Riad Bajić

Riad Bajić
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-05-06) 6 May 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Ankaragücü
Number 9
Youth career
2003–2013 Željezničar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2015 Željezničar 48 (18)
2015–2017 Konyaspor 64 (22)
2017–2022 Udinese 5 (0)
2018–2019 → İstanbul Başakşehir (loan) 31 (9)
2019–2020 → Konyaspor (loan) 27 (4)
2020–2021 → Ascoli (loan) 34 (12)
2021–2022 → Brescia (loan) 29 (3)
2022–2023 Giresunspor 34 (14)
2023– Ankaragücü 39 (8)
International career
2013 Bosnia and Herzegovina U19 4 (5)
2014–2016 Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 7 (0)
2017–2019 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 December 2024

Riad Bajić (pronounced [rǐad bâːjitɕ]; born 6 May 1994) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a forward for 1. Lig club Ankaragücü.

Bajić started his professional career at Željezničar, before joining Konyaspor in 2015. Two years later, he signed with Udinese, who loaned him to İstanbul Başakşehir in 2018, back to Konyaspor in 2019, to Ascoli in 2020 and to Brescia in 2021. The following year, he moved to Giresunspor. In 2023, he switched to Ankaragücü.

A former youth international for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bajić made his senior international debut in 2017, earning 12 caps until 2019.

Club career

Željezničar

Bajić came through the youth academy of his hometown club Željezničar, which he joined in 2003. In May 2013, he signed his first professional contract with the team.[1] He made his professional debut against Zvijezda Gradačac on 27 July at the age of 19.[2] On 19 October, he scored his first professional goal in a triumph over Mladost Velika Obarska.[3]

Bajić scored his first career hat-trick in a defeat of Zvijezda Gradačac on 27 September 2014.[4]

With 15 goals, he finished the 2014–15 season as Bosnian Premier League top scorer.[5]

Konyaspor

In August 2015, Bajić moved to Turkish outfit Konyaspor on a three-year deal.[6] He made his official debut for the side on 15 August against Akhisarspor.[7] On 17 October, he scored his first goal for the club in a victory over Gaziantepspor.[8]

In January 2017, he prolonged his contract with the squad until June 2020.[9] That season Bajić finished as team top scorer. His 17 goals were the most league goals scored by a Konyaspor player in a single campaign, beating the previous mark of 13 set by Theofanis Gekas.[10]

He won his first title with Konyaspor, club's first trophy ever, on 31 May, by defeating İstanbul Başakşehir in the Turkish Cup final.[11]

Udinese

In August, Bajić was transferred to Italian side Udinese for an undisclosed fee.[12] He made his competitive debut for the squad in a Coppa Italia game against Frosinone on 12 August.[13] Five weeks later, he made his league debut against Milan.[14]

In January 2018, he was sent on a six-month loan to İstanbul Başakşehir. In June, his loan was extended for an additional season.[15]

In June 2019, Bajić was loaned to his former team Konyaspor until the end of the season.[16]

In September 2020, he was sent on a season-long loan to Ascoli.[17]

In July 2021, he was loaned to Brescia for the remainder of the campaign.[18]

Later stage of career

In July 2022, Bajić joined Giresunspor.[19]

In June 2023, he switched to Ankaragücü.[20]

International career

Bajić represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at various youth levels.[21]

In March 2015, he received his first senior call-up, for a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Andorra and a friendly game against Austria,[22] but had to wait until 25 March 2017 to make his debut in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar.[23]

