Matej Poplatnik

Matej Poplatnik
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-07-15) 15 July 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Ljubljana, Slovenia[1]
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Bravo
Number 15
Youth career
0000–2005 Domžale
2006–2008 Slovan
2008–2009 Olimpija Ljubljana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Zarica Kranj 45 (31)
2012–2015 Triglav Kranj 75 (24)
2013 → Zarica Kranj (loan) 3 (1)
2015 Montana 14 (0)
2016–2018 Triglav Kranj 68 (46)
2018–2020 Kerala Blasters 16 (4)
2019–2020 → Kaposvári Rákóczi (loan) 6 (0)
2020–2022 Livingston 19 (0)
2021–2022 → Raith Rovers (loan) 31 (7)
2022–2023 Ilirija 1911 24 (24)
2023– Bravo 34 (11)
International career‡
2013 Slovenia U20 1 (0)
2013 Slovenia U21 1 (0)
2024– Slovenia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 July 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 January 2024

Matej Poplatnik (born 15 July 1992) is a Slovenian footballer who plays as a forward for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Bravo and the Slovenia national team.

Club career

Poplatnik started his senior career with Zarica Kranj, before joining Triglav Kranj in 2012. He made his Slovenian PrvaLiga debut for Triglav in a 1–0 away loss against Celje on 15 July 2012, coming on as a second-half substitute. Poplatnik scored his first goal for Triglav a week later in a 1–0 win over Aluminij at Stanko Mlakar Stadium. In the 2014–15 season, he finished as Slovenian Second League top scorer with 18 goals.

On 20 June 2015, Poplatnik signed a two-year contract with Bulgarian side Montana, after a successful trial period with the club.[2]

On 8 July 2018, Poplatnik joined Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters.[3] He scored on his debut, in a 2–0 league away victory against ATK on 29 September 2018.[4]

On 30 July 2019, Poplatnik joined Hungarian club Kaposvári Rákóczi on a season-long loan.[5]

On 8 July 2020, Poplatnik signed for Scottish Premiership club Livingston.[6] He would join Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers on a season-long loan.[7] For Raith Rovers, Poplatnik scored eleven goals in all competitions, including two goals in a victory in the 2022 Scottish Challenge Cup final.[8]

International career

Poplatnik made his debut for the senior Slovenia national team on 20 January 2024 in a friendly against the United States.[9]

Personal life

His older brother, Aleš Poplatnik, is also a professional footballer.[10]

Honours

Triglav Kranj

Raith Rovers

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Slovenia – M. Poplatnik – Profile with news, career statistics and history". soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Монтана привлече още трима". novsport.com (in Bulgarian). 20 June 2015.
  3. ^ Nisanth V Easwar (8 July 2018). "ISL 2018-19: Kerala Blasters sign Slovenian striker Matej Poplatnik". goal.com. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Indian Super League: Kerala Blasters beat ATK in season five opener". India Today. 29 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Szlovén centert igazolt a Rákóczi". SONLINE (in Hungarian). 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Double delight as duo put pen to paper". livingstonfc.co.uk. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Matej Poplatnik On Loan Raith Rovers | Raith Rovers FC". raithrovers.net. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  8. ^ Wilson, Fraser (3 April 2022). "Raith Rovers win Spfl Trust Trophy Final against Queen of the South". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Matej Poplatnik, international football player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  10. ^ Dominko, Peter (14 October 2014). "Brata Poplatnik: "S sodelovanjem sva močnejša!"". Slovenski nogometni portal (in Slovenian). Retrieved 5 August 2022.