakmice kadetskih selekcija BiH i Sjeverne Makedonije". www.nfsbih.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Pobjeda U-18 reprezentativaca BiH u efikasnom meču". www.nfsbih.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Matej Šakota". worldfootball.net. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Matej i Filip Šakota: Zrinjski je naš klub i volimo ga" [Matej and Filip Šakota: Zrinjski is our club and we love it]. hercegovina.info (in Croatian). 11 February 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Matej Šakota: Zrinjski je moj dom i mjesto gdje dolazim bez briga" [Matej Šakota: Zrinjski is my home and a place where I come without worries]. hercegovina.info (in Croatian). 7 May 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  11. ^ Matej Šakota at Soccerway