Personal life

Bajić married his long-time girlfriend Sanita in September 2019. Together they have a son named Dal.[24]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 December 2024[25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Željezničar 2013–14 Bosnian Premier League 18 3 5 2 2[b] 0 25 5
2014–15 Bosnian Premier League 28 15 2 1 4[c] 1 34 17
2015–16 Bosnian Premier League 2 0 0 0 6[c] 2 8 2
Total 48 18 7 3 12 3 67 24
Konyaspor 2015–16 Süper Lig 32 5 11 4 – 43 9
2016–17 Süper Lig 32 17 10 3 6[c] 0 48 20
Total 64 22 21 7 6 0 91 29
Udinese 2017–18 Serie A 5 0 2 0 – 7 0
İstanbul Başakşehir (loan) 2017–18 Süper Lig 9 3 – – 9 3
2018–19 Süper Lig 22 6 2 0 2[c] 0 26 6
Total 31 9 2 0 2 0 35 9
Konyaspor (loan) 2019–20 Süper Lig 27 4 1 0 – 28 4
Ascoli (loan) 2020–21 Serie B 34 12 0 0 – 34 12
Brescia (loan) 2021–22 Serie B 29 3 1 1 – 30 4
Giresunspor 2022–23 Süper Lig 34 14 1 0 – 35 14
Ankaragücü 2023–24 Süper Lig 24 4 3 1 – 27 5
2024–25 1. Lig 15 4 1 0 – 16 4
Total 39 8 4 1 – 43 9
Career total 311 90 39 12 20 3 370 105
  1. ^ Includes Bosnian Cup, Turkish Cup, Coppa Italia
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ a b c d Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[26]
National team Year Apps Goals
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2017 3 0
2018 6 0
2019 3 0
Total 12 0

Honours

Konyaspor[25]

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Zvijezda Željezničara Riad Bajić: Od betonskog terena do najboljeg strijelca lige". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 3 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Željo pobjedom u Gradačcu krenuo u odbranu titule". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Željezničar razbio Mladost u Bijeljini". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 19 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  4. ^ "Peta uzastopna pobjeda Želje, hat-trick Riada Bajića". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 27 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  5. ^ "Mlad Zmaj Riad Bajić najbolji strijelac Premijer lige BiH". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 31 May 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Riad Bajić potpisao trogodišnji ugovor s Konyasporom". radiosarajevo.ba (in Bosnian). 8 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Bajić igrao kompletan meč, Konyaspor osvojio bod". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 15 August 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Prvijenac Riada Bajića u dresu Konye". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 17 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Riad Bajić produžio ugovor sa Konyasporom". avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 25 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Bajić ušao u historiju Konyaspora". fokus.ba (in Bosnian). 3 June 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Bajić, Hadžiahmetović i Milošević sa Konyasporom u finalu savladali Başakşehir i osvojili Kup Turske". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 31 May 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Zvanično: Riad Bajić potpisao za Udinese". sportsport.ba (in Bosnian). 4 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Udinese prošao prvu prepreku, Bajić upisao zvanični debi". scsport.ba (in Bosnian). 12 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  14. ^ "Riad Bajić debitovao za Udinese u Serie A". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 17 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  15. ^ "Riad Bajić ostaje u İstanbul Başakşehiru". radiosarajevo.ba (in Bosnian). 13 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Riad Bajić se vratio u Konyaspor". fokus.ba (in Bosnian). 14 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  17. ^ "Riad Bajić ima novi klub u Italiji". avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 24 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Riad Bajić je novi igrač Brescije". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 5 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Riad Bajić se vratio u Tursku". faktor.ba (in Bosnian). 16 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Riad Bajić promijenio klub, pridružio se dvojici bh. igrača". sportske.ba (in Bosnian). 28 June 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Odlazak miljenika navijača Željezničara: Riad Bajić se u suzama oprostio od Manijaka". klix.ba (in Bosnian). 6 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  22. ^ "Mehmed Baždarević objavio spisak igrača, Bajić iznenađenje za Andoru". reprezentacija.ba (in Bosnian). 16 March 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  23. ^ "Bosna i Hercegovina sa pola snage slavila protiv Gibraltara". sportske.ba (in Bosnian). 25 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  24. ^ "Oženio se bh. reprezentativac Riad Bajić". faktor.ba (in Bosnian). 11 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  25. ^ a b "R. Bajić". soccerway.com. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Riad Bajić". eu-football.info. Retrieved 15 October 2019